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Friday, August 6, 2004 10:17:59 AM
This is the 100th anniversary of the KY State Fair...and in a state magazine there is an advertisement from the 1955 Ky State Fair Midway featuring the "Hottest New Ride Invention...The Rotor" on the Midway of The Amusement Company of America...The World's Greatest Midway.

Anyone know anything about The Amusement Company of America?

Also, I see an ad from the 1959 KY State Fair and Olsen Shows had the Midway that year.
Rockowheel
Friday, August 6, 2004 11:55:08 AM
Well ACA stood for "Amusement Corporation of America" and it was a combine of 3 shows...and someone please correct me, I know Olson Shows was part of it, World of Pleasure Shows, and not sure of the third..was it WG. Wade? This lasted until the 60's and most of the bill posters, eg. the Olson Shows, were headed by "Amusement Corporation of America" presents: (then fill in name of show).
Skywheelrider
Friday, August 6, 2004 12:20:50 PM
FRom what I understand Wade was involved in it. And actually they were involved until the early-mid 1970's if I remember correctly Joe McKennon's book (volume 3). I know they had the contract for the Michigan State Fair back then but did not actually play it, another show in the "corporation" did. I will look it up again tonight and let you know exactly what it says, unless someone beats me to it. lol
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
swooper
Friday, August 6, 2004 2:13:33 PM
i believe the other was Lihk Shows, but i did not think amusement corporation of america was formed until the sixties
Rockowheel
Friday, August 6, 2004 3:02:47 PM
In the 1970's Rod Link, who was running the Olson Shows, retired the Olson title and ran the carnival as "Link Shows". It just wasnt the same though and at the end it was nothing like the heydey of Olson. I can remember the awesome midway of the late 60's early 70's at the Ill. STate Fair with Olson Shows. The age of the high-capacity spectacular was just dawning and the spectaculars of the day (Sky Wheel, Skydiver, Zyklon, etc.) were the minority and the standard majors were the majority. Perhaps there were even more rides in total than nowdays counting all those majors,and each delivered its own thrill. Add to that a good amount of shows , including 10 in 1's, girl shows, plenty of grind shows, and of course many dark rides and funhouses. The big capacity mega spectaulars are here now to stay, but I'd go back to those old days in a heartbeat!
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Saturday, August 7, 2004 2:08:24 AM
SO then I can assume the ad has a typo because it says Amusement Company of America...not corporation...but it would be very likely it is the same since Olsen had the midway just four years later.I'm hoping at this years fair they will have all sorts of memorabilia on display. I'd like to see who all has actually held this contract. I know Deggeller, Johnny's United, United Shows of America and CVS....now I can add ACA and Olsen...
Skywheelrider
Saturday, August 7, 2004 6:11:13 AM
According to Joe McKennon's book on the American carnival, the Amusement Corporation of America was started in the 1930's by J.C. McCaffery with Hennies Brothers, Rubin & Cherry, Royal American Shows, and Beckman & Garrety Shows. Glenn Wade (W.G. Wade Shows) joined in the 1960's, and opted out in the mid 1970's. During the time his show was involved, other shows in the "corporation" did indeed play the Michigan State Fair, where Wade had the contract. By the time Wade Shows joined, the other shows that started it all were out of it, with the exception of some of the Hennies Brothers equipment that was owned by Rod Link. The book stops with 1981, and says at that time the ACA was Link Shows, Vinson's Amusements, and World of Pleasure Shows, and played spots that included the Oklahoma, Illinois, and Alabama State Fairs.
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain