The Chutes of San Francisco

Amusement park in California, 1895- 1911

37°46′48″N 122°25′54″W / 37.78000°N 122.43167°W / 37.78000; -122.43167StatusDefunctOpened1895Closed1911OwnerIrving AckermanAttendance4,000+

The Chutes of San Francisco (also known as the Fillmore Chutes was an amusement park located on Fillmore Street, in the Fillmore District of San Francisco, California, bounded by Webster, Eddy and Turk Streets.

History

Haight Street chutes

In 1894, Paul Boyton conceived of the "Paul Boyton's Water Chutes" amusement ride in Chicago. Boyton began licensing the concept, and the attraction caught the attention of San Francisco.[1] In1895, the "Shoot the Chutes" opened to the public on Haight Street, a few blocks east of Golden Gate Park.[2] Visitors boarded the boats stationed atop a tall structure, the ride included a 300-foot long descent down to a pool situated below.[3] On March 16, 1902, the Haight Street Chutes closed.[4] Following the closure of the Haight Street Chutes, the amusement moved to Fulton Street in the Inner Richmond District,[5][5] opening in May.[6] In 1909 the Fulton Chutes were closed, the property was sold to a developer.[7] Irving Ackerman, the son of the original owner relocated the operation to Fillmore Street.[8][7][9][10]

On May 29, 1911, a fire destroyed the Fillmore Chutes. The fire claimed the lives of three individuals and left seven others injured. The newly constructed Chutes Theater building, made of concrete, survived the fire.[11] Following the destructive fire, the land was sold.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ Arnold Woods. "Haight Chutes: A Closer Look". OpenSFHistory. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  2. ^ "Death of an Old Citizen". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. November 13, 1880. p. 3. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  3. ^ "They Shot The Chutes". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California. November 3, 1895. p. 28. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  4. ^ Smith, James R. (2005). San Francisco's Lost Landscapes. Linden. p. 38. ISBN 9781610351911. Retrieved June 21, 2023. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  5. ^ a b Arnold Woods. "Fulton Chutes: A Closer Look". OpenSFHistory. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  6. ^ "Old And Young Shoot The Chutes". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California. May 2, 1902. p. 14. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "The Chutes Will Move Down Town". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California. January 7, 1909. p. 5. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Arnold Woods. "Fillmore Chutes: A Closer Look". OpenSFHistory. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  9. ^ "New Chutes To Be Opened July 14". The San Francisco Call. San Francisco, California. July 4, 1909. p. 27. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  10. ^ "Splash And Hooray! Chutes Are Opened". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. July 15, 1909. p. 7. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  11. ^ "Chutes Destroyed Early This Morning". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California. May 29, 1911. p. 1. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Chutes of San Francisco.
  • San Francisco's Playland at the Beach: The Golden Years
  • Haight Chutes
  • v
  • t
  • e
Defunct amusement parks in California
Amusement parks
Seaside parks
Water parksAnimal parksAlso see
Currently operating amusement parks of California