In the 1940’s the Ottaway family established the first Joyland park at Central and New York Avenue. After the overwhelming success of their Central location, in 1948 the Ottaway Amusement Company purchased acreage on South Hillside Ave to construct the largest roller coaster in the state of Kansas. Opening the new location in 1949, Joyland became Wichita's largest amusement park. The Ottaway’s retired in 1975 and the Nelson’s bought the park. Over the years, it developed into a family friendly park with rides, gunfights, go-carts, picnics, concerts and swimming, enjoyed by thousands. At the turn of the new century, the park started to fade, beset by modern competition, closing in 2006.
