August 14, 2026
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From the gravity-powered track at West End in the late 1800s, to the doomed Jazzland Amusement Park, New Orleans has been home to more roller coasters than you may thing.
National Roller Coaster Day: Remembering New Orleans' Bygone Thrills
Marie Simoneaux
Marie is the media and communication coordinator for the New Orleans Public Library
Since Hurricane Katrina shuttered Six Flags New Orleans in 2005, the only remaining roller coaster in the city is a charming ladybug, nestled among the oak trees in City Parks’ Carousel Gardens.
The attraction tops out at 40 feet tall and 25 miles an hour. With passengers enjoying three trips around the track, the ride is just over two minutes. First installed in the late 1980s, the original ladybug roller coaster was damaged in Hurricane Katrina. City Park purchased a new one – slightly faster and higher – which opened to the public in March of 2015, almost a decade after the storm corroded its predecessor beyond repair.
While this kid-friendly attraction remains a local favorite, it has been over 20 years since thrill-seekers could find a full-sized roller coaster in New Orleans. However, a look into our City Archives & Special Collections shows that Six Flags New Orleans was not the city’s first doomed amusement park.
From the gravity-powered track at West End in the late 1800s, to the Big Dipper at Spanish Fort in the 1920s, to the iconic wooden Zephyr at Pontchartrain Park, New Orleans was home to a handful of notable roller coasters decades before Jazzland made its debut.
West End
Originally known as New Lake End, the area located near the present-day Southern Yacht Club started becoming a popular resort and recreation area in the mid-1830s. Over the next three decades, restaurants, hotels, music venues, and other attractions began popping up. Along the way, the site was rebranded as West End Park.
In 1886, one of the country’s first roller coasters was built on West End Park. The Switchback Railway was powered by gravity alone, starting on the bank of the canal and bringing passengers out over the waters of Lake Pontchartrain on a large wooden platform.
West End’s structures were extremely prone to fire, wind, and water damage, and the park was officially closed in 1910.
White City Amusement Park
While beachfront theme parks loom large in our collective memory, there were at least two amusement parks located in what we now know as Mid-City.
White City Amusement Park was located on Tulane and South Carrollton Avenue. Today, a Chick-fil-A occupies the location, but between 1891 and 1913, at least three different wooden roller coasters called the site home.
According to Roller Coaster Database, the first roller coaster at the park opened in 1891, featuring a double-figure-eight layout. In 1904, a single-figure-eight ride debuted, designed by Henry B. Auchy. The third and final roller coaster at White City Park was called Santa Rosa, designed by Edwin Prescott for the Centrifugal Roller Coaster Company. The “loop-the-loop” ride opened in 1906, but closed and removed from the site after a widely reported accident killed a rider when a car jumped the track.
The park closed in 1913, making room for Heinemann Park – later known as Pelican Stadium — a baseball stadium that operated from 1915 to 1957.
Sanborn Insurance Map of White City Amusement Park
A 1908 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows the site of White City Amusement Park. Also known as Athletic Park, the site was home to at least three different roller coasters, including the "Santa Rosa," which was closed after a fatal accident in 1906.
New Orleans Item, May 31, 1906
On May 31, 1906, the New Orleans Item reported an accident at White City Park (also known as Athletic Park), killed a man named H. Suberbielle after a car jumped the track on the "Santa Rosa," a loop-the-loop roller coaster.
Stock’s Scenic Amusement Park
During the same era, Stock’s Scenic Amusement Park occupied a triangular block on City Park Ave., encased by N. Murat, St. Anne, and N. Alexander streets. The park opened in 1903 and was operated by Henry Stock’s American Scenic Railway and Amusement Company.
Fire insurance maps from 1908 show the park’s “scenic railway” roller coaster wrapping around a carousel and shooting gallery. The site also featured an “amusement pavilion,” and a moving pictures theater.
The park closed in the mid-1930s. In 1935, the roller coaster was torn down and its frame was sold as scraps.
According to Sally and William Reeves’ History of City Park, the carousel in Stock’s Scenic Amusement park was moved to Pontchartrain Beach in 1939, where it stayed until the park closed in the 1980s.
Sanborn Insurance Map of Stock Scenic Amusement Park
A Sanborn Map from 1908 shows Stock's Scenic Park on the corner of City Park Ave. and N. Alexander Street. Wrapping around the park is a "scenic railway," or an early iteration of the modern roller coaster.
Aerial View of City Park from 1928
Archivist Brittanny Silva shows an aerial view of City Park from 1928, where Stock's Scenic Amusement Park can be seen in the bottom right hand corner. The photograph appears in the book "History of City Park," by Sally and William Reeves, courtesy of the City Park Collection.
Aerial View of City Park, Close up on Stock's Amusement Park
Stock's Scenic Amusement Park can be seen in the bottom right hand corner of this aerial view of City Park, circa 1928. The photograph appears in the book "History of City Park," by Sally and William Reeves, courtesy of the City Park Collection.
Spanish Fort
With archeological evidence dating back to 400 CE, the land where Bayou St. John meets Lake Pontchartrain has been the site of thousands of years of human activity. The French built Fort St. Jean there in 1701, followed by the Spanish’s brick fort in 1779.
In 1808, the U.S. Government built a third fort, the ruins of which can still be seen today on the banks of the bayou between Allen Toussaint Blvd. and Lakeshore Drive.
The fort was officially decommissioned in 1823. That same year, a man named Harvey Elkins built the Bayou St. John Hotel within the walls of the fort, beginning the historic site’s run as a recreation destination. By the 1890s, the park featured performance spaces, zoos, gardens, and other attractions, but the resort was damaged by a storm in 1901, closing it for most of the decade.
In 1909, the New Orleans Railway and Light Company bought the 40-acre site for $35,000, and by 1911, the new and improved Spanish Fort Amusement Park was up and running, complete with a Ferris wheel and roller coaster.
The resort opened for the 1913 season on May 4 with new attractions including the “New Giant Dip Coaster,” according to an advertisement in the Times-Picayune.
An April 17, 1922, Times-Picayune article announced the park unveiled two new rides: the Big Dipper roller coaster and the “Dodge Em,” an attraction with small electric cars, similar to present-day bumper cars.
In June, 1924, the Times-Picayune reported “Nearly every person in New Orleans has enjoyed the thrilling delight of the Big Dipper at Spanish Fort. The Big Dipper is a mile in length, electrically operated, and the cars make the trip in the record time of 57 seconds.”
The report estimated that on the namesake “big dip,” the cars reach speeds of 80 miles per hour.
Spanish Fort’s last season was in 1926 and the park demolished a year later.
Pontchartrain Beach
A year after Spanish Fort closed, a new attraction popped up in the area along the lakefront. Dubbed Pontchartrain Beach, the swimming and recreation site opened on June 30, 1928, operated by the Lake Shore Beach Company.
By 1930, the park expanded, adding in a handful of rides, including the 3,560-foot wooden roller coaster called “The Wildcat.”
Around this time, the Batt family entered the picture after realizing their ice manufacturing empire may be coming to a close, as in-home refrigeration technology improved and became more common.
The family invested in concessions and the arcade rides at the park, including The Wildcat.
In 1933, the Orleans Levee Board took possession of the amusement park, as the Lake Shore Beach Company fell into debt. The same year. Harry J. Batt took over the lease.
The park was demolished in September 1938 to make room for various projects funded through the Works Project Administration.
The Batts moved Pontchartrain Beach a few miles away to a plot three times the size of their original site. Located at the end of Elysian Fields – between the present-day UNO and SUNO campuses – the New Pontchartrain Beach opened in the spring of 1939, where it would enjoy many successful decades.
The Zephyr
On April 23, 1939, the now-iconic Zephyr took its first passengers on a looping ride around Pontchartrain Beach. The wooden roller coaster was 2,800-feet-long and reached heights of 80-feet. Some sources claim the ride reached 90 miles an hour, though others report top speeds of 50 miles per hour.
The structure was designed and built by local engineers and tradesmen and made from pine wood. Electricity powered the ride up, and then gravity took over for the under 2-minute ride.
The Zephyr Jr., a mini version of the iconic wooden ride, debuted in 1946 as part of the amusement parks’ children’s area.
Pontchartrain Beach, 1948
An aerial photograph of Pontchartrain Beach from 1948, taken by the Army Corps of Engineers, courtesy of the New Orleans Public Library, City Archives & Special Collections.
Pontchartrain Beach Postcard
A postcard shows swimmers at Pontchartrain Beach, with the Zephyr roller coaster visible in the background. Courtesy of the New Orleans Public Library's Postcard Collection.
Other Roller Coasters at Pontchartrain Beach
The Wild Mouse, the first steel-track ride, was added to the park in 1959, featuring sharp turns and steep drops. The ride was replaced in 1976 by the Magic Rainbow.
In 1971, the Galaxi debuted and was touted as “one of the most exciting rides ever built.” It was removed in 1978, but the ride found a new home at Fun Fair Park in Baton Rouge in 1978. In 1999, the Galaxi moved to the Blue Bayou Dixie Landin’ amusement park in Baton Rouge, which closed in 2024. The water park section of Blue Bayou is still in operation.
In 1978, Pontchartrain Park installed the Ragin’ Cajun’ an all-steel roller coaster that cost $1.3 million, stood at 85 feet, and featured a loop and double corkscrew. It was moved to the Great Escape Amusement Park in New York when Pontchartrain Beach closed and is still in use under the name the Screamin’ Demon.
Pontchartrain Beach’s heyday was from 1944-1979, and the park officially closed on September 5, 1983. The mile-long sand beach remains intact, but is not accessible to the public. Talks to reopen the beach were stalled in 2023 and currently remain in limbo.
Ragin' Cajun Roller Coaster
Archivist Brittanny Silva points out a photograph of the Ragin' Cajun roller coaster, which debuted in Pontchartrain Beach in 1978. The photograph appears in the book "Pontchartrain Beach: A Family Affair," by Bryan Batt and Katy Danos.
Pontchartrain Beach Courtesy Card
The Library's City Archives & Special Collections houses many documents and ephemera from Pontchartrain Beach, including this courtesy card for any ride in the park.
Lincoln Beach
For its first 25 years, Pontchartrain Beach was only open to white patrons, aside from select “Colored Days.” In 1939, the WPA constructed a beach on the eastern banks of Lake Pontchartrain for Black communities to use, but it failed to become a popular destination in its early years.
By 1952, the Times-Picayune described Lincoln Beach as “a barren sand beach and a lone, unimpressive building.”
However, a renaissance was on the horizon for Lincoln Beach in 1953, when the Levee Board began a half-million-dollar renovation of the property, including freshwater swimming pools, a new bath house, picnic shelters, and an expanded and rebuilt midway.
An additional $2 million was invested in the property between 1953 and 1955.
On Wednesday, June 29, 1955, a grand reopening was held at Lincoln Beach, unveiling amenities including a water-purification plant, a 3,500-car parking lot, and a small roller coaster, among other rides.
Over the next 11 years, Lincoln Beach became an essential summertime playground for New Orleans’ Black communities.
In 1964, Lincoln Beach was closed by a federal order forbidding the operation of segregated facilities. The abandoned area quickly fell into decay.
In recent years, significant efforts have been made to restore and reopen Lincoln Beach. Local activists like Sage Michael Pellet and Reggie Ford have spent years cleaning up the area and raising awareness for the project. Their efforts helped to secure more than $24 million to reopen Lincoln Beach.
Renderings for the master plan were unveiled last May and show a wide, sandy shoreline with bathrooms, a restaurant, and a welcome center/history museum. Construction is expected to start in December and the beach is projected to open in 2027. In the meantime, the beach remains closed to the public and City officials urge people not to enter the area.
Jazzland
Jazzland opened on May 20, 2000 in New Orleans East with a theme showcasing “Louisiana’s joie de vivre,” according to promotional materials. The project cost $130 million and was divided into seven sections – Pontchartrain Beach, Cajun Country, Jazz Plaza, Mardi Gras, Gospel Garden, a kids area and a large lawn.
The park’s signature ride was a 4,000 feet long wooden roller coaster called Mega Zeph – a nod to the shuttered Pontchartrain Beach’s Zephyr roller coaster, but “four times as long, sleeker and faster with speeds up to 60 mph.” Other attractions included Carnival parades, water skiing shows, music, and even live alligators guests could feed.
In addition to the Mega Zeph, the park featured at least three other roller coasters: Muskrat Scrambler, Zydeco Scream, and Rex’s Rail Runner.
With 31 rides across 140 acres, developers hoped Jazzland would be a destination for tourists and locals alike, but their projections would be quickly proven wrong.
The Library’s City Archives & Special Collections holds several items related to Jazzland their collections. Materials range from correspondences and records to promotional items and videos, including raw footage from Jazzland’s opening day. See a sample below, or explore the collection here: Jazzland Archives.
Just two years after opening, Jazzland declared bankruptcy. Shortly after, Six Flags purchased the property, rebranding it and adding new rides and attractions in a $20 million upgrade, which included at least two additional roller coasters: Jester and Batman.
Despite the new attractions and Six Flags’ backing, the park struggled to profit. The 2005 season was cut short when the city was evacuated for Hurricane Katrina.
The park’s drainage pumps failed during the storm, and the entire grounds were flooded with corrosive floodwater. Combined with wind and other damage sustained during the storm, the park was closed without plans to reopen.
While the amusement park was only operational for five years, the abandoned park became an iconic relic and was often used as film sets.
Development company Bayou Phoenix signed a lease for the property in 2023. Their master plan calls for a $500 million complex, featuring sports fields, waterparks, hotels, restaurants and shops.
Demolition started early last year, and as of last month, most of the crumbling structures had been torn down. Developers are still seeking at least $50 million for the project. Earlier this year, Bayou Pheonix’ pitch for state funds through the Capital Outlay Bill was denied.
More Reading
For more information, the City Archives’ & Special Collections has dozens of books, reports, and records detailing New Orleans’ history of amusement parks and attractions. Books used for this article include “History of City Park New Orleans,” by Sally and William Reeves, “Lost Lake Pontchartrain Resorts and Attractions,” by Catherine Campanella, and “Pontchartrain Beach: A Family Affair,” by Bryan Batt.
Historic archives of the Times-Picayune, New Orleans Item, New Orleans State, and States-Item were also used in this article, through NewsBank, an e-resource available for free with your New Orleans Public Library card.
This is not an exhaustive list of the Archives’ materials about these histories. Contact the City Archives & Special Collections via their Ask-an-Archivist tool for more information.
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