Amelia's Box Crate Roller Coaster (Part 4)

Everyone knows by now that Amelia was not your typical young girl. She loved to wear pants, shoot guns, run in the woods, and play adventure games. It would surprise very few to know that she built their own roller coaster - with the help of her Uncle Carl Otis.

At their home in Kansas City, Amelia, her sister, and a neighborhood boy (let's not forget Uncle Otis) put together a track made of boards and greased with lard. This homemade track started at the top of a tool shed, approximately 8 ft. off the ground, and plummetted the children down to the ground as if it were a real roller coaster ride at a fair.

Of course, Amelia was the first to try it out. As her sister recalled, Amelia "rode the crate down the track much faster than either of us anticipated. As it careened down the track, we heard the sound of splintering wood. The car and Amelia departed the track when the car hit the trestle. Both tumbled onto the ground. Amelia jumped up, her eyes alight, ignoring a torn dress and bruised lip. She exclaimed happily, "Oh, Pidge, (a pet name for Muriel) it's just like flying!"

You can find a similar rollercoaster here at the museum! Come check it out and get inspired!