It was a close race for the 2021 #lunaparkphotocontest , but the Best Photo and grand prize goes to James Smith for his photo of the beautiful pond amongst the trees!

Kate Dodson wins the Moon Shot for her flowery home under the stars. Steve Utt wins the Family & Friends category for the shot of our neighborhood tie-dye entrepreneurs. And Rafael Barker wins the Home & Garden category for the capture of John C. Norman built apartment building under the rainbow.

What a fantastic conclusion and such amazing photos that were difficult to choose between! We know this announcement comes during some tough times in Charleston, but we hope you find some joy from our Luna Park photographers. We hope everyone had a fun time capturing our neighborhood. Prize winners will be contacted to collect your winnings,

Thanks so much again to Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill, Adelphia Sports Bar & Grille, Pile’s Hardware, Main St. Garden Club, Terri Poindexter, and Howard Tyree for your contributions to the prizes.

Luna Park is gone. The West Side amusement park was destroyed on May 4, 1923, when a worker’s blow torch ignited a fire in the pool house, which spread to the dance pavilion and throughout the park, according to a Charleston Daily Mail report published at the time. When damage estimates came in higher than insurance coverage, the park was never rebuilt.

Instead, the property was divided into 95 lots. The deeds to these lots included a restriction that they not be sold to people of color.

Caryn S. Gresham, Charleston Gazette-Mail

I have lived on the West Side in the Luna Park Historic District since grade school. I grew up understanding what it is like to live in a marginalized community full of “have nots.” I also have grown up knowing what it is like to live in a neighborhood where the people who live beside you and across the street from you really are neighbors.

When I heard Marylin McKeown and some others talking about the Luna Park Historic District project, I knew I wanted to become involved. I enjoy community service work and believe that active groups with a focused team and a plan can make a profound difference.

Alma Rodriguez | Charleston Gazette-Mail Op-Ed

Before today’s giant theme parks with elaborate rides named for cartoons, movies and superheroes, there were trolley parks.

The parks were built by trolley companies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a way to get workers and their families to ride the trolleys on weekends and holidays. At first they were simple picnic groves, but most later added carousels, other rides and live entertainment.

By 1919, just after World War I, there were more than 1,500 amusement parks around the country, and most of them were trolley parks, according to the National Amusement Park Historical Association. But as autos replaced trolleys, the streetcars and their parks faded away.

by James E. Casto | Charleston Gazette-Mail

The Luna Park Historic District will become much more visible this year with the addition of attractive street sign toppers and gateway signage. Over 163 residents and about 130 households participated in selecting the design, which was created by Luna Park resident, Corey Zinn. The locally driven project, initiated by the West Side Neighborhood Association (WSNA) and supported by the city of Charleston, represents a new model for local community development. Says WSNA Board member and Project Manager, Marylin McKeown, “It’s very exciting to work with residents on a fun project that will have tangible results that benefit the community.”

The historic district, which was designated in 2012 is named for Luna Park which was an amusement park from 1912-1923. A popular destination that featured a roller coaster, a dance pavilion, a public swimming pool, a roller rink, and live entertainment, the park attracted large crowds who came by steamboat and streetcar. Today this walkable neighborhood contains over 400 historically contributing structures representing a range of architectural styles and is home to an eclectic group of residents. However, it has no visual markings to distinguish it from the surrounding area, and many property owners are unaware of the benefits of living in a historic district, such as rehabilitation tax credits.

On May 5, 1923, an accidental fire started by welders destroyed most of Luna Park on Charleston’s West Side. The seven-acre amusement park had been built in 1912 on a former three-hole golf course.

For the 11 years it existed, Luna Park was one of the most popular attractions in Charleston. Excursion trains and boats dropped off visitors from as far away as Point Pleasant, and the park’s crowds sometimes swelled to more than 10,000 on special occasions like the 4th of July.

Luna Park featured rocky, tree-filled landscapes, and streams. Visitors walked the grounds using footbridges, which led to the Royal Giant Dips Coaster, a merry-go-round, a Ferris wheel, a midway with games of chance and skill, a zoo, a skating rink, a boxing ring, and a dance pavilion. Special entertainment included free outdoor movies, hot air balloons, and trapeze artists.

After the park burned down, the company that owned the land offered it to the city for use as a park, but city leaders refused, citing maintenance costs. So, the gullies were backfilled, and a residential neighborhood was built on the site.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting | By West Virginia Encyclopedia