East Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Zippin Pippin / Libertyland
Photographed By Judith Barber, February 5, 2013
1. Zippin Pippin Marker
Inscription.
Zippin Pippin, also, Libertyland. . Side 1
Zippin Pippin . The wooden roller coaster erected on the Fairgrounds in 1923 was the Mid-South’s premier outdoor amusement park ride for more than eight decades. It was built by coaster design pioneer John Miller and was affectionately christened the Pippin, 1920s slang for the cherished or admired. Strong winds damaged it in 1928, but it was quickly rebuilt. With a track length of 2865 feet and car speeds of up to 40 mph, its minute-and-a-half-long ride was rough, noisy and exhilarating. Its 70-foot initial drop made it notable for its air time among coaster enthusiasts far and wide. In 1976 with the advent of Libertyland it was renamed the Zippin Pippin. It was Elvis Presley’s favorite ride, enjoyed on his last public outing. It was sold to Green Bay, Wisconsin in 2010 for use in its Bay Beach Amusement Park., Side 2
Libertyland . Honoring the nation's Bicentennial, Libertyland theme park opened near this spot on the Mid-South Fairgrounds on July 4, 1976. History buffs reveled in Colonial Land, Frontier Land and Turn of the Centry Land and children of all ages enjoyed live shows, games and the dozen plus mild to wild rides. The parks signature Dentzel Grand Carousel and Zippin Pippin roller coaster both dated from 1923 were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other popular features were the Revolution coaster and the Old Hickory flume ride, the childrens playground on Tom Sawyers Island, the dolphin show and the Memphis Liberty Bell. Libertyland was more than just a park, providing first time jobs for hundreds of teens and pleasant memories for millions of visitors. It closed in 2005.
Side 1
Zippin Pippin
The wooden roller coaster erected on the Fairgrounds in 1923 was the Mid-South’s premier outdoor amusement park ride for more than eight decades. It was built by coaster design pioneer John Miller and was affectionately christened the Pippin, 1920s slang for the cherished or admired. Strong winds damaged it in 1928, but it was quickly rebuilt. With a track length of 2865 feet and car speeds of up to 40 mph, its minute-and-a-half-long ride was rough, noisy and exhilarating. Its 70-foot initial drop made it notable for its air time among coaster enthusiasts far and wide. In 1976 with the advent of Libertyland it was renamed the Zippin Pippin. It was Elvis Presley’s favorite ride, enjoyed on his last public outing. It was sold to Green Bay, Wisconsin in 2010 for use in its Bay Beach Amusement Park.
Side 2
Libertyland
Honoring the nation's Bicentennial, Libertyland theme park opened near this spot on the Mid-South Fairgrounds on July 4, 1976. History buffs reveled in Colonial Land, Frontier Land and Turn of the Centry Land and children of all ages enjoyed live shows, games and the dozen plus mild to wild rides. The parks signature Dentzel Grand Carousel and Zippin Pippin roller coaster both dated from 1923 were
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listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other popular features were the Revolution coaster and the Old Hickory flume ride, the childrens playground on Tom Sawyers Island, the dolphin show and the Memphis Liberty Bell. Libertyland was more than just a park, providing first time jobs for hundreds of teens and pleasant
memories for millions of visitors. It closed in 2005.
Erected 2010 by Remember Libertyland and the Shelby County Historical Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1923.
Location. 35° 7.176′ N, 89° 59.049′ W. Marker is in Memphis, Tennessee, in Shelby County. It is in East Memphis. Marker is at the intersection of East Parkway South (Tennessee Route 277) and Young Avenue, on the right when traveling north on East Parkway South. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 946 E Parkway S, Memphis TN 38104, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 13, 2013, by Judith Barber of Marietta, Georgia. This page has been viewed 1,000 times since then and 39 times this year. Last updated on July 31, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. Photos:1. submitted on February 13, 2013, by Judith Barber of Marietta, Georgia. 2, 3. submitted on July 31, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. 4. submitted on February 13, 2013, by Judith Barber of Marietta, Georgia. 5. submitted on February 14, 2013, by Keith S Smith of West Chester, Pennsylvania. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
