 Entrance to Children's Fairyland | |
 | |
| Location | 699 Bellevue Ave., Lake Merritt, Oakland, California 94610 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°48′32″N 122°15′36″W / 37.8090°N 122.2599°W |
| Opened | September 2, 1950 |
| Owner | City of Oakland Park and Recreation Department |
| Operated by | Oakland Children's Fairyland, Inc. |
| Theme | Fairy tales |
| Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
Children's Fairyland, U.S.A. is an amusement park, located in Oakland, California, on the shores of Lake Merritt. It was one of the earliest "themed" amusement parks in the United States.[1] Fairyland includes 10 acres (4.0 ha) of play sets, small rides, and animals. The park is also home to the Open Storybook Puppet Theater, the oldest continuously operating puppet theater in the United States.[2]
Fairyland was built in 1950 by the Oakland Lake Merritt Breakfast Club, a local service club.[3] The park was immediately recognized nationally for its unique value, and during the 1950s it inspired numerous towns to create their own parks. Walt Disney toured many amusement parks in 1950, including Children’s Fairyland, seeking ideas for what turned out to be Disneyland.[1][2] He hired the first director of Fairyland, Dorothy Manes, to work at Disneyland as youth director, in which position she continued from the park's opening until 1972.[4]
Numerous artists have contributed exhibits, murals, puppetry, and sculptures to the park. Some of the better-known artists are Ruth Asawa and Frank Oz, who was an apprentice puppeteer in the park as a teenager.[2]
- ^ a b Crandall, William (2003). "Fairyland". Tunnel of Laffs. elvision. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
- ^ a b c "Children's Fairyland". The New York Times. February 5, 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
- ^ "History". Lake Merritt Breakfast Club website. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
- ^ Smith, Dave. "D23 Ask Dave Column, June 28". D23 Website. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved 29 June 2012.