Former Ocean Beach Theme Park The Backdrop For New Novel 'San Diego Land'

This is KPBS Midday Edition, I'm Maureen Cavanaugh. Before SeaWorld, the zoo or the roller coaster at Belmont Park, there was Wonderland Park in Ocean Beach. It was the first amusement Park in San Diego and opened in 1913. Its existence was short-lived . Wonderland Park is a backdrop of a new historical novel about San Diego. Joining me is long time broadcaster, John Culea author of, Trent 32 -- "San Diego Land: When Wonderland Took On The World". Welcome to the program. Hello. Good to see you again. I would imagine this was the first time many people are hearing there was a beachfront amusement Park in Ocean Beach. Was it a surprise to you like I was astounded. I first set out to do a story. This is an e-book I have on Amazon and Kendall. I wanted to do a story about the 1915 exposition. When I started research, I saw Wonderland. And I did not know eight existed. It was a massive operation. It had the biggest roller coaster on the West Coast. It had a pier, a casino, big dance floor, a 20 piece orchestra. It had a zoo that included what would be the making of the San Diego zoo. Thinking about the The Exposition, there was a lot written but it was mainly about the buildings and the setting and all that and why they had it. That I didn't really see a lot or understand a lot of the people behind it. So I set out to do a story from a people's standpoint. And then when I found out about Wonderland, I thought there is a real interesting element to the story of how did they survive against this exposition? They really didn't for a long time. What was the foot print of Wonderland Park? Where was located? It was 9 acres at the foot of Abbott Street right on the ocean. You have to remember Ocean Beach only had about 300 people. There was a streetcar line that went from San Diego out there. It was very small. San Diego had a publishing of about 60,000. To host a necklace -- exposition without small population center was quite a feat. The owners had big hopes for this part. Do tell us in the book, this was a grand place for its time. It was. It was a attraction -- a big place to be in it was very successful. A man by the name of, David Collier, who has many links to San Diego. He was a big developer, a flamboyant individual. That I found a real question as to how the Wonderland people even brought him as a member of their trustees, while he was President of the The Exposition. And I said, hello, isn't there a bit of conflict of interest? That develops in the storyline of how he's involved with the owners. The people who on the part, it was very strange -- the snows. One was HP snow and the other was H -- Burts know. Bert with the manager. I have done all sorts of research and I cannot find out if they were father and son, brothers or cousins. In my story, I take the liberty to be cousins. Why did Wonderland rollup and I just because of the exposition? I don't think they tried to compete. You also have the small population center in Ocean Beach. In research, I don't see a lot of special offers. In my book, I have been showing up at the Santa Fe Depot -- for tri would've done, and it where the ships come in handing out flyers of free admission. Because Wonderland only charge $0.25 to get in were the exposition was $0.50. I don't see a lot of things like special days and events. Wonderland had that, but the sad fact is, the The Exposition open in January in less than three months later Wonderland was bankrupt and foreclosed and sold off piece by piece. Let's talk about the selling off piece by piece. I understand some of the park's main attractions that find their way to other amusement parks and other locations. You mentioned the animals that Wonderland Park, formed the basis of the San Diego zoo. For a while, Wonderland leased out or rented their animals to The Exposition. They eventually sold them for $500 is about all they could get. That was the basis for that. Other parts of the park, the blue streak roller coaster, two cars would go on the track together. It wasn't a single one. That was dismantled and moved to Santa Monica. How much did Wonderland play in the development of Ocean Beach? It was put there, and I believe, Mr. Collier was brought on to help with the park. He wanted to be on their to develop land and selling lots and homes for sale in Ocean Beach. It was meant to be a stemless and to track people and look around and say, oh isn't this a quaint area? I think that was in the strategy. I have been speaking with John Culea, he is the author of , "San Diego Land: When Wonderland Took On The World". Thank you so much. It's my pleasure and great to see you again.