I found this photo on the website of the Venice Heritage Museum dedicated to the history of Venice Beach, California. (That’s their logo on the bottom right.) In the center is the Venice Lagoon, a centerpoint of the development’s canal system, which means the building on the right is the Antler Hotel. But what’s that in the foreground? Is it California’s first roller coaster? Four thousand feet long and rising to a height of more than 8 stories, it was called “The Race Thru The Clouds” – what a great name! It opened on July 4th 1911 and entertained thrill-seeking Angelenos for the next 12 years.
** UPDATE ** – Somebody sent me this photo of the roller coaster from the other side of the lagoon along with how that view looks today:
From the looks of this 1921 ad, The Race Thru The Clouds was free That surprises me. I’m not sure what The Pig Slide was but I doubt I’d try it.
The Venice Lagoon has long been concreted over and is now known as Windward Circle. This is how it looked in January 2020.
Thanks for the link to the Venice Heritage Museum. According to Jeffrey Stanton’s book “Venice-of-America – Coney Island of The Pacific”, Fred Ingersoll of Chicago oversaw construction of “Race Thru The Clouds”. He built the Tobaggan Railroad in 1903 adjacent to the Ocean Park Pier which Jeffrey calls “a forerunner of the roller coaster”. Jeffrey notes that the Thompson Scenic Railroad roller coaster was built in Venice on Ocean Front Walk in 1910 – perhaps technically the 1st in Venice.
Also Martin – “After” image does not appear
Thanks, Todd. I got distracted and hit “post” before I added the modern photo, which I’ve now added.
Ah, now I see it
Amazing how they get those trees to grow with such straight sides now. Used to have to clip all day to get that. Science is wonderful! Now if only refrigerators could spring forth with and endless supply of good beer.