Longfellow in Minneapolis in Hennepin County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Wonderland Amusement Park
The Museum in the Streets: Minneapolis, Minnesota
— 27th and Lake: Industry and Transportation Infrastructure —
In 1905, H.A. Dorsey opened Wonderland Amusement Park on 10 acres between Lake ad 32nd streets and 31st and 33rd avenues. It opened to great fanfare, with 70,000 people attending on opening day. Its attractions included a 120-foot-high electrically lighted tower, rollercoaster, carousel, miniature train, boat ride, dance pavilion, and "House of Nonsense." One popular draw was the Infantorium, where visitors watched nurses care for premature babies with newly invented incubators, a common curiousity of the time. Wonderland operated for seven seasons, closing in 1911 due to low attendance, fees, from the 1909 paving of Lake Street, and deteriorating equipment. By the time of the real estate boom of the 1920s, all that remained of Wonderland was the Infantorium at 3101-11 East 31st Street, which had been converted to an apartment building.
Erected 2012 by The Museum in the Streets®. (Marker Number 12.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the The Museum in the Streets®: Minneapolis, Minnesota series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.
Location. 44° 56.908′ N, 93° 13.635′ W. Marker is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in Hennepin County. It is in Longfellow. Marker is on E. Lake Street near 31st Avenue S., on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3028 E Lake Street, Minneapolis MN 55407, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 2916 East Lake: East Lake Branch Library (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Minneapolis, Minnesota (approx. 0.2 miles away); 2721-23 East Lake: Lake Theater (approx. ¼ mile away); 2730 East 31st Street: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (approx. ¼ mile away); 2629 East Lake: Minnehaha Grill (approx. 0.3 miles away); 2700 East Lake: Coliseum Building / Freeman's Department Store (approx. 0.3 miles away); Longfellow School (approx. 0.3 miles away); 3012 Minnehaha Avenue South: Lauritzen Wagon and Blacksmith Shop (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Minneapolis.
Also see . . . Wonderland Amusement Park on Wikipedia. (Submitted on May 29, 2019, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 27, 2019, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 669 times since then and 118 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 27, 2019, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 3, 4. submitted on May 29, 2019. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.