Making Whoopee

For a hundred years the phrase “auto coaster” meant a child’s toy wagon. In modern times it refers to an on-the-road accessory for holding a drink. But for a few months in the summer of 1929 it meant a roller coaster in which you used your own car! At River Road and Irving Park Boulevard the Suburban Amusement Company used 200,000 feet of number one pine lumber to construct what it called an “auto coaster”. For just ten cents you could enjoy the thrills of “mountain driving” in your own vehicle. The Whoopee Auto Coaster at Waukegan Road near Willow Road delivered the same excitement over a “mile-long plank road”. The Lake County Sheriff reported many accidents. Thrill-seekers beware!