The following images were provided by Rick Martyna, Bill Bowen & nephew Fred Baer, Sally Shipwash, Angie Ziegler Hall, Peter Greene, Judy Irwin, Yvonne & Dick Stiller & William L. Passauer

All images are in alphabetical order by name. This is probably the most complete and comprehensive collection of Monarch Park images you will find anywhere. All of the images are near or over 100 years old.

While the history of photography tells us that Kodak first produced the “Brownie” camera in 1900, there were no color images taken until about 1941. As a result, the images found below were all originally taken in B & W and then either hand colorized or developed in sepia tone. The professional images were most often taken on large glass plates which were fragile and often didn’t last the test of time. As a result, these images are very special and should be preserved. This is why I have spent the time retouching and enhancing every image seen below. You are therefore encouraged to copy, print out and save these images for future generations because as everything goes, this website will not always be available. To save a photograph, please follow these instructions. First click on an image to expand it to full size. Then, right click the image and select, “Save picture as…”. Browse to the location where you want to save the image, then select, “Save”.

Click on an image to expand it to full size.

Pre 1896 before Smithman or Monarch Park existed. A gentelman with bikes taking a drink from one of the seven meneral spring wells. His friend is taking the picture.

A surveyor’s plot map of Smithman Park, later renamed Monarch Park./ Rick Martyna

An unlabled plot map showing how Monarch Park was laid out./Rick Martyna

A labled plot map showing how Monarch Park was laid out./Rick Martyna

Auditorium (Dance Hall) & Bowling Alley/Sally Shipwash

Auditorium (Dance Hall) & Bowling Alley/Sally Shipwash

Auditorium (Dance Hall) with the Bowling Alley building to the right.1905./Rick Martyna

Auditorium (Dance Hall)/Rick Martyna

Auditorium (Dance Hall)/Sally Shipwash

Auditorium (Dance Hall) Back/Sally Shipwash

Auditorium (Dance Hall)& Rustic Bridge/Rick Martyna

Auditorium (Dance Hall)/Rick Martyna

Auditorium (Dance Hall)/Rick Martyna

Auditorium (Dance Hall)/Rick Martyna

Auditorium (Dance Hall)/Sally Shipwash

The Dance Hall before the Bowling Alley was built./Angie Ziegler Hall

Unique 6 x 7 inch postcard of the Dance Hall & Bowling Alley buildings./ Yvonne & Dick Stiller

Unique 6 x 7 inch postcard of the Dance Hall & Bowling Alley buildings./ Yvonne & Dick Stiller

Bowling Alley located to right of Auditorium/Bill Bowen

Mickey McCullough Orchestra./Angie Ziegler Hall

The Bandstand, Projection Booth to the left and signs to the Mineral Springs/Rick Martyna

Children's Play Area. See the swings to the left?/Bill Bowen

Children's Play Area/Rick Martyna

You can see the Thriller to the left & the Dance Hall to the right of center background.

Looking East. Observe the trolley tracks on the left, the Trolley Station and the Merry-go-round in the center and the Electric Tower on the right of the image./Peter Greene

Electric Tower & Acrobat/Bill Bowen

Electric Tower and Merry-go-round 1908/Rick Martyna

Electric Tower 1912/Rick Martyna

Electric Tower/Sally Shipwash

Electric Tower/Judy Irwin

Electric Tower/Rick Martyna

Electric Tower/Rick Martyna

Electric Tower and Rustic Bridges/Sally Shipwash

A lady drinking from one of the seven springs on the park.

A closer view of a lady drinking from one of the seven springs on the park.

Note the three unsanitary drinking cups hanging from a wire along the top of the image.

Electric Tower at night/Sally Shipwash

Electric Tower/Rick Martyna

Flower Garden/Sally Shipwash

Flower Garden back/Sally Shipwash

Flower Garden looking at back of Auditorium and Bowling Alley on the left 1909/Sally Shipwash

Flower Garden 1909/Rick Martyna

Flower Garden/Sally Shipwash

Flower Garden/Judy Irwin

Flower Garden and Whirlpool Ride 1907/Rick Martyna

Kitchen (Picnic) Pavilion/Rick Martyna

Merry-go-round and Electric Tower/Rick Martyna

First Merry-go-round building of two./Angie Ziegler Hall

Merry-go-round building/Rick Martyna This is the first of two Merry-go-round buildings and Merry-go-round rides.

Merry-go-round/Rick Martyna

This image shows the second of two Merry-go-round buildings./William Passauer

Note the Ferris Wheel in the background. The text in the article stating that this was the first merry-go-round building is incorrect as the second merry-go-round was larger, thus the larger building.

This is believed to be the second of two Merry-go-rounds at Monarch Park.

The purchase of a new Carrousel was the big news for the opening of the 1915 season. The $9,000 attraction, replacing the old merry-go-round, was fifty feet in diameter. It contained 52 animals set on the platform three abreast. The sixteen animals in the outer row, which was stationary, included lions, tigers, goats, giraffes, deer, and different breeds of large horses. The second and third rows contained thirty-six galloping animals including cats, pigs, ostriches, rabbits, and horses of various sizes. Hand carved frescoed chariots, also mounted on the platform, had seats that were upholstered in real leather./Bill Bowen

Restaurant/Rick Martyna

Restaurant/Rick Martyna

Restaurant/Rick Martyna

Restaurant/Sally Shipwash

Restaurant/Sally Shipwash

Restaurant/Sally Shipwash

Baby Show/Bill Bowen

Inside Restaurant/Bill Bowen

Rustic Bridges across Two-Mile Run./W. Passauer

Rustic Bridges/Rick Martyna

You are approaching the first Rustic Bridge down stream from the Falls. In the background is the Dance Hall with the Bowling Alley just above it. The Restaurant is to the left of center and is well hidden by the trees but visible if you know what you are looking for.

The Dam that kept the water at a specific height and the Falls along Two Mile Run in Monarch Park/Rick Martyna

Rustic Bridge, Dam and Falls/Bill Bowen

The Dam that kept the water at a specific height and the Falls along Two Mile Run in Monarch Park/Rick Martyna

The Dam, Falls & Rustic Bridges in Monarch Park/Rick Martyna

Rustic Bridge & Falls 1908 Front Side/Stiller

Rustic Bridge & Falls 1908 Back Side/Stiller

The Electric Waterfall/Bill Bowen

Congressman Sibley Day at Monarch Park/Rick Martyna

Taken near the Picnic Pavilion with the Electric Tower seen to the right.

Thriller Roller Coaster and people/Sally Shipwash

Crowd by Thriller/Bill Bowen

Thriller Roller Coaster/Rick Martyna

Thriller Roller Coaster/Sally Shipwash

Train Ride/Bill Bowen

Two Mile Run near Monarch Park/W. Passauer

Two Mile Run near Monarch Park/W. Passauer

Two Mile Run and Restaurant/Rick Martyna

Two Mile Run near Monarch Park/Sally Shipwash

Another view of Two Mile Run running through the park. Note the Thriller sticking above the trees in the background../Peter Greene

Monarch Park Trolley Station/Bill Bowen

The Monarch Park Trolley Station./Angie Ziegler Hall

Monarch Park Trolley Station/Bill Bowen

Whirlpool Ride/Rick Martyna

Whirlpool Ride Back/Sally Shipwash

Zoo Monarch Park - Bear/Bill Bowen

Whirlpools last configuration showing Space Rockets/Bill Bowen

Entrance to the White Way (Amusments)/Bill Bowen

Ball and Handstand Performer/Bill Bowen