09/18/2024
HISTORY OF THE BOUNCE HOUSE
The first inflatable structure was designed in 1959 by John Scurlock in Shreveport, Louisiana, while he was creating covers for tennis courts. Noticing his employees enjoyed jumping on them, he pioneered inflatable domes, tents, signs, and invented the safety air cushion used by rescue teams.
In New Orleans, Scurlock's wife, Frances, started the first inflatable rental company in 1968. They later built a facility to produce inflatables marketed for children's events. Their son, Frank Scurlock, expanded this concept nationally with brands like Space Walk and Inflatable Zoo, and opened the first all-inflatable indoor play park, Fun Factory, in 1986.
The original inflatable, called Space Pillow, was an open top mattress. In 1967, a pressurized top was added, leading to the Space Walk name. To address overheating issues, the Jupiter Jump was created in 1974, featuring netting walls. Frank also developed the Aqua Tunnel, the first commercial inflatable water slide, in the early 1990s. The 1975 Neiman Marcus catalog included a closed inflatable trampoline named "The Moon Walk."
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