Tucked away just east of San Francisco in Oakland lies every child’s dream come true: Children’s Fairyland. Filled with storybooks, amiable animals, puppet shows, and unforgettable rides, this ten-acre theme park brings storybooks to life. But on the eve of its 60th anniversary, this fairytale may be coming to an end due to the loss of state funding. Visit Children’s Fairyland soon and help keep the stories alive: http://www.fairyland.org/support_fairyland/individual_giving.htm.
Oakland businessman Arthur Navlet, a well-respected nursery owner, took his proposal for a storybook theme park featuring fairy-tale sets, farm animals, and live entertainment, to the Lake Merritt Breakfast Club, a group dedicated to civic betterment, still in operation today. They loved the idea. With the support of Oakland’s parks superintendent William Penn Mott, Jr., the Breakfast Club and the citizens of Oakland raised $50,000 to build Children’s Fairyland on the shores of Lake Merritt.
