​Since 1949, Joyland was Wichita's largest amusement park but that changed when the park closed in 2006. In 1948, the Ottaway Amusement Company purchased 40 acres of land in south Wichita so they could build the largest roller coaster in the state of Kansas. The Ottaway Amusement Co. sold Joyland in 1975 to Stanley Nelson. For 30 years, the Nelsons were the driving force behind the park and a large percent of its current rides, including the Whacky Shack, the Log Jam, and the Sky Coaster.