For generations, parents have been taking their young kids to Children's Fairyland, a storybook-themed amusement park next to Oakland's Lake Merritt. So what's the 'Once upon a time...' of this beloved East Bay cultural gem, which may even have inspired Walt Disney? Reporter Pauline Bartolone takes a journey with her own little one to learn about Fairyland's 72-year history.

Additional Reading:

• The Future Looks Bright for Children's Fairyland, as It Seeks to Better Reflect Oakland's Cultural Rainbow
• Read a transcript of this episode
• The Bay Curious book is out now! Get your copy.
• Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest

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This story was reported by Pauline Bartolone. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

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