Carol L. Voss Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rolland Meyers Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thanks Carol. I remember the Merry-go round
> but
> > for me it has been 40 years since I have
> visited
> > the boardwalk. Probably would not recognize it
> > now. Is the old wooden roller coaster still
> > there?
> > Rolland
> Yep, still going strong and just celebrated its
> 100th anniversary. Carl and I started riding it
> when we were in grammar school and about 3 years
> ago totally blew our grandkids away by riding it
> once more---------HOWEVER, for the last time since
> all of that tossing around and banging into the
> sides of the cars is a bit much for these aging
> bones!!
> And the merry-go-round is still going strong after
> 100 years as well.
> C.


The 1924 Giant Dipper roller coaster is the older of the two large, wooden scaffolded roller coasters remaining on the West Coast.

The Giant Dipper, which is located between walkways 3 and 4 at 400 Beach Street in Santa Cruz, California, was designed by Frank Prior and Fred Church, with a double out and back layout similar to the Mission Beach Roller Coaster built in 1925 in San Diego, California. The Giant Dipper was built by Arthur Looff (1888–1970) in 1924 in just 47 days at a cost of $50,000. It replaced the much tamer miniature railway ride designed by LaMarcus Adna Thompson. Looff described his plans for the coaster as a, "combination earthquake, balloon ascension, and aeroplane drop."[2] Looff's father, Charles I. D. Looff, built the carousel on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in 1911; both attractions continue to operate today.

Jack
Sparks, NV