September 1950 - Oakland's "Children's Fairyland" was opened to public. This was one of the earliest "themed" amusement parks in the United States. In this playground are settings from 18 familiar nursery rhymes and stories, populated with in-the-flesh characters like The Three Little Pigs, Peter Rabbit's family and Mary's Lamb. In the year and a half since it opened, the project, which was financed by a $65.000 public subscription and si run by the park department, has attracted half a million visitors.
Willie the blue whale is the children's favorite animal. They enter his wide mouth, walk down his tongue past his pink tonsils to see the goldfish that ae swimming in his stomach.
Goosey Gander's Castle is reached by Dana across drawbridge while David climbs stairs to turret from window of which princess looks out. Children toss pennies into moat around Goosey's home.
Sugar-plum tree dangles lollipops jut out of Dana's reach. Lollipops are hung on tree for birthday parties which the park sets up at a charge of $7.50 for 12 children and serves under sugar-plum tree.
Giant toadstools tower above David and Dana, who race around them. Nearby are big stone footprints of Joe Bean, the giant, which children followed at a more respectful and shuddery pace.
Water wheel left of miller's house attracted Jeanette and David, who investigate its workings.
Children enter the park through a 4-foot-high door in the Old Woman's Shoe after paying 9c. Grownups pay more - 14c - must stoop to get in and may not enter at all unless escorted by a person under 12. On the magic inner side of the shoe there is a long winding brook to follow and the grounds bloom with bright flowers and a candy tree that dangles lollipops. One day photographer Wayne Miller followed his three children, Jeanette, 6, David, 4, Dana, 3, on their first visit to Fairyland and recorded their hectic tour for LIFE.
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