Magic Key to Fairyland

The Dream of Every Child Come True!

Children’s Fairyland, U.S.A. in Oakland, California first opened to the public in 1950 (five years before Disneyland), making it one of America’s oldest continually operating theme parks. It was the brainchild of local nursery owner Arthur Navlet, who hoped to construct a park on the shores of Lake Merritt where guides led children through a storybook landscape.

The park thrived following its opening, and this souvenir map shows the grounds about a decade later. Charming vignettes showcase over two dozen attractions, most of which relate to popular children’s literature. Of note is Fairyland’s Storybook Puppet Theater (est. 1956), the longest-running puppet theater in the United States.

Also of interest are the small red boxes at many of the amusements, ‘unlocked’ with a corresponding Magic Key. These novel Talking Storybook speakers were introduced in 1958 (another Fairyland first) and became immensely popular at zoos across the country. Even the earliest Magic Keys used to play each story (a copy of which is included) still function today!

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