An amusement park dedicated to providing loads of fun to children celebrated its 100th birthday with a look at the past. Kiddie Park marked its April 10 anniversary with the dedication of a time capsule, a new Kiddie Park Fiesta medal, and a preview of new birthday party packages.

Tim Morrow, San Antonio Zoo president and CEO, said these and other festivities are the least that zoo officials can do to thank the community for its support over the decades. San Antonio Zoo moved to take over Kiddie Park in 2019 and relocated the space and its rides and games — including the Ferris wheel and hand-carved Herschell Spillman carousel — near the main zoo entrance.

"It was at risk of closing and going away forever or moving to another city, and we worked with [then-owner Rad Weave] to move that over here," Morrow explained.

Kiddie Park was initially located at Broadway Street and Mulberry Avenue, in another corner of Brackenridge Park just north of downtown. Kiddie Park officials renovated the space in 2009 and had hoped to expand the park's footprint, but were challenged by modern-day issues such as parking.

Morrow said the zoo intentionally set aside the Kiddie Park outside zoo grounds to continue offering free admission. Kiddie Park rides are $3 each, and there are wristband packages to enjoy multiple rides and refreshments.

"We wanted things to feel the same for people who have previously visited. Even some of the rocks that we're standing on here were brought over from the original Kiddie Park," Morrow said.

Morrow said colleagues from across the zoo were happy to gather various artifacts to put into a time capsule buried during the celebratory event. The objects tell a story that stretches outside city limits.

"Walt Disney came to see Kiddie Park when he was building Disneyland to get inspiration and things like that, so it just has an incredible history beyond San Antonio and being the nation's oldest children's amusement park," he said.

Morrow said preserving park elements, such as the carousel, was essential to inspire nostalgia for past visitors and a sense of wonder and adventure for today's young guests and future generations. He stressed the need to preserve and even revive now-closed local landmarks.

He lamented the loss of two bygone Brackenridge Park attractions — Playland Park, a children's amusement park that closed in 1980, and the Sky Ride, which operated for more than 30 years before shuttering in 1999.

To help keep those memories alive, Kiddie Park is asking the public to share recollections and photos through an online portal. Select submissions will be shared on social media.

"We cannot let Kiddie Park go away, and I think everybody has had or been to a birthday party at Kiddie Park," Morrow stated. "I came as a child in the 1970s. My kids have had birthday parties here. In 100 years, we'll probably have four or five generations of people celebrating birthdays at Kiddie Park."