Harry Guy Traver (November 25, 1877 – September 27, 1961) was an American engineer and early roller coaster designer. As the founder of the Traver Circle Swing Company and Traver Engineering Company , he was responsible for the production of gentle amusement rides like the Circle Swing, Tumble Bug , and Auto Ride. His roller coasters became legendary for their unique twisted layouts and thrilling, swooped turns. At a time when most coasters were built from wood, Traver was the first coaster builder to utilize steel for the primary structural material. He also built the first motorized fire engine in New York City.
21-837: Traver was born in Gardner, Illinois on November 25, 1877, and graduated from Davenport High School in Davenport, Nebraska in 1894. After teaching for three years in the western part of the United States, he took a job with General Electric in 1898, working for the company at the Omaha Exhibition that year. Subsequently employed by the Harris Safety Co. in New York City as a superintendent, he began designing amusement rides in 1903. His first major success
42-609: A modern-day replica of the Traver Circle-Swing. Robert Cartmell (1987). "Chapter X. Traver, Prior and Church". The Incredible Scream Machine: A History of the Roller Coaster . Popular Press. pp. 153–166. ISBN 0-87972-342-4 . Gardner, Illinois Gardner is a village in Grundy County , Illinois , United States . The population was 1,366 at the 2020 census. Gardner
63-883: A new torpedo and other weapons for the United States Navy , in collaboration with a research division at Columbia University , for the Navy's use during World War II . Post-war, he helped to design an improved rocket launcher for the U.S. Navy. He died at the New Rochelle Hospital in New Rochelle, New York at the age of 83 on September 26, 1961. His funeral was held at the Davis Funeral Home in New Rochelle on September 28. Traver's " Giant Cyclone Safety Coasters " were what made him
84-433: Is named for its founder, Henry C. Gardner. In 2023, Mike Serena was reelected as mayor of Gardner. According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Gardner has a total area of 2.94 square miles (7.61 km ), of which 2.91 square miles (7.54 km ) (or 99.01%) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km ) (or 0.99%) is water. As of the 2020 census there were 1,366 people, 569 households, and 413 families residing in
105-523: The 2010 United States Census , there were 50,063 people, 18,546 households, and 13,431 families residing in the county. The population density was 119.8 inhabitants per square mile (46.3/km ). There were 19,996 housing units at an average density of 47.8 per square mile (18.5/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 93.7% white, 1.2% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 2.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.2% of
126-537: The U.S. state of Illinois . According to the 2020 census , it has a population of 52,533. Its county seat is Morris . Grundy County is part of the Chicago - Naperville - Elgin , IL- IN - WI Metropolitan Statistical Area . In 2010, the center of population of Illinois was in Grundy County, just northeast of the village of Mazon . Illinois's state fossil , the unique and bizarre Tully Monster ,
147-413: The lift hill . Coming off the lift, the trains dived down to the right, climbing to a sharp jog to the left. A drop and hill followed, and then a severely pitched double helix. Coming out of the helix, the train entered a figure-eight banked at 89 degrees. After the figure-eight, a spiral hill led under the lift, where a jarring series of bunny-hops were placed, After those, the train turned 180 degrees into
168-803: The "Jazz track", a final spiral drop led to the brake-run. The Cyclone at Crystal Beach survived the longest of the three, lasting until 1949. On May 30, 1938, Amos Wiedrich was riding the Crystal Beach Cyclone, when he either jumped or otherwise fell from the lift hill and was hit moments later by the coaster's train. One of Travers' coasters, the Jazz Railway , was the forerunner of the modern Wild Mouse coasters that are built to this day. One such coaster existed from 1925-1927 at Rocky Glen Park in Moosic, Pennsylvania . In 2001, Disney California Adventure opened, featuring Golden Zephyr ,
189-415: The "Jazz track", which consisted of the track pitching one way then the other fast and repeatedly. The "Jazz track" was an element of all Traver coasters. (Wood coaster company Custom Coasters International would later make a similar element to "Jazz track" called the "trick track", which would be featured on Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure and the now-defunct Villain at Geauga Lake .) After
210-406: The average family size was 2.51. The village's age distribution consisted of 15.1% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.1 males. The median income for a household in the village
231-625: The county seat of Morris have ranged from a low of 13 °F (−11 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −24 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.59 inches (40 mm) in February to 4.16 inches (106 mm) in June. As of
SECTION 10
#1732801076786252-407: The most famous (or notorious) of all coaster designers. His most famous coasters were the "terrible trio", all built in 1927. They were: All three shared the same twisted layout and utilized trains based on a Prior and Church design: The Great Coasters International Millennium Flyers are patterned after this rolling stock . After leaving the station, the trains would turn 180 degrees and ascended
273-408: The population. There were 569 households, out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.91% were married couples living together, 4.75% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.42% were non-families. 20.56% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.27% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and
294-490: The population. In terms of ancestry, 28.3% were German , 23.0% were Irish , 12.7% were Italian , 9.4% were Polish , 8.6% were English , 7.1% were Norwegian , and 3.0% were American . Of the 18,546 households, 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.6% were non-families, and 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size
315-405: The remaining 44 were left in the mine and the mine was sealed. Today a marker stands near where it was believed the majority of victims were entombed. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 430 square miles (1,100 km ), of which 418 square miles (1,080 km ) is land and 12 square miles (31 km ) (2.9%) is water. In recent years, average temperatures in
336-432: The village. The population density was 464.47 inhabitants per square mile (179.33/km ). There were 619 housing units at an average density of 210.47 per square mile (81.26/km ). The racial makeup of the village was 91.80% White , 0.51% African American , 0.59% Native American , 0.59% Asian , 0.00% Pacific Islander , 1.61% from other races , and 4.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.52% of
357-401: Was $ 67,441, and the median income for a family was $ 71,544. Males had a median income of $ 56,250 versus $ 40,383 for females. The per capita income for the village was $ 35,716. About 5.1% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over. Grundy County, Illinois Grundy County is a county in
378-472: Was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.16. The median age was 36.1 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 64,297 and the median income for a family was $ 75,000. Males had a median income of $ 58,491 versus $ 36,592 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 27,895. About 5.2% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over. Grundy County
399-629: Was first found in Mazon Creek . Grundy County is home to Dresden Generating Station —the first privately financed nuclear power plant built in the United States—and the Morris Operation —the only de facto high-level radioactive waste storage site in the United States. Grundy County was established on February 17, 1841. It was formed out of LaSalle County and named after U.S. Attorney General Felix Grundy (1777–1840). The county
420-914: Was the Airplane Swing, which remains a staple of amusement parks even today. In 1919, he founded the Traver Engineering Company in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania , which created amusement rides , including the Tumble Bug, The Caterpillar , Laff in the Dark, Auto Ride, and the Circle-Swing , a ride similar in concept to the earlier Captive Flying Machines ride popularized in the United Kingdom by American-born inventor Sir Hiram Maxim . In 1945, he began designing
441-406: Was well known for its coal mines and attracted miners from Pennsylvania and other regions to work its deposits. The 1883 Diamond Mine Disaster occurred in Grundy County. The disaster took the lives of 69 men and boys who were trapped underground when water broke through into the mine after days of heavy rain and the pumps could not keep up with the rising water. 22 bodies were eventually recovered,
SECTION 20
#1732801076786#785214