Onward from the late 1920s, a person walking down Old Orchard Street toward the beach was surrounded by a treasure trove of amusements. It's easy to imagine dazzled children thinking "Where do we start?" It seemed as though each side held an amusement empire in fierce competition to outdo the other, and that was essentially true. On the left as one faced the ocean was the White Way, or Fun Spot, and the Duffy block of amusements and the pier. On the right was Palace Playland with its great pavilion filled with rides and games, an amusement city in itself augmented by a field of outdoor rides beside it. Let's start with a look at the right side of the street as it developed through the years.

Going back to the good old days, the big ride was the Jack Rabbit coaster. Located on the corner of Old Orchard Street and West Surf, overlooking the beach, the coaster opened in 1918 and carried riders for a little more than a decade until 1929. Bigger thrills were coming.