RIP: Kiddieland 1929-2009

[twistidd]

It is with genuine sadness I announce to those who haven't been informed already about the closing of Kiddieland in Melrose Park. There have been rumors in the past, but it's now official: Kiddieland's final day of business will be September 27th. Many of you undoubtedly have fond memories of going to this great amusement park as children, riding the Little Wizard or the Kiddieland Express. The lease will be up in September and it is to become a Costco. One of Chicago's great historic amusement parks, and probably the last existing one, will soon become just a memory.

I suggest any of you who have sons, daughters, nephews, neices, friends, or neighbors, to patronize this park this summer. Those who are young at heart will be surprised at how much fun they might have if they haven't visited Kiddieland in years. I'm going to be taking the neice and nephew there, for my final visit. The games and rides might be outdated and old, but that's the fun of it all. Still free unlimited Pepsi and rides with admission.

I feel like I've come full circle in a way, hearing about how my grandparents would take a ride to Western and Belmont with my mom and uncles to visit Riverview Park...until its untimely closing in the 1960's. Now, a park of my generation is soon to suffer the same fate, at the same cost. Big stupid parking lots and big box stores. Money rules.

Joe

1,000th post dedicated to Kiddieland.

 

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[Brett]

Great post Joe!

So Summer Hunt at Kiddieland then before it gets dozed?

 

[DPBOB]

R I P KL

 

[traderoftreasures]

hmmmm......

 

[ivan salis]

hit before its gone -- lots of lost silver era coinage , I bet like -- buffalo nickles , merc dimes and SLQ and washington quarters as well as walker , franklin and JFK halves and thats not counting the peace dollars (up to 1935*) --- 1929 to 1964 is 35 prime time filled silver coin years .

 

[Lowbatts]

I heard the Riverview site gave up lots of goodies back in the day, KiddieLand should be little different! Good luck if you can get 'er done fellas. I've talked to the owners at Santa's Village on several occasions since they closed down and they won't budge. They want to protect that empty ground from coin-shooting interlopers apparently.

 

[DPBOB]

I heard the Riverview site gave up lots of goodies back in the day, KiddieLand should be little different! Good luck if you can get 'er done fellas. I've talked to the owners at Santa's Village on several occasions since they closed down and they won't budge. They want to protect that empty ground from coin-shooting interlopers apparently.

Santa's Village
My neighbor across the streets firm is handling the property and he couldn't get permission from the top dog either..

 

[kimsdad]

One by one, they're all fading away.....

Kiddieland
Santa's Village
Adventureland
Riverview

Sad!

Take lots of pictures, Joe!

Anyone remember the Sunday papers had a full page color comic-type ad I think at the end of the comics section for Riverview and Adventureland? I think The Trib had one park and the Times or the Daily News had the other.

 

[twistidd]

Not sure how feasible it'd be to detct, considering it's all basically laid out on pavement. Might be a few dirt areas to check out, but those are def the minority.

Joe

 

[Mayo South Elgin]

There was also a KiddieLand/Fun Fair in Skokie - which I frequented countless times while growing up.
It was near Skokie Blvd. and Old Orchard Road. Real pony rides, a train that ran around the perimeter of the park, The Wild Mouse roller coaster, Tilt-A-Whirl, Swingin Gyms, Ferris Wheel, Motor Boats, miniature golf, Stop & Sock driving range and more that I've forgotten. What great times! Then in the early 70's or late 60's it was closed, demolished, and not long after a Hilton Hotel appeared on the site.
Too bad I wasn't into metal detecting back then.

http://cdm.digitalpast.org/cgi-bin/...DMY=0&DMTEXT= Fair&REC=3&DMTHUMB=1&DMROTATE=0

 

[mikewaz]

Dammitt!
I'm still ticked off over Riverview closing. Went there quite a bit as a kid and even when I was in front of my house on Armitage I used to watch the parachutes drop. Pretty soon there's not gonna be any places like that left.

Oh well, the future generations can play the Alien vs Predator in Kiddieland 3D on their XBOX 360.
Mike