For nature lovers in the Capital City, the Abbott Marshlands offer a serene oasis from the hustle and bustle of city life. With thriving plant life, blooming flowers, and a number of creatures big and small, it is no wonder that these marshlands have become a destination for visitors from near and far. But did you know that before the park became the peaceful place it is today, it was home to an action-packed theme park? Today, let’s take a look back at the storied White City Theme Park and how this small but mighty amusement park made its mark on Trenton and the surrounding areas.
White City Park first opened its doors in the summer of 1907. Located adjacent to Spring Lake in the Abbott Marshlands, this facility served as the perfect backdrop for countless family memories. In the 1800s, prior to the park being built, a trolley service was available in town which would bring guests back and forth along various destinations on Broad Street. Before the amusement park was built, the wooded area was a popular spot for picnics and other outdoor fun. Hoping to attract more visitation to the area and make the trolley a profitable endeavor, developers seized the potential of this land and devised a plan for the soon to be amusement park. They decided to name this new venture “White City Park” as a nod to the local architecture at the time, when white paint was the fashionable staple for the community’s various buildings and establishments.
As a visitor to White City Park, guests could enjoy a number of heart-pounding rides, including a rollercoaster, mazes, a log flume, and more. In the warmer months, you could find guests enjoying boat rides and fishing alone the scenic Spring Lake. Meanwhile, when the winter rolled around, the lake would be transformed into a skating rink where guests could glimmer and glide up and down the water. A wonderful way for families to come together, White City Park played an important role in the leisure and fun of the Mercer County area in the early 20th century.
White City Park remained in operation until approximately 1920s, when changes in modes of transportation caused the park to fall out of fashion. As more and more families began purchasing automobiles for their households, the ability to travel further afield opened up a wide variety of options previously unavailable to residents. Ultimately closed due to a lack of patronage, White City Park was unfortunately unable to compete with the growing competition in the region.
While the amusement park has been defunct for about a century, you can still catch a glimpse at some remnants of this once-great facility. If you take a trip to Spring Lake, you can still see the remains of a grand spiral staircase which led guests to and from the park’s various attractions. Although nature has certainly taken over since the park closed its doors, if you keep out a careful eye, sleuths can still find remnants of this iconic city relic. Today, the Abbott Marshlands remains one of the region’s most beautiful parks and a beloved spot for hiking, birding, and other recreational activities. While the face of this park has certainly changed over the years, what remains the same is the community’s love and admiration for this special part of town.
