Encyclopedia Of Detroit
Electric Park
Owned by Arthur Gaulker and family, Electric Park was an amusement park in Detroit from 1906 to 1928, located at the entrance to Belle Isle in what is now Gabriel Richard Park. Electric Park went through numerous name changes including: Luna Park, Riverview Park, and Granada Park. Originally a trolley park at the end of three streetcar lines, the park contained a large windmill at the entrance with a sign that read, “The Boardwalk: Just for Fun.”
The park contained several roller coasters, a giant Ferris wheel, performers, and the well-known Palais de Danse, a dance hall extending over the Detroit River built in 1912 by Charles Rosenzweig. Its predecessor, Palace Gardens, also owned by Rosenzweig, burned in 1911. Distinguished bands, including John Phillip Sousa’s band played at the Palais de Danse along with the Guiseppe Creatore’s Band, and the Rosati Royal Italian Band.
The park went through many legal battles which threatened the ownership and existence of the park during the 1920s. In 1927 the city of Detroit condemned many of the park’s rides and buildings, including the Palais de Danse, and closed the park all together in 1928, its demolition complete in 1929. The land was designated for a park and Gabriel Richard Park was dedicated in 1936.
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