▁place ▁a ▁heav ier ▁focus ▁with ▁more ▁intr ic ately - des igned ▁them es ▁that ▁revol ve ▁around ▁a ▁particular ▁subject ▁or ▁group ▁of ▁subjects . ▁ ▁Am usement ▁par ks ▁evol ved ▁from ▁European ▁fair s , ▁pleasure ▁gard ens ▁and ▁large ▁pic nic ▁areas , ▁which ▁were ▁created ▁for ▁people ' s ▁recre ation . ▁World ' s ▁fair s ▁and ▁other ▁types ▁of ▁international ▁expos itions ▁also ▁influenced ▁the ▁emer gence ▁of ▁the ▁am usement ▁park ▁industry . ▁Lake ▁Comp ounce ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁and ▁is ▁considered ▁the ▁oldest , ▁continu ously - oper ating ▁am usement ▁park ▁in ▁North ▁America . ▁The ▁first ▁theme ▁par ks ▁emer ged ▁in ▁the ▁mid - tw enti eth ▁century ▁with ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁Santa ▁Cla us ▁Land ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁Santa ' s ▁Work shop ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁and ▁Disney land ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁The ▁am usement ▁park ▁evol ved ▁from ▁three ▁earlier ▁trad itions : ▁travel ing ▁or ▁periodic ▁fair s , ▁pleasure ▁gard ens ▁and ▁exhib itions ▁such ▁as ▁world ▁fair s . ▁The ▁oldest ▁influence ▁was ▁the ▁periodic ▁fair ▁of ▁the ▁Middle ▁A ges ▁- ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁earliest ▁was ▁the ▁Bar th ol ome w ▁Fair ▁in ▁England ▁from ▁ 1 1 3 3 . ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁and ▁ 1 9 th ▁centuries , ▁they ▁had ▁evol ved ▁into ▁places ▁of ▁entertain