Luna Park, Pittsburgh

Luna Park in Pittsburgh was built by Frederick Ingersoll, based on Coney Island’s Luna Park as a model. Like Like many other amusement parks of the time, it had a variety of rides and exhibits, including a carousel, a roller coaster, a “Shoot the Chutes” ride, themed areas, and an incubator baby exhibit. Pittsburgh’s Luna Park was short-lived, operating only from 1905 to 1909, but the Pittsburgh and Cleveland Luna Parks were the earliest of a vast chain of Ingersoll Luna Parks around the world, 44 in all.

Evidently this Luna Park incubator exhibit was another Martin Couney venture, based on the ads for nurses and wet nurses naming Dr. Fischel. Contemporary news accounts mentioned that it was administered by a Dr. Edward Haverly, of whom I have not been able to find any other record.

Source: The Pittsburgh Press, August 12, 1906.

Source: Pittsburgh Daily Post, June 30, 1905.

Source: Pittsburgh Daily Post, June 14, 1905.

Source: The Pittsburgh Press, July 10, 1905.

Source: Pittsburgh Daily Post, Nov. 21, 1908.

Note: In 1891, the United States Board on Geographic Names effectively changed the name of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. On July 19, 1911, this decision was reversed and the “H” was restored. Luna Park existed in this 20 year time frame, hence why it is Pittsburg’s Luna Park rather than Pittsburgh’s Luna Park.

Pittsburgh Luna Park from Wikipedia.