N.J.’s long-lost (however not forgotten) amusement parks nonetheless depart a legacy
Curler coasters, ferris wheels and family-friendly rides gentle up the panorama of the Jersey Shore from Sandy Hook Bay all the way down to Cape Could County.
Traders first honed in on New Jersey’s shorelines for his or her leisure venues greater than a century in the past, stated Jim Futrell, director and historian of the Nationwide Amusement Park Historic Affiliation. Households flocked to the parks for leisure and funky air alongside the shore.
However the epicenter of thrill-seeking within the Backyard State wasn’t at all times alongside the coast. Dozens of amusement parks was once discovered in additional city areas however finally they couldn’t stand the check of time.
“Some issues by no means change,” Futrell stated. “The guts and soul of the trade in New Jersey is the shore.”
Whereas these amusement parks all through the state is perhaps misplaced — many for many years — for many who visited them, they’re not forgotten.
Listed here are the Backyard State’s most memorable amusement parks all through the years:
Palisades Amusement Park
Anybody who spent their childhood inside driving distance of Cliffside Park and Fort Lee was positive to know of Palisades Amusement Park.
The park opened in 1898 as a picnic grove, in line with the Palisades Amusement Park Historic Society. Ten years later, by 1908, it had a carousel, rides and a wild west present.
As many years handed, the park would solely develop. Folks from throughout the nation would make their method to New Jersey simply to expertise what the park needed to provide.
By the Nineteen Sixties it was identified on a world scale, with ads in worldwide publications, stated Vince Gargiulo, the historic society’s founder.
“Even a child in England could possibly be studying Batman and see an advert for Palisades Amusement Park,” Gargiulo stated.
Commercials for Palisades Amusement Park claimed it had the biggest saltwater swimming pool on this planet, though measurements have but to be verified.Courtesy of the Palisades Amusement Park Historic Society
The amusement park was identified for one factor particularly: the french fries. They bought for 20 cents a serving.
“Folks nonetheless discuss in regards to the french fries,” Gargiulo stated. “It was served with vinegar, not with ketchup.”
Rising up, Gargiulo lived inside strolling distance of the park, he stated. Gargiulo known as it “Disneyland in New Jersey.”
“There was the smells of the waffles, the sounds of the music, the sounds of the folks screaming on the rollercoasters that went down the primary hill. It was every thing,” Gargiulo stated. “It gave you pleasure in all 5 of your senses.”
The park closed in 1967 when the proprietor, who was then 70 years outdated, bought the land to builders. The vacation spot is now house to high-rise buildings, in line with the historic affiliation.
Cliffside Park is house to the Palisades Amusement Park monument, which says, “Right here we had been glad, right here we grew!”Courtesy of the Palisades Amusement Park Historic Society
Olympic Park
Olympic Park in Newark began as a farm. The proprietor, John Becker, determined to clear a couple of acres and construct an amusement park, in line with NAHPA. It first opened in 1887 however didn’t characteristic what it was identified for — the mechanical rides — till 1904.
Within the Twenties, admission to the park price solely 10 cents, NAHPA stated. Hundreds of individuals got here to expertise what Olympic Park needed to provide yearly. Its peak attendance occurred in 1930, with 1,000,000 folks strolling by way of the gates, in line with NAHPA.
The park closed for good in 1965 when proprietor Robert Guenther bought the park rides. Disney purchased the carousel and later put in it at Walt Disney World in Florida, NAHPA stated.
Motion Park
Anybody searching for a thrill within the ‘80s knew the place to go: Motion Park.
It was an amusement park like no different, stated Andy Mulvihill, son of Motion Park’s founder, Gene Mulvihill.
Considered one of Motion Park’s rides, Aqua Skoot, riders would plunge down a steep slide on a toboggan.Courtesy of Andy Mulvihill/Penguin Random Home
Action Park was open in Vernon, New Jersey, from 1976 to 1996. What made its rides distinctive was that the rider was in management. Each rider had a special expertise since they may decide how sluggish, quick, secure or thrilling a journey was.
“You management the motion. You decided how you probably did a journey,” Mulvihill stated. “It was identified for a spot the place there have been definitely dangers … When all is claimed and carried out, folks say it was probably the most enjoyable they’ve ever had.”
Mulvihill revealed his e book, “Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides, and the Untold Story of America’s Most Dangerous Amusement Park,” in 2020.
The e book’s website says state inspectors had a troublesome time assessing the park’s rides since no two folks had the very same expertise on them. “You can get harm in case you’re not cautious,” Mulvihill stated.
The Air Slide was one in every of many rides featured at Motion Park. Whether or not these rides had been thrilling, harmful, or each was left for the rider to determine.Courtesy of Andy Mulvihill/Penguin Random Home
Within the 20 years that Motion Park was open, 5 folks died because of incidents from the rides.
“He definitely made some errors, and a few had been tragic,” Mulvihill stated of his father. “He really was not motivated by revenue. He simply wished to create a enjoyable place for folks to get collectively.”
The amusement park closed close to the flip of the century because of an abundance of lawsuits, amongst different components.
Woodlynne Park
Woodlynne is greater than a borough in Camden County, New Jersey. It’s the house and namesake of former Woodlynne Amusement Park, which was open from 1895 to 1914.
The New Camden Land Enchancment Firm commissioned the amusement park’s creation in 1892. Households from the world would spend the day on the amusement park in the summertime months.
A fireplace destroyed the park in 1914, forcing it to shut, in line with the Woodlynne Borough’s web site. The curler coaster that after stood there may be now at Clementon Amusement Park, additionally in Camden County.
Playland Pier
Wildwood is understood for its boardwalk, which hosted Playland Pier. The vacation spot featured a ferris wheel and a number of other rides proper alongside the seashore.
It opened within the Forties, however was destroyed by a nor’easter in 1992.
Playland Pier operated in Wildwood from the Forties till it was destroyed by a extreme nor’easter in 1992.
Hunt’s Pier
Playland Pier wasn’t the one vacation spot for enjoyable in Wildwood. Hunt’s Pier additionally hosted crowds alongside the boardwalk all through the summer time months.
It opened in 1957 and by the ‘60s established itself as probably the most noteworthy boardwalk-style amusement parks within the nation.
The park then declined and ended up as a storage facility for Morey’s Piers.
Hunt’s Pier in Wildwood opened in 1957 and by the Nineteen Sixties had established itself as probably the most noteworthy seaside amusement parks within the nation. Proven in 1972, the pier started to say no and finally ended up as a storage facility for Morey’s Piers.
Riverview Seashore
Pennsville’s Riverview Seashore opened greater than a century in the past, in 1891. What began as a humble vacation spot grew to an amusement park stuffed with rides, a dance corridor and a curler rink.
The park was open for greater than 75 years. It closed in 1967 when the ferry discontinued its service to the park.
Riverview Seashore in Pennsville opened in 1891 and, over time, grew to a really giant amusement park with rides, a dance corridor and a curler rink. The park closed in 1967 after ferry service to the situation was discontinued.
Bertrand Island Park
Positioned in Mount Arlington, Bertrand Island Park was a preferred New Jersey summer time attraction from the early Twenties to 1983.
The park started as a washing seashore, however later expanded to incorporate 20 rides, together with a picket curler coaster and a carousel. An unique horse from the carousel is on show on the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum.
The amusement park closed because of competitors from greater theme parks within the space and the evolution of Lake Hopatcong right into a year-round neighborhood, in line with the Morris County authorities’s web site.
The primary model of the “Auto Speedway” at Bertrand Island Park is proven on this photograph from the Twenties. Marvel in the event that they needed to put up “no bumping” indicators like immediately?
This text is a part of “Unknown New Jersey,” an ongoing collection that highlights attention-grabbing and little-known tales about our previous, current, and future — all the bizarre issues that make our nice state what it’s. Bought a narrative to pitch? E mail it to local@njadvancemedia.com.
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Camille Furst could also be reached at cfurst@njadvancemedia.com.
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