Wake Wednesday - Reminiscence on Independence Day 1912 in Bloomsbury Park

"The Electric Park Amusement Company opened Bloomsbury Park on July 4, 1912. It was located at the end of the streetcar line near the Carolina Country Club, off what is today Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh, NC. It featured electric lights, a dance pavilion, a boating pond, penny arcade, roller coaster, and a magnificent Denzel carousel. Bloomsbury closed in 1921, and the carousel was sold to Pullen Park, where remains today."  -NCDigital

Can you feel the damp heat, hear the kids playing, hear the sounds of the calliope playing appropriate patriotic tunes.  Check out the Bloomsbury Park album at the NCDigital Flickr account to see what Idependence Day celebrating was like in 1912.

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Wake Wed - Bloomsbury Park c.1912

Bloomsbury Park once hosted a roller coaster and a carousel. Both are shown in the photo below.

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Bloomsbury Park was built in 1912 as the last stop on the Glenwood Trolley line. The park was the finest amusement destination in Raleigh for almost a decade. By 1920, its popularity had waned. Perhaps the stress of the war and the Spanish Flu epidemic had stolen residents attention for more practical pursuits.

Bloomsbury Park is just a distant memory now, but portions of it remain for those nostalgic for old Raleigh lore. The carousel is easy to find, now restored and residing at Pullen Park. The other fixtures - the roller coaster, the trolley stop, and the dance pavilion - require a keener eye. Thankfully, Heather Leah, has that keen eye and has done the exploring for us. Please take a minute to read her article for ABC11 news. You will be glad you did.

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