Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Giant Dipper
Thrilling riders since 1924
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, January 8, 2013
1. Giant Dipper Marker
Photo captions:
Arthur Looff, son of carousel carver Charles Looff, built the Giant Dipper (top, left); The Giant Dipper replaced the Boardwalk’s first thrill ride, L.A. Thompson Scenic Railway, a spine-tingling adventure for it time (bottom, left); Four full-time mechanics inspect and maintain Boardwalk roller coasters (top, right); The Giant Dipper was built in 47 days at a cost of $50,000 (bottom, right). (Click on image to enlarge.)
Arthur Looff, son of carousel carver Charles Looff, built the Giant Dipper (top, left); The Giant Dipper replaced the Boardwalk’s first thrill ride, L.A. Thompson Scenic Railway, a spine-tingling adventure for it time (bottom, left); Four full-time mechanics inspect and maintain Boardwalk roller coasters (top, right); The Giant Dipper was built in 47 days at a cost of $50,000 (bottom, right). (Click on image to enlarge.)
The Giant Dipper has thrilled over 50 million riders.
In 1987, the Giant Dipper was designated a National Historic Landmark.
Dipper Facts Planner & builder: Arthur Looff
Length: One-half mile
Speed: Up to 55 MPG
Height of main hill: 70 feet
Ride time: 1 minute & 52 seconds
Paint to two-coat structure: Nearly 1,000 gallons
Rider capacity: 24 per train (2 Trains)
Age status: 6th oldest in U.S.
Ride price 1924: 15 cents
“... a tooth-loosener, eyeball-popper, and one long shriek.” San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen
Erected by Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Entertainment. In addition, it is included in the National Historic Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1987.
Location. 36° 57.867′ N, 122° 0.961′ W. Marker is in Santa Cruz, California, in Santa Cruz County. Marker can be reached from Beach Street. This marker is located near the Giant Dipper ticket booth.
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. ACE Roller Coaster Landmark (here, next to this marker); Boardwalk Goes Hollywood (within shouting distance of this marker); Whiting’s Games (within shouting distance of this marker); Fickle Fashion (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fun, Fads, and Food (about 400 feet away); Magical Merry-go-round (about 400 feet away); Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Boards (about 500 feet away); Whiting's Foods (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Santa Cruz.
More about this marker. This marker is located on the grounds of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Also see . . . Giant Dipper Roller Coaster. YouTube video clip. Ride the Giant Dipper. (Submitted on January 26, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, January 8, 2013
2. Giant Dipper Markers
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, January 8, 2013
3. Giant Dipper Marker
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, January 8, 2013
4. The Giant Dipper
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, January 8, 2013
5. The Giant Dipper
Credits. This page was last revised on August 29, 2020. It was originally submitted on January 26, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 650 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 26, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
