Harry C. Baker (1886 or 1887 – August 23, 1939) was an American entrepreneur most notable for his involvement with the construction of roller coasters. Through partnerships and later, as president of the Harry C. Baker Company, Baker would be involved with notable designs such as the Cyclone at Coney Island, the Blue Streak at Woodcliffe Pleasure Park, and Jack Rabbit at Kennywood.
Biography
Baker was the former manager of Rexford Park, Schnectady, New York and served on the staff at Riverview Park in Chicago. From 1920 to 1923, Baker served as the Secretary and Treasurer of the John A. Miller-led Miller & Baker, Inc. Serving as office manager of the firm's Grand Central Terminal location, he was involved with the construction of over 40 coasters.
In 1923, Baker went on to form his own company. In 1927, the Rosenthal brothers contracted with Baker's firm and designer Vernon Keenan to build the Coney Island Cyclone. After the success of this endeavor, Keenan and Baker once again teamed to build one of the most debated roller coasters of the 1920s, the Blue Streak at Woodcliffe Pleasure Park.
Coasters
During his lifetime, Baker was involved in the building of nearly 40 roller coasters, mostly with John A. Miller.
| Name | Park | Location | Operational | Collaborator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Dipper | Roton Point | Norwalk, CT | 1914 - 1933 | |
| North Wind Coaster | Coney Island | Brooklyn, NY | 1915 - 1929 | Joseph McKee |
| Jack Rabbit | Willough Beach Park | Willoughby, OH | 1915 - 1924 | Joseph McKee |
| Jack Rabbit | Revere Beach | Revere, MA | 1916 - 1924 | John A. Miller |
| Deep Dipper | Frederick Road Park | Baltimore, MD | 1920 - 1922 | John A. Miller |
| Jack Rabbit | Natatorium Park | Spokane, WA | 1920 - 1968 | John A. Miller |
| Deep Dips | Olympic Park | Irvington, NJ | 1920 - 1922 | John A. Miller |
| Roller Coaster | Riverview Park | Des Moines, IA | 1920 - 1978 | John A. Miller |
| Big Dipper | Riverview Park | Chicago, IL | 1920 - 1967 | John A. Miller |
| Jack Rabbit | Seabreeze | Rochester, NY | 1920 - | John A. Miller |
| Lightning | Riverside Park | Agawam, MA | 1920 - 1933 | John A. Miller |
| Giant Coaster | Central Park | Rockford, IL | 1921 - 1942 | John A. Miller |
| Comet | Palisades Amusement Park | Cliffside Park, NJ | 1921 - 1925 | John A. Miller |
| Jack Rabbit | Kennywood | Pittsburgh, PA | 1920 - | John A. Miller |
| Pippin | Riverview Park | Chicago, IL | 1921 - 1967 | John A. Miller |
| Sky Rocket | Steeplechase Island | Bridgeport, CT | 1921 - 1951 | John A. Miller |
| Roller Coaster | Arnolds Park | Arnolds Park, IA | 1922 - 1929 | John A. Miller |
| Gorge Ride | Cascade Park | New Castle, PA | 1922 - 1935 | John A. Miller |
| Big Dipper | Gordon Gardens | Cleveland, OH | 1922 - 1927 | John A. Miller |
| Big Dipper | Idora Park | Oakland, CA | 1922 - 1928 | John A. Miller |
| Greyhound | Island Beach Park | Burlington, NJ | 1922 - 1928 | John A. Miller |
| Ravine Flyer | Waldameer | Erie, PA | 1922 - 1938 | John A. Miller |
| Skyrocket | Fairyland Park | Kansas City, MO | 1923 - 1966 | John A. Miller |
| Wildcat | Lakeside Park | Salem, VA | 1923 - 1967 | John A. Miller |
| Giant Coaster | Lakewood Park | Barnesville, VA | 1923 - 1982 | John A. Miller |
| Zippin Pippin | Bay Beach Amusement Park | Green Bay, WI | 1923 - | John A. Miller |
| Jack Rabbit | Paxtang Park | Harrisburg, PA | 1923 - 1929 | John A. Miller |
| Humming Bird | Riverview Beach Park | Pennsville, NJ | 1923 - 1967 | John A. Miller |
| Fireball | Riverview Park | Chicago, IL | 1923 - 1967 | John A. Miller |
| Dips | Buckeye Lake | Buckeye Lake, OH | 1924 - 1958 | John A. Miller |
| Skyrocket | Meyer's Lake Park | Canton, OH | 1924 - 1946 | John A. Miller |
| Wildcat | Bertrand Island | Mount Arlington, NJ | 1925 - 1983 | Herbert Schmeck |
| Cyclone | Coney Island | Brooklyn, NY | 1927 - | Vernon Keenan |
| Cyclone | Rock Springs Park | Chester, WV | 1927 - 1970 | |
| Zingo | Crystal City | Tulsa, OK | 1928 - 1956 | |
| Wiz | Lotus Isle Park | Portland, OR | 1928 - 1931 | |
| Blue Streak | Woodcliff Pleasure Park | Poughkeepsie, NY | 1928 - 1941 | Vernon Keenan |
| Wildcat | Idora Park | Youngstown, OH | 1930 - 1984 | Herbert Schmeck |
| Skylark | Roton Point | Norwalk, CT | 1934 - 1942 | |
| Derby Racer | Revere Beach | Revere, MA | 1937 - 1949 | |
| Comet | Crescent Park | Riverside, RI | 1939 - 1961 | |
| Cyclone | New York World's Fair | Flushing, NY | 1939 - 1940 | Harry Traver |
| Thunderbolt | Riverside Park | Agawam, MA | 1941 - | Joseph E. Drambour |
- Frederick Ingersoll coaster opened as Tango Dips and rebuilt by Miller and Baker in 1924
- Originally located at East End Park then Libertyland, both in Memphis, TN
- ^ Baker / Harry Traver design, first used at 1939 New York World's Fair, later rebuilt by Joseph E. Drambour at Riverside Park.
References
- Associated Press (August 24, 1939). "Roller Coaster Man Dies". The Des Moines Register. p. 13. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
- ^ Jacques, Charles J. (1982). Kennywood: the roller coaster capital of the world. Vestal, NY: Vestal Press Lrd. p. 37. ISBN 0911572244.
- ^ Cartmell, Robert (1987). The Incredible Scream Machine: A History of the Roller Coaster. Fairview Park, OH: Amusement Park Books, Inc. pp. 117–136. ISBN 0879723416.
- ^ Miller and Baker Inc. 1923 Catalogue (reprint). Natrona Heights, PA: Amusement Park Journal. 1923.
- Marden, Duane. "Harry C. Baker". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
