Astro City Rocket Slide - Washington, IA - part 1

Miracle Recreation Equipment Company's "Astro City" -- the single biggest piece of playground equipment ever made in America at 107 feet long and 32 feet high. Located in Sunset Park, Washington, IA and installed in the early 1970's.

We'd still have great equipment like like this in a lot of parks if the evil Consumer Product Safety Comission and our litigation-happy culture hadn't made all the playground equipment manufacturers and city parks departments deathly afraid of lawsuits and obsessed with sterile, risk-free, pre-school designs ...

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Miracle
• space-age
• retro
• playground
• rocket
• slide

[Squank63]

Absolutely beautiful slide! How has it been maintained so well over the years??

I played on one just like it at a park in Ft Bragg NC back in the early 70's. We called it "The Rocket Slide". There is also one still standing, barely, at an old delapidated motel at the NC/SC state line, right across from the "South of the Border" tourist trap on I-95. About 10 yrs ago I pulled off the hwy and slide down it. It was bad shape, lucky I survived the slide but I had to do it!

[NelsPOlsen]

@Squank63 I keep thinking about trying to buy the one at the NC/SC state line on I-95. Several months ago I tried calling the Rowland NC city offices to see how I can find out who owns the property so I can arrange for salvage rights, but there was no answer and no answering machine. I'll have to do some more calling ...

[magic36rock]

I wish they had parks like tht where I live:(

[metalmessy135]

aahhh... such sweet memories here

[Twenty27Seven]

I played on this equipment at Stars and Stripes Park in OKC in the mid 70's. Thanks to your video I found this and I'm taking a road trip from Minneapolis, Mn to visit my old playmate. I called the parks dept. And had a talk with the commissioner and they take great pride it this playground and plans on maintaining it for years to come. It even survived a "we need a safer playground" meeting.

[footbal821]

@pandapower96 You Are Right Dude

[jordan1885]

been to this one many times. it's pretty good. I'm from the area and have realatives who grew up right next to it pretty much.

[ellashearts]

Dude this park sucks i use to live up the hill from there

[MenollytheBeagle]

We used to have one like that in my hometown!!!!!! I miss it soooo much!!!!

[pandapower96]

You got that right. The Holy Grail of playground equiqment. People from Washington rock, that's why we get to have it:)