Note: This should not be confused with Hampton Amusement Company which operated from 1901 to 1915. In 1915, that company’s name was changed to Star Amusement Company. There was also a Dixieland jazz band known as Hampton Amusement Company based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that operated in the 1920s.
In 1942, Theodore “Ted” Sneed of St. Louis, Missouri, became interested in building a children’s carnival ride. In taking parts from scratch, he built his first carnival ride, which he set up on a St. Louis street, likely Hampton Avenue, which would become the namesake for his new business: Hampton Amusement Company.
Hampton Amusement Company
This first ride would be the first of many for the Hampton Amusement Company. Sneed founded this company shortly after building that prototype ride. The company was named for Hampton Avenue, the street where Sneed operated that ride.
In 1950, Hampton registered for their first National Association of Amusement Parks, Pools and Beaches (now called International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) trade show which was being held in the then-traditional location of Hotel Sherman, Chicago, Illinois. Hampton debuted a new ride, the Kiddie Flyer Hand Cars, which was then awarded the A.B. McSwigan Award, an award that recognized the most meritorious new device at the show.
At the 1953 trade show, Hampton debuted the Tubs-O-Fun. Hampton representative Robert Walden reported that 12 units were sold at the show, including the display sample. The first Tubs-o-Fun to be put into public operation was by Hoosier State Shows for Christmas 1953 bookings at stores.
In 1954, Sneed moved Hampton from St. Louis to Portage des Sioux, keeping the Hampton name. Through the years, the company went from having a few employees to over 100 employees, and quadrupled the number of rides they were manufacturing a year – from 25 to 100.
By the early 1960s, they were making a variety of new rides for both kids and adults. One such adult ride was The Astronaut, a ride rather similar to the Frank Hrubetz Paratrooper ride.
The company was renamed Hampton Amusement Corporation around 1971.
Hampton Rides
Sneed sold Hampton Amusement to E.J. Manufacturing Company, Inc., which was owned by Ervin Davis and Gerald “Jerry” Ohlms, in January 1978. E.J. operated the merged companies under the fictitious name Hampton Rides. Sneed passed away two years later in 1980.
Fire at Hampton production facility
At 12:45am on May 7, 1981, a fire erupted in one of the assembly buildings on Hampton’s property. The fire was intense and destroyed at least one building. Six fire companies comprising 100 men and 10 fire trucks were dispatched to handle the fire. The trucks had to create a relay system to get city water to the Hampton facility because a water source was not close by. The firefighters had the fire under control by 4am.
Davis praised the firefighters efforts and noted that his company took some efforts to prevent fires. When they took over control of Hampton, fire risk was one of the things they noticed was deficient in the property. They had installed some fire walls and dry wall to prevent fire from spreading. Their efforts did work as the fire was contained to the one building that was destroyed.
The fire cost $120,000.
After the fire
Gerald Ohlms went on to become St. Charles County, Missouri presiding commissioner from 1986-1990. He had previously been the county’s auditor from 1970-1974.
Around 1989, Ohlms reached an agreement with Amusement Investment Corporation to take over operations of Hampton Rides. Initially, the new company was named New Hampton Rides; then, in 1991 “New” was dropped from the name.
In late 1991, financial issues began to impact Hampton Rides. It began with the widow of Ted Sneed, Leota, suing E.J. Manufacturing. The following year, Amusement Investment was sued several times, including one suit brought by Gerald Ohlms himself.
It is apparent that by the early 1990s, what was left of the highly popular kiddie ride manufacturer of the 1960s and 1970s, was very little. Hampton Rides closed in 1993.
The Hampton legacy lives on with many of their kiddie rides still operating today. Hersheypark has several, for example.
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I currently own one of the Hampton buildings in Portage des Sioux. It was used for the final assembly of the rides. I’m looking for early pics of the original buildings that Mr Sneed erected back in the early fifties. Any help appreciated!
In THE EARLY 1970S, I WORKED IN FINAL ASSEMBLY AT HAMPTON. EVERY RIDE WAS “OVERBUILT I.E. A 5/16” BOLT WAS USED IN PLACE OF A 1/4” ETC.
THE FOREMAN DIDNT CARE IF YOU WERE A CERTIFIED WELDER OR NOT, HE WOULD GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO WELD, THEN HE WOULD BEAT IT WITH A HAMMER. IF IT DIDNT BREAK, YOU GOT THE JOB. TED JUST WANTED A DAYS WORK FOR A DAYS PAY. QUALITY PARTS WERE USED, AS WELL AS MATERIAL. I REMEMBER BUILDING AND PACKING RIDES TO SHIP TO S. AMERICA, TURKEY, JAPAN, AND MORE. TED WAS A GREAT GUY TO WORK FOR. ONE YEAR, THE EMPLOYEES BOUGHT HIM A GREAT ITHICA SHOTGUN FOR CHRISTMAS. HE THANKED THEM AND SAID “YOU GUYS TAKE THAT.BACK AND GET YOUR MONEY. I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK”.
THE PLANT WAS ON HIS FARM, WITH FIVE 100’ LONG METAL BUILDINGS. THERE WAS OUR BUILDING – WE MIGHT HAVE FOUR OR FIVE RIDES IN VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT. A MACHINE SHOP, CARPENTER SHOP, FIBERGLAS SHOP, SEWING SHOP. AND THE OFFICES. SNEED HAD THE PATENT FOR THE “TUBS OF FUN” RIDE. THE NAME HAMPTON CAME FROM HAMPTON AVENUE IN ST. LOUIS, WHERE HE GOT STARTED. I THINK HIS LAWYER AND ACCOUNTANT BOUGHT HIM OUT. NOT SURE.
I’d like to show you a picture of a Hampton car
someone has & is looking for information on it.
Kind of looks like a Model A or T. Not sure!
I am pretty sure they want to sell it!
Thanks,
Barbara
Anyone know a good source for finding used Hampton umbrella rides for sale
I’d like to buy a Hampton combo kiddie umbrella ride, featuring a Ford Mustang opposite a VW bug, a pick-up truck opposite a Jeep and a bus opposite a motorcycle pair.
Does anyone have a Hampton Dune Buddy Ride Manual?