Wildwood Amusement Park

Our salute to Wildwood Amusement Park on the southeast shore of White Bear Lake which put the White Bear and Mahtomedi area on the map.  

First built by the St. Paul and White Bear Railroad in 1889, Wildwood Amusement Park was designed to attract visitors to take the newly built line to White Bear Lake. At that point, Wildwood was a popular picnic spot, but the amusement park did not have many rides or other attractions. This initial venture was not a success, and the economic depression of the mid-1890s forced the closure of the St. Paul and White Bear Railroad. After the failure of the original management, Twin Cities Rapid Transit Company acquired the line in 1898, and the new owners decided to improve the amusement park. They hoped to make money both through concessions at the park and by charging fares to and from St. Paul. Admission to the park itself was free. Read more here