The World's First Suspended Coaster: Way Older Than You Think

Most amusement park enthusiasts point toward the original Bat at King's Island as the world's first, permanent, suspended roller coaster. And in the modern era, this is true, as it ran from 1981-1983.

But the world's first suspended roller coaster was actually built roughly 80 years before The Bat, at the Long Beach Pike in Long Beach, CA. Known as Bisby's Spiral Airship, it was built in 1910. Some internet sources list the opening as 1902; but contemporary news sources of the day point to a 1910 opening.

Bisby's Spiral Airship. Image: Historical Society of Long Beach

The ride consisted of square gondolas that were lifted to the top of a monorail track, then coasted down a very long helix. The gondolas could swing freely, and centrifugal forces would make the cars swing outward before returning to the station.

"...in the construction of the first one of the amusement devices erected. This is the amusement enterprise in which R. L. Bisby is interested. Smith and his brother invented the contrivance. Today a storage shed was built on the site of the spiralway, which is just south of the Pike and a short distance west of the pier.

The steel for the big affair is expected to arrive at any time, some of it having reached Los Angeles. A site 50x200 feet was leased for the spiralway by Mr. Bisby from the Bath House company. The spiralway proper will be from 30 to 50 feet in diameter and will be built upon a platform of heavy timbers supported by pilings jettied into the sand. Harry Wire and Gene Savage were busy in the first construction work this morning.

It is expected that the amusement enterprise will be ready for use May 1. It will present a brilliant spectacle at night, the tower being profusely bedecked with lights. The spiralway device consists of a spiral monorail upon which a car carrying passengers descends at an exhilarating speed after having been taken to the top over a cog railway.

The construction of the spiralway involves several thousand dollars, but the cost is not so great but that Mr. Bisby and the others interested expect a number of the spiralways to be built at other resorts." 09 Mar 1910 The Long Beach Telegram and The Long Beach Daily News

Cars Sent Round Cork-Screw Successfully

"People who had been "roosting" along the pier for a week, waiting to see the first car glide down the new airship spiral, were moved to cheers when the long-looked-for event happened yesterday afternoon at 4:35 o'clock. The car was one which had been sent to the top of the spiral the day before but had remained at the top, owing to the necessity of an adjustment. The required change having been made the car went scooting around the corkscrew in good time. The first car was empty.

R. L. Bisby and F. Van Vranken, owners of the new amusement enterprise, occupied the second loaded car to make the trip. Two workmen were in the first loaded car. The car was sent around later with three and then four men in it. The trip looked safe and enjoyable and not as fast as some timid old ladies have been heard prophesying on the pier.

A. T. and A. F. Smith, of Long Beach, designed and invented the device. They sold the Long Beach rights to Messrs. Bisby and Van Vranken. The Smith brothers and Mr. Bisby, however, comprise the "National Airship Spiral Company" and will locate similar devices elsewhere. One is wanted at Venice, if this one proves the money-getter it is expected to be. Mr. Smith said today the total cost of the device will be about $15,000.

The airship spiral will be opened for business Sunday, at 10 cents per ride. The tall tower will be ablaze with lights. One facetious individual forecasted yesterday that owing to the resemblance of the affair to a corkscrew it might not be allowed to remain in town.|

The ride quickly proved it was more than just an engineering curiosity. According to the Long Beach Telegram and The Long Beach Daily News, more than 1,000 people rode the attraction during its opening weekend, making it an immediate success. Before paying passengers were allowed aboard, the inventors tested the ride by loading the cigar-shaped cars with 160-pound sandbags to simulate riders. Once those trials proved successful, inventor R. L. Bisby and principal owner F. Van Vranken personally rode the ride themselves, demonstrating their confidence in the new attraction. (The Long Beach Telegram and The Long Beach Daily News, "Spiralway Works Well; Draws Crowd," Jun 1910)

Little is known about the ride's demise, but it was removed around 1915. During the early 20th century, amusement rides' lives were far shorter than a typical installation today, and despite the early successes of the ride's potential, it is not surprising that such a unique curiosity ultimately did not pan out in the way that, for example, the typical wooden roller coaster design would around the same time. 

Long Beach Pike was renamed Nu Pike in 1949, and later became Queen's Park in 1971 before closing in 1979. In 2003, the area was redeveloped as The Pike at Rainbow Harbor, a shopping mall and entertainment venue.

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