Skip to content

Seaside History

Playland: Amusements in the 1930s

July 17, 2013 | by Nate Burke

Recognize this classic Seaside landmark? For nearly 70 years, countless kids and adults have come to the Oregon Coast to get behind the wheel of a vintage bumper car, play a round of mini-golf, or scream with delight on the Tilt-a-Whirl. Since the 1950s, this stretch of Broadway has been dedicated to the amusements you can still find here today. But even before these installations, this spot was home to Playland, a popular destination for kids and families. Playland was, of course, even more old-fashioned than the vintage locale you can still find today, and back in the 1930s (as pictured here) it was still slick as a whistle.

At Pop’s Korn Krunch stand in the mid-1930s, you could get yourself a Coney Island Red Hot for ten cents.  A Red Hot was actually an old term for a hot dog – whether it was referring to the spiciness or to the actual served temperature, your author is a bit too young to know. After you waited a bit for your food to settle, you could go for a twirl on the indoor merry-go-round, or try your hand at the penny arcade games such as the coin-op strength grip tester (where you could find out if you were a “Macho Man” or a “Wet Noodle”). You could also try your hand at a game of Fascination, a table game that started in the 1920s, where players roll a rubber ball up an inclined wooden deck, lighting up the backboard in lines similar to Bingo. Fascination is a race against the clock, played against other players, where winners receive tickets to trade for prizes.

Today in our fast-paced digitized age, you can still play a classic game of Fascination at Seaside’s Funland Arcade just a few blocks down Broadway from the Bumper Cars and the location of the old Playland building. It’s one of the few Fascination games remaining in the country and gives you a great taste of 1930s amusements.

and so much more!

Gayway Park in the early 1960s

Gayway Park in the 1960s was a major family attraction in Seaside, Oregon

5 Ways to Social Distance in Seaside

With miles of wide sandy beach and clean sea breezes sweeping along the oceanfront Promenade, Seaside is one of the best places to...

Accessible Adventures For Everyone

Seaside is open — and easy — for folks of all abilities. From where to stay to what to do, we’ve got a rundown of tips to ma...

Your Guide to the Perfect Summer Getaway in Seaside

Summertime means it’s time to load the kids and pups into the car for a long weekend or weeklong vacation in Oregon’s original...

View from the Tower

View from the old Seaside Hotel tower.

The Daddy Train

The Seaside train depot was the major transportation hub before 1938.

Episode One: Grave of the Unknown sailor

The Seaside Audio Walking Tour exploring the mysterious grave of the unknown sailor.

Five Great Burgers in Seaside

Sam’s Seaside Cafe A well-executed burger shaped and grilled to perfection, layered with the proper ratios of ingredients, i...

The War Years in Seaside

Blimp patrols were a common feature in Seaside during World War II.

Breaking High

A look at a waves breaking over the turnaround at high tide in Seaside

Miss Oregon Parade: 1950

A brief look at the Miss Oregon Parade circa 1950.

Artillery on the Beach

Artillery on Seaside

Behind the Scenes at the Seaside Aquarium With Tiffany Boothe

The Seaside Aquarium has been a fixture on the Prom for as long as anyone can remember; it dates back to 1937, one of the oldest a...

How to Take an Extended Stay This Winter

It’s Sunday afternoon and you’ve been sightseeing, sipping and shopping in Seaside all weekend. It’s about time you start he...

MotorTrend Magazine – Epic Drives: Classic Cobra Visits Seaside

MotorTrend Magazine makes the trek to Seaside, Oregon to show off a Classic Cobra

Seaside Watercraft Adventures

Seaside watercraft adventures await visitors of all skill levels. With two rivers and multiple access points, anyone can enjoy the...

How to Treasure the Beach

No one owns the Oregon Coast — it belongs to everyone. Thanks to 1967’s landmark Beach Bill, Oregon has some of the most prote...

A Weekend of Discoveries

Last weekend I went to the Pouring at the Coast Event with my boyfriend, and had the best time! We were given souvenir glasses to use during the event (and they had rinse stations to keep your glass clean between tastings). We tried craft beers from every brewery, and I discovered I really enjoy the dark beers