Most of the photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs, 20 to 200 megabytes in size) from the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) Many were digitized by LOC contractors using a Sinar studio back. They are adjusted by your webmaster for contrast and color in Photoshop before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here.

Marineland of the Pacific is considered the first American theme park, and predated Disneyland by one year. Lacking freeway access and thrilling rides, the park struggled with attendance in its last years and closed in February of 1987. This photo was taken just a month before the close. As you can see from the delighted faces in the audience, the park still knew how to put on show, or should I say the animals? View full size.
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