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Kennywood is an amusement park near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the borough of West Mifflin, and is regarded by roller coaster connosieurs as one of the finest in the world. It features a number of old wooden coasters still in working order, along with newer, steel coasters and other rides.

1 History

Kennywood began in 1898 as a trolley park that catered to local industrial workers and their families. From its origin as a working-class picnic destination, the park grew in the first half of the twentieth century into a popular entertainment site that combined technological thrill rides with recreation venues like swimming pools and dance halls.

Today the park features a nostalgic atmosphere and is supported by a loyal local fan base. Kennywood Entertainment also runs Sandcastle Waterpark, which it built in the early 1990s, Idlewild Park and SoakZone near Ligonier, and Lake Compounce, New England's family theme park in Bristol, Connecticut.

2 Attractions

2.1 Roller Coaster History

Through the years, Kennywood has made use of the hilly Pittsburgh terrain to create coasters that wouldn't be feasible anywhere else. The Thunderbolt and the Jack Rabbit, both wooden coasters, place the lift chain in the middle of the ride, not at the beginning. In both cases, the car leaves the station and drops into a valley for its first hill. Phantom's Revenge uses the same valley as the Thunderbolt, and the Phantom's second drop passes through the supports of the Thunderbolt's first drop.

2.2 Current Roller Coasters



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