Temple of Mirth: Difference between revisions

Public wiki for the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition
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{{short description|Temple of Mirth}}
{{short description|Temple of Mirth}}
{{Infobox prepared food
{{Infobox FairBuilding
| name            = Temple of Mirth
| name            = Temple of Mirth
| image            = TempleofMirth.jpg
| image            = TempleofMirth.jpg
| image_size      = 300px
| image_alt        =
| caption          = Temple of Mirth
| image_size      = 400px
| caption          = Main entrance of Temple of Mirth
| alternate_name  =  
| alternate_name  =  
| country          =  
| location        = [[The Pike]]
| creator          =  
| no_buildings    = 1
| course          =  
| construction_cost= $5,000 (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|5,000|1904}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}})
| cost            = 5,000
| furnishing_cost  =  
| admission        = .10
| profit          = $39,232 (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|39,232.15|1904}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}})
| profit          = 39,232.15
| owner            = Ferdinand Akoun
| owner            =Ferdinand Akoun  
| architect        =  
| main_ingredient  =  
| dimensions       =  
| variations       =  
| adult_entry      = 10¢ (${{Inflation|US|.10|1904}} in {{Inflation/year|US}})
| calories        =  
| child_entry      =  
| other            =  
| other            =  
}}
}}


The one  attraction that  was most indicative of the `flavor’  of [[The Pike]] was the Temple of Mirth. A huge sculptured  winking clown face and four grinning female faces completed the façade. Nicknamed the Foolish House,  Crystal Maze,  and  Fun Factory,  the Temple of Mirth used barkers to draw in the busy Pike crowd.
The one attraction that was most indicative of the `flavor’ of [[The Pike]] was the Temple of Mirth. A huge sculptured winking clown face and four grinning female faces completed the façade. Nicknamed the Foolish House, Crystal Maze, and Fun Factory, the Temple of Mirth used barkers to draw in the busy Pike crowd.


==Description==
==Description==
Screams of laughter could be heard through  the structure’s  portals, thus  grabbing the curious pike.
Screams of laughter could be heard through the structure’s portals, thus grabbing the curious pike-goer.


Inside the attraction, there was an enormous mirror maze, then a  succession of 150 French plate convex  and concave mirrors  that distorted the visitor’s  reflection in  hundreds of grotesque and ridiculous manners, always creating infectious laughter. A mysterious collection of cabinets, contained  surprises, tricks and jokes.
Inside the attraction, there was an enormous mirror maze, then a  succession of 150 French plate convex and concave mirrors that distorted the visitor’s  reflection in  hundreds of grotesque and ridiculous manners, always creating infectious laughter. A mysterious collection of cabinets, contained surprises, tricks and jokes.


The funhouse included  outrageous art work and scenery,  volcanic fires, a crowd-watched  collapsing chair trick, a dark winding tunnel, Cave of the Winds  (blasts of compressed air spouted up from the  floor, Hall of Laughter, Mystic Bottomless Well, Spring of Mirth, a 3-story circular slide called Helter Skelter and ended in Dead Man's Alley, a circular slide.
The funhouse included outrageous art work and scenery, volcanic fires, a crowd-watched collapsing chair trick, a dark winding tunnel, Cave of the Winds  (blasts of compressed air spouted up from the floor), Hall of Laughter, Mystic Bottomless Well, Spring of Mirth, a 3-story circular slide called Helter Skelter and ended in Dead Man's Alley, a circular slide.


You had a choice of exiting through a door or down a two story  slide to the outside.
You had a choice of exiting through a door or down a two story slide to the outside.


==Shooting==
==Shooting==
On Nov. 14, 1904,  Temple of Mirth manager Ferdinand Akoun was shot in the head and seriously wounded by Alfred Laws, a watchman employed by the Mysterious Asia attraction. The shooting occurred on the street, packed with sightseers. A crowd chased Laws to The Pike entrance, where he was arrested by a police officer goer’s attention.
On Nov. 14, 1904, Temple of Mirth manager Ferdinand Akoun was shot in the head and seriously wounded by Alfred Laws, a watchman employed by the Mysterious Asia attraction. The shooting occurred on the street, packed with sightseers. A crowd chased Laws to The Pike entrance, where he was arrested by a police officer.


==See also==
==See also==

Latest revision as of 03:34, 16 November 2022

Temple of Mirth
LocationThe Pike
No. of Buildings1
OwnerFerdinand Akoun
Construction
Construction Cost$5,000 ($150,796 in 2021)
Proft$39,232 ($1.18 million in 2021)
Entry
Adult Entry10¢ ($3 in 2021)


The one attraction that was most indicative of the `flavor’ of The Pike was the Temple of Mirth. A huge sculptured winking clown face and four grinning female faces completed the façade. Nicknamed the Foolish House, Crystal Maze, and Fun Factory, the Temple of Mirth used barkers to draw in the busy Pike crowd.

Description[edit | edit source]

Screams of laughter could be heard through the structure’s portals, thus grabbing the curious pike-goer.

Inside the attraction, there was an enormous mirror maze, then a  succession of 150 French plate convex and concave mirrors that distorted the visitor’s  reflection in  hundreds of grotesque and ridiculous manners, always creating infectious laughter. A mysterious collection of cabinets, contained surprises, tricks and jokes.

The funhouse included outrageous art work and scenery, volcanic fires, a crowd-watched collapsing chair trick, a dark winding tunnel, Cave of the Winds  (blasts of compressed air spouted up from the floor), Hall of Laughter, Mystic Bottomless Well, Spring of Mirth, a 3-story circular slide called Helter Skelter and ended in Dead Man's Alley, a circular slide.

You had a choice of exiting through a door or down a two story slide to the outside.

Shooting[edit | edit source]

On Nov. 14, 1904, Temple of Mirth manager Ferdinand Akoun was shot in the head and seriously wounded by Alfred Laws, a watchman employed by the Mysterious Asia attraction. The shooting occurred on the street, packed with sightseers. A crowd chased Laws to The Pike entrance, where he was arrested by a police officer.

See also[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]