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32-605: The Thompson's Scenic Railway was built on the site of the current Giant Dipper in 1908 as the longest roller coaster in the United States. In October 1923, manager R.L. Cardiff and Walter Looff began negotiations to build a new ride to replace the Scenic Railway. The price was set at $ 50,000, $ 15,000 more than the Scenic Railway. In January 1924, the permit to build the Giant Dipper was granted to Arthur Looff. He wanted to create

64-758: A beautiful carousel with 54 horses and presented it to his daughter, Emma, as a wedding present, when she married Louis Vogel. The ride was installed at Natatorium Park in Spokane, Washington . This ride has been restored and operates today at Riverfront Park in Spokane. Looff, meanwhile, had become enchanted with the possibilities for amusement parks on the West Coast and in August 1910 moved to California , leaving his daughter Helen (and her husband Charles Simmons) and his son, Charles Looff Jr. (and his wife Emma Simmons Looff), to manage

96-547: A circular platform and created his first merry-go-round . In 1876, he installed his ride at Lucy Vandeveer's Bathing Pavilion at West Sixth Street and Surf Avenue. This was Coney Island's first carousel and first amusement ride. Looff opened a factory at 30 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn and continued building more carousels. He installed a merry-go-round at a restaurant and beer garden on Surf Avenue, Coney Island owned by Charles Feltman , one of several people credited with inventing

128-525: A large carousel at the head of a 400-foot (120 m) pier that received throngs of people from the steamboats that cruised up and down the bay. Crescent Park became known as "the Coney Island of the East" during this time. In 1895, Looff built a larger and more elaborate carousel overlooking the midway. This beautiful ride contains 61 horses, 1 camel, 2 single chariots, and 2 double chariots. He used this ride as

160-632: A result of a trolley accident, would work with their father in some way in the carousel business. When the City of New York took his property under eminent domain to build a city park, Looff moved his family to Crescent Park , in Riverside, Rhode Island . In 1886, Colonel George Boyden established an amusement park named Crescent Park in Riverside, Rhode Island, on 50 acres (200,000 m ) overlooking Narragansett Bay . Boyden commissioned Charles I. D. Looff to build

192-464: A ride that had "the thrill of a plunge down a mine shaft, a balloon ascent, a parachute jump, airplane acrobatics, a cyclone, a toboggan ride, and a ship in a storm." Demolition of the Scenic Railway began in January 1924 to make room for the Giant Dipper. It took 5 months to demolish the Scenic Railway and construct the Giant Dipper. The actual construction of the Giant Dipper took 47 days. The ride opened to

224-511: A showpiece for prospective buyers to choose the types of carved horses for their machines. Looff built his workshop adjoining the carousel. Here he would produce many merry-go-rounds for amusement parks in New England and across the United States. Looff's daughter, Helen, and her husband Charles Simmons bought the ride from Looff's widow's estate in 1930. This carousel, now owned by the city of East Providence, Rhode Island , has been fully restored,

256-596: Is almost identical to the one operated at Lake Compounce in Connecticut. The Golden Age (Cracker album) The Golden Age is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Cracker . It was released on April 2, 1996, by Virgin. Three singles were released from the album: "I Hate My Generation," "Nothing to Believe In," and "Sweet Thistle Pie." The Los Angeles Times wrote: "Although irritatingly self-indulgent and arrogant at times, Lowery occasionally borders on brilliance. It’s possible that someone in

288-757: Is still operating in its original location and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 1985, the Rhode Island General Assembly proclaimed the carousel as the "State Jewel of American Folk Art". In 1987, the National Park Service designated the carousel as a National Historic Landmark . Looff's son, Charles Jr., worked in the shop carving saddles and chariots for his father. In 1920, young Charles purchased Crescent Park and operated it until his death in 1925 at age 44. Charles Jr. built an excursion boat, which he named

320-504: The Miss Looff in honor of his sister, Anna, which cruised the waters of Narragansett Bay, bringing customers from Providence and Newport, Rhode Island , to Crescent Park. Charles Jr. married Emma Simmons, the sister of Charles Simmons, who had married Helen Looff. In the early 1900s, Looff built carousels and figure-8 roller coasters for the Texas and Oklahoma state fairs. In 1909, Looff built

352-454: The 50 millionth rider, the park celebrated the Giant Dipper's 60 millionth rider on July 27, 2012. The park gave out trivia coasters leading up to the event. The 24 riders that were on the train when it hit 60 million riders received a hoodie among other prizes. The Giant Dipper was built by Arthur Looff and designed by Frederick Church . It required 327,000 feet (100,000 m) of lumber, 743,000 nails, and 24,000 bolts to construct. The lumber

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384-572: The American hot dog . Looff installed another machine at Coney Island and then created a large ride for Asbury Park in New Jersey. Looff began to hire expert carvers such as John Zalar, Marcus Illions, John Mueller and Charles Carmel to help with his expanding business. Charles and Anna had six children: Anna (1875–1896), Helen (1877–1956), Emma (1879–1938), Charles (1881–1924), William (1883–1945), Arthur (1888–1970). All except Anna, who died at age 21 as

416-540: The Pike, Looff built and operated amusement parks and carousels at Ocean Park , Redondo Beach , Venice Beach , and Santa Cruz , as well as Griffith Park in Los Angeles (still in operation) which coincidentally is the carousel that helped inspire Walt Disney to design and eventually build Disneyland and Disney World . Disneyland Resorts has on display the actual park bench that Disney sat on as he watched his daughters ride

448-713: The United States National Park Service recognized the Giant Dipper as a National Historic Landmark along with the Looff Carousel . It was awarded the American Coaster Enthusiasts Golden Age Coaster award in June 1994. The 1920s is often considered the "golden age of roller coaster construction" so the award recognizes the roller coasters that still remain today. It is only one of two roller coasters to receive this designation,

480-427: The early 1970s, the Giant Dipper became the last "classic roller coaster" between Vancouver , British Columbia and San Diego, California . It is one of only three Church rides to still operate. The other two are Dragon Coaster at Playland Park and Giant Dipper at Belmont Park . It is one of the only roller coasters that are still operating from what ACE calls the "golden age of roller coasters." Other than being

512-611: The family properties in Rhode Island . Looff settled in Long Beach and built a factory on West Sixth Street. He purchased property at The Pike , an amusement area on Long Beach's waterfront, and built a magnificent merry-go-round there. The family lived in an apartment above the ride. Son, Arthur, also operated Lite-a-Line, a type of redemption game at the Pike that is still in operation today at 2500 Long Beach Boulevard in Long Beach. It

544-642: The family's West Coast operation, including building the Giant Dipper roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk . The Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome and the Santa Cruz Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster were both designated National Historic Landmarks in 1987. This carousel is thought to have been relocated to Sherman’s in the 1930s from a park in Utica, New York. *Note: This carousel

576-619: The letters I and J look very much alike, and confusion set in as to his initials. Somehow, his name became Charles I. D. Looff instead of J. D. Looff. Settling on Leonard Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn , he found work as a carver at a furniture factory. Working part-time as a ballroom dance instructor, Looff met and married Anna Dolle, also from Germany, in 1874. After working in the furniture factory all day, he took scraps of wood home to his apartment and began carving them into carousel animals. Young Looff assembled his wooden horses and animals onto

608-450: The lift hill followed by another turnaround. Riders then go through three more small hills and enter the final brake run . The Giant Dipper currently operates with two trains with six cars per train. Riders are arranged two across in two rows for a total of 24 riders per train. The trains were built by Dana Morgan from D.H. Morgan Manufacturing . When the Giant Dipper first opened in 1924, it ran with three trains, each with ten cars. Over

640-751: The merry-go-round and day-dreamed about a new type of totally immersive theme park experience. There has also been a Looff carousel horse added to the exhibit at the entrance to the "Moments with Lincoln" attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim . Looff built a short-lived amusement park in Seattle called Luna Park. The carousel at Luna Park had been planned for San Francisco , but the infamous earthquake prompted Looff to create Luna Park in Seattle instead. Charles I. D. Looff died on July 1, 1918, aged 66, in Long Beach, California . After his death, his son Arthur continued to manage

672-500: The oldest roller coaster in California, the ride is also one of the oldest roller coasters in the world. Since the Giant Dipper was one of the first roller coasters in existence when it opened, many people were concerned about the safety of the ride. Looff, as well as a local newspaper, insisted it was "virtually impossible" for the cars to leave the track because of the makeup of the trains and track. Although several incidents happened on

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704-551: The other being the Giant Dipper at Belmont Park . Giant Dipper was also awarded the ACE Coaster Landmark award on May 5, 2007, at the 100th anniversary of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It won the award for its innovative track design, unusual curved station and for being one of the ten oldest operating coasters in the world and one of only three remaining examples of Frederick Church's work. Charles I. D. Looff Charles I. D. Looff (born Carl Jürgen Detlef Looff)

736-412: The public for the first time on May 17, 1924. In 1974, the ride received a new coat of paint with Victorian -style architecture around the station. In the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake , the Giant Dipper was practically untouched. The ride was closed for about a month to be inspected. The park held a benefit for victims of the earthquake. In 2002, the ride celebrated its 50 millionth rider. Ten years after

768-409: The ride while standing up near the end of the ride. The emergency brake was applied, but the boy fell head first onto the track and was crushed by the roller coaster train. Other fatalities also occurred in 1940 and 1970. Several modifications have been made to the trains as a result. After departing from the station , the train immediately enters a tunnel. After going through some drops and turns in

800-608: The ride, none were related to the integrity of the track or trains. Many people call the Giant Dipper the icon and crown jewel of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk as well as one of the nation's most exciting roller coasters. It is considered to be the signature ride of the park. The Giant Dipper is referred to in the song "Big Dipper", from the 1996 album The Golden Age by David Lowery 's band Cracker . The ride also appeared in many television commercials and movies , including The Lost Boys , Sudden Impact , The Sting II , Bumblebee and Dangerous Minds . On February 27, 1987,

832-591: The south side of the city's long, narrow, municipal pier. They constructed a large Byzantine - Moorish style "Hippodrome" building to house one of their ornate carousels, now known as the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome . The Looffs also erected the Blue Streak Racer wooden roller coaster on their new pleasure pier, along with The Whip and the Aeroscope thrill ride. In addition to Santa Monica and

864-466: The tunnel, the train emerges at the base of the lift hill . Once climbing 70 feet (21 m) to the top, the train drops 65 feet (20 m), reaching a top speed of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). The train then rises up into a banked turn to the left. Riders then go through two hills next to the lift hill followed by a turnaround that is positioned over the tunnel at the beginning of the ride. The train then travels over three small hills situated next to

896-642: The unique Coney Island style of carousel carving. Looff was born as Carl Jürgen Detlef Looff on May 24, 1852 in Bad Bramstedt , in Holstein . His father, Jürgen Detlef Christian Looff, was a master blacksmith and wagon builder. Watching his father, Carl learned how to work with metal and wood. To avoid the coming war, Carl emigrated to the United States. Arriving in Castle Garden , New York City, on August 14, 1870, he changed his first name to Charles. In low German ,

928-419: The years, the trains have been redesigned and replaced several times, with the current trains being the ride's third set. The wooden track is approximately 2,640 feet (800 m) in length, and the height of the lift is approximately 70 feet (21 m). The track is colored red with white supports. When built in 1924, 327,000 feet (100,000 m) of lumber was used. The track is inspected every two hours. In

960-404: Was a Danish master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides, who immigrated to the United States of America in 1870. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he built over 40 carousels, several amusements parks, numerous roller coasters and Ferris wheels , and built California's famous Santa Monica Pier . He became famous for creating

992-418: Was provided by Homer T. Maynard Lumber, and the 70 horsepower motor, which is still used today, was provided by Santa Cruz Electric. The concrete was done by T.F. Costello, and the steel work was done by Berger and Carter. The ride had a few incidents over the years in which three people have died. The first death on Giant Dipper occurred four months after it debuted, on September 21. A 15-year-old boy fell from

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1024-415: Was subsequently moved in the early part of the 21st century. It also houses a small but very detailed and vivid museum in honor of his carvings and ride technology but most specifically Looff's Long Beach Pike enterprise. In 1943, fire destroyed the Pike carousel. Son Arthur replaced it with another Looff merry-go-round. In 1916, Looff with his son, Arthur, designed and built Looff's Santa Monica Pier along

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