Physics, Pipe Organs, and Pivot Careers: Our Deep Dive at Oaks Park! 🎢🎹
Date: April 22, 2026
Our latest STEAM Connect Pop-Up was a journey through time! We went behind the scenes at the historic Oaks Park, and our “Next Gen Pros” discovered that an amusement park is actually a giant, living laboratory.
📜 The “Trolley Park” Legacy Joshua kicked off our tour in the Dance Pavilion with a fascinating history lesson. Did you know Oaks Park is a “Trolley Park”? Back when trolleys ruled the city, they sat empty on weekends. To boost ridership, companies built amusement parks at the end of the lines. Oaks Park, opened in 1905, just two days before the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, is one of the few remaining examples of this urban engineering in the country! In 1985, the Bollinger family ensured the park’s future by donating the entire 44-acre site to a local non-profit foundation, preserving this historic ‘Trolley Park’ for future generations instead of allowing it to be lost to redevelopment.
Joshua also shared that Oaks Park has frequently experienced floods, and the beautiful floor of the Dance Pavilion was salvaged from the roller skate rink’s floor, damaged in a prior flood.
🌳 Engineering the Future The park isn’t just staying in the past. Joshua shared their plan to shift several rides into the beautiful forested portion of the park under the tree canopy. Even more exciting? They are preparing for a brand new “Drop” style ride later this year! (Mike later invited us back for a 2027 STEAM Pop-UP to tour that ride!)
Our “Next Gen Pros” got an exclusive look at the “hidden” side of the park. Here is the breakdown of what we discovered:
📐 The Physics of the “Rush”
Tom took us behind-the-scenes of the Adrenaline Peak ride (UNDER the ride), where we got to see the computer systems and sensors logic (including “PLCs” – Programmable Logic Controller) that run the Adrenaline Peak coaster.
Back outside around the track and under the cars, Tom explained:
The Drop: A 97o vertical drop (it actually slopes backward slightly!).
The Loop: It uses a Clothoid (teardrop) shape to keep the G-forces comfortable for the human body.
Safety First: The cars have a three-wheel system (runners, guides, and upstops) and are completely disassembled and rebuilt every single year for safety! During operation, the coaster is also inspected 3 times per day.
97o Vertical Drop!
🎠 100 Years of History
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Carousel (technically a Menagerie, since it contains not only animals), built in 1912 by Herschell-Spillman Company, and arriving at the park in 1926!
We saw the Sea Dragon, one of only three in the world.
We learned that carousels actually started as training tools for medieval knights to practice jousting!
- The Oaks Park Menagerie is listed in the National Historic Register.
Video: Mike shared a description of the Menagerie paintings:
While walking to the skating rink we took a stop at the Scooters (aka bumper cars) and learned about how the electric current flows from ceiling to the floor via the metal collector touching the ceiling, through the tube in the car, and then through one metal wheel on each car, and the motor driven by that current driving 2 rubber wheels.
It was pointed out that the kiddie coaster was made by Miler, a company based in Portland!
🎹 The 100 Decibel Heartbeat
Inside the skating rink, Keith showed us the 1926 Wurlitzer Organ.
It is an 18-rank pneumatic marvel (1200+ pipes!) that uses specialized sheep leather to control air flow to the pipes. A Rank is a “row” of pipes, each rank is designed to have a unique sound (i.e. classic “church organ, flute, trumpet, string)
The Floating Floor: The entire rink floor is engineered to float up to 6 feet high to survive Willamette River floods without damage!
(Yes, there IS a skeleton in the background)
💼 The “Non-Linear” Career Path
The best part? Hearing how the team got there. It’s not always a straight line!
Tom (Maintenance): Went from fixing motorcycles and jet skis to managing park engineering. He shared that he had to fix a toilet even during our tour.
- Joshua (Development Director): Has worked to support fundraising at several other non-profits, schools and healthcare foundations before coming to Oaks Park.
Celeste (Rides Manager): Was studying to be a nurse when a side job as an operator turned into a career managing 100 employees’ schedules.
Keith (Organist): Combined a background in electrical/mechanical working on digital copiers with a lifelong love of skating. He now maintains the organ and plays it 2 days a week (Th, Sun).
- Sarah (Food/Bev Manager): Also started as a ride operator at age 16, she now oversees all food, catering, and beverage operations at Oaks Park.
A huge thank you to the Oaks Park team for showing us that STEAM careers are everywhere.
Want to join our next adventure?
Sign up here: 👉 https://steampathways.org/steam-connect/
