A Marvelous and Rare Set of Seven Photo Postcards of Chance Games at Lakeside Amusement Park in Denver, CO, c1910

Lakeside Amusement Park opened in 1908. Given the relative freshness of the games and the workers, I wonder if these cards were made the year it opened? While there are no dates on the back other than "July," the three different postcard backs used were all available in 1908. The clothing styles are also correct for that period.

The games vary in skill and strangeness. The horse show, manned by a boy and Asian man, has you bet on mechanical horses to win boxes of chocolates. In July. A man and woman are behind the counter at the knife booth, offering us rings to toss at a variety of hilts. Can you imagine people just carrying carving knives around the park? A group of somewhat grumpy guys man the shooting gallery, where you could win a teddy bear if you hit enough dots on a tiny target. 'The Old Mill,' "A fascinating game played by women and children," looks like the one where you'd get a fishing rod and have to catch fish in order to exchange for a knickknack. Stein Land is another ring toss and pretty self-explanatory. The third ring toss is the weirdest as it looks like you had to loop a ring over the foot of a mannequin in order to win silk stockings or socks or a garter set. That the mannequins wear masks, well… The last image pictures a group of jolly young workers in front of another stall full of knickknacks, but an unknown game.

The cards are in fine condition.