In 1893, the world changed.
The catalyst was the Chicago World’s Fair, officially known as the World’s Columbian Exposition. This grand event served as a launching pad for inventions that would come to define modern life, including the automatic dishwasher, the zipper, and a massive mechanical marvel called the Ferris Wheel, which became the ultimate symbol of the fair. It towered over the “White City,” the main court of the exposition named for the majestic, white stucco facades of its buildings. Illuminated by the wonder of early electric lighting, this carnival-like wonderland drew some 26 million visitors from across the globe.
Many of those visitors returned home carrying photographs and glowing stories of the magical White City. Sensing a golden opportunity, ambitious entrepreneurs set out to recreate a slice of that world-class experience in their own hometowns. Over the next two decades, dozens of amusement parks were built across the United States, proudly bearing the name “White City.”.
Boise possessed the perfect location for its own version of this national phenomenon, situated right next to the Natatorium on Warm Springs Boulevard. The “Nat,” a massive indoor swimming facility, had been the crown jewel of the city since it opened in 1892. People traveled from all over the region to enjoy a warm dip in the pool’s unique, geothermally heated water. Capitalizing on this existing hotspot, the Natatorium Amusement Park Company was incorporated in 1910 and immediately broke ground on the vacant lot next door. By the Fourth of July, the brand-new White City was ready for guests. Throngs of eager visitors traveled from across the Boise Valley, many arriving via rail from Nampa and Caldwell, to experience the thrills of the White City and take a swim at the Nat.
Boise’s White City was packed with cutting-edge amusements. Its main attraction was a half mile-long wooden roller coaster that towered 60 feet into the air. Nearby sat the Joy Wheel, a popular but short-lived novelty of the early twentieth century. This ride featured a spinning, polished, conical wooden disc that gradually increased in speed until every single rider was flung off its slippery surface into a padded perimeter. For the less daring, the park offered a large, open-air dancing pavilion, peaceful boat rides on the pond behind the Nat, shooting galleries, a miniature scenic railroad, and an assortment of bustling concession stands. All the buildings were given a few coats of white paint so that the park could live up to its namesake.
A controversy erupted just after the park opened to the public. On July 23, 1910, the Ada County Sheriff sent a letter to the company forbidding them from opening their park on Sundays. Three years earlier, the Idaho State Legislature felt it appropriate to create a “Sunday Rest Law,” which required certain businesses to close in observance of the Christian Sabbath. The penalty for violating this order was up to a $250 fine and 90 days in the county lockup. However, the language in the law was vague enough for G.W. Hull, manager of White City, to want to challenge it. The Sunday following receipt of the sheriff’s warning, Hull ran the miniature train ride, and a warrant for his arrest was issued.
This was all part of a plan. Hull wanted to be arrested so that he could run a test case through the courts. The resulting legal question made it all the way to the Idaho Supreme Court. It was decided that unless an activity was specifically mentioned in the law, it should be allowed to continue in the Gem State. Since small trains operated for amusement were not mentioned, White City was allowed to operate its ride on Sundays. The decision also opened the door for other businesses, such as movie theatres, to open and operate on Sundays as well. Idaho’s Sunday Rest Law faced many more challenges until it was finally repealed in 1937. For decades, White City was the beating heart of Boise’s summer social scene. However, as the mid-century approached, the park began to show its age. The roaring wooden roller coaster was finally dismantled in 1943, though the dance pavilion, arcade games, and food stands hung on for several more years. By the early 1950s, a growing postwar Boise required new infrastructure for its expanding neighborhoods. The city turned its gaze toward the aging amusement grounds, and on October 24, 1955, Adams Elementary School opened its doors on the very lot where the roller coaster and Joy Wheel once stood. Sadly, the Nat was destroyed during a windstorm in 1935; however, a public pool still exists there today, preserving the historic name and location. Though its physical structures are gone, the memory of the grand White City remains a vibrant, indelible chapter in the rich history of the City of Trees.
