Mystery Amusement Park, 1950s
I have a set of four vintage slides from the 1950s featuring a small amusement park (or possibly a fair or carnival). I'm always a little disappointed when I don't know the location of one of these places, but there are not many clues - it all looks rather generic. But they're still fun to view!
Two boys enjoy a flight on a rocket. Not a lame airplane, like little babies might ride! Not only are they on rockets, but they have guns to shoot down pursuing UFOs - you can't be too careful. In the distance, two other spinning rides, at least one must be a Merry-Go-Round.
I'm not sure what kind of ride this is... some sort of kiddy-coaster? The little girl has gotten into the spirit of things. Dad doesn't have a pack of cigs in his rolled up sleeve, I don't know how to process that. I wish I could read that sign in the distance, it might hold valuable clues.
Uh-oh, rockets again. Or still. I'm trying to figure out what is going on in the building to the left, possibly Ski Ball or something like that.
Oh nice, a little train! I get a "midwest" vibe from these (the surrounding land is so flat!), though of course they could be from anywhere. Not California, I'd wager.
13 comments:
1) Love the expression on the face of the kid in the front of the rocket. Are these rockets intended for shooting UFOs in 'outer space'? If so... you know... no air up there... these open cockpits could present a problem. The ride seems to be clean and well painted; so that's something anyway. Pretty sure the ride in the distance is a merry-go-round, like you said. The ride directly behind the rockets has 'cars' (with faces) that look like they might spin around, like teacups.
2) Don't fret none, Major. I'm sure Dad has his cigs in his other rolled-up sleeve; the one we can't see. This is definitely a kiddie coaster; we can see the gently undulating track in the background.
Besides being flat, the area looks pretty barren; not much greenery. I don't think this was a traveling carnival, there are signs of permanency here. Like the wooden fencing and the little white rock borders around some areas.
Unless one of the Jr. Gs was actually at this place in times of yore, I don't think we're gonna solve the identity of this mystery park, or its location. But like you said, Major, it's still fun to view. Thanks.
Those rockets are interesting, with their rear-facing second seat. The Astro Jets at Disneyland should have had "guns," so guests could pretend to shoot at the Skyway buckets.
That kiddie coaster was coming a little too close to that wire fence. Don't stick your hands out, or you just might lose a finger. A friend of mine has a story about a girl at her high school, who lost a finger while climbing over a chain link fence. It got caught in the fence and ended up "popping off" of her hand. I just thought I would share that with everyone!
Thanks for these fun kiddie park photos, Major!
Thanks, TM! I can always count on a great story here at GDB while I eat my breakfast. Excuse me for a moment while I’m bringing it back up.
I can only read one word on the sign in the first photo, “chili,” which, as a widely-distributed superfood that has prevented starvation throughout much of North America, isn’t much help in identifying the location. The Sunoco signs in the last photo place this park anywhere in the Northeast from Boston to as far west as Indiana or Illinois. This is further reinforced by the New York Central colors on observation car of the Miniature Train Company G-16.
Wherever it was, the people in these photos look like they are having fun, and in the end, that’s what really matters.
Thanks, Major!
Yes, definitely having fun, and not California. Chuck has pointed out the Sunoco connection.
I seem to remember a rocket jet ride with machine guns, not sure where though. Might have been at a fair too? Can’t be too careful with ufo’s either.
I wish the signs in the background were more readable, and someone to ID that swoopy car. I think it’s a Chrysler but Nanook would know in an instant.
Dad’s cigs are in his left sleeve if he is right-handed.
Let’s go play some skee-ball. Hope you’re having a good trip, Major!
JG
These photos were taken in Anytown, USA. I'm glad I could finally help out.
The photo with two boys in the rocket is a beauty. I wonder if any of these wonderful vintage rides still exist at another amusement park?
TM!, was it her middle finger? That's the most important finger! ;-)
Power lines everywhere! But only two trash cans. In that last picture there is a Plymouth, with possible a Chevy tri-five over it shoulder. Possibly a early sixty’s ford driving away on the right, but that a real guess
Tokyo!, I was thinking the same thing about the coaster being too close to that wire fence.
"I just thought I would share that with everyone!" ... And a Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Tokyo! haahahahahaha
Ken M, "These photos were taken in Anytown, USA." NAILED IT! Whew, sure glad we solved that mystery. I knew one of the Jr. Gs would come through! ;-)
Hi junior gorillas! I’m BACK.
JB, as you know, any respectable spaceman wears a bubble helmet, so oxygen is no problem. They didn’t need them on the planet that you hu-mans call “Earth”. You are probably right about Dad having his smokes in the other sleeve. I’d like to believe that he didn’t smoke at all, but you know… the 1950s were big for tobacco companies. You also make some good observations about the grounds, this must have been just a very small regional park for children. I know I’ll never be able to figure out where it was (as you said), which is super frustrating! Somehow it would add a lot to know that it was in Illinois or Michigan, or wherever.
TokyoMagic!, I agree with you, Disneyland needs more guns. Ever since the shooting galleries switched to infrared rifles, the blood lust of the guests has not been sated. And those folks in the Skyway were asking for it, right? Whoa, I’ve heard about kids losing fingers (like the little girl who lost one up in a Frontierland stockade when the finger got caught in a trigger mechanism), but can you imagine actually seeing it happen? YIKES.
Chuck, ha ha, I’m sure TokyoMagic! meant no harm. For some people, the thought of a lost finger would just make them hungrier! “Chili”, eh? I’ve heard of it. I hope it was “five alarm chili” (did spicy food exist back then??). Thank you for the info about Sunoco, I didn’t know anything about the Sun Olive Company. But now I’m a highly-paid expert! We’ve learned that the colors on those tiny trains can be misleading, so I give less importance to those.
JG, I’ve heard of Sunoco, but have you heard of SloDoCo in San Luis Obispo?? Just curious! I think JB is right, there are a few structures that look like they might be a little bit more permanent than the type of thing you might see at a fair. It’s hard to be 100% certain of course. Where is Nanook today? In a turkey coma? I did have a good trip, but now it’s back to “real life”.
K. Martinez, thank you, it is always a pleasure to hear from an expert! I have the feeling that many of the rides like the ones in today’s photos aged out, victims of rust and neglect, especially in a climate that gets wet and cold in the winter. The middle finger is very important, if there’s one thing I want GDB readers to learn, it’s that fact!
Budblade, you car guys. What the heck is a “tri-five”? It’s probably satanic! An early 60s Ford? Hmm, that would make these a little newer than I suspected.
JB, even Disney rides in the early days didn’t take “arm reach” into account - I still remember teenagers bashing the giant “molecules” in “Adventure Through Inner Space”. I always felt as if I would somehow get in trouble for what they were doing. I wish I lived in Anytown USA, but the prices are too high now.
Major-
Sorry - I've been a bit distracted today. (No excuse). "Where is Nanook today? In a turkey coma?" Not quite, but there were about 25 folks for dinner - so quite the spread-!
Love any images from "small" amusement parks, this one being no exception.
@ JG-
Well, I didn't know it in an instant, but as with you, knew it was a Chrysler product. Kinda figured it was a DeSoto - which it is... a 1958 model year, probably in Pearl White and Sand Dune Yellow OR maybe Spanish Gold - who can tell at this resolution-?
Thanks, Major.
Funny how the style and paint job of the rocket ride in this video matches the photos: https://www.pond5.com/stock-footage/item/8646962-boys-ride-rocket-kiddie-park-amusement-1950s-vintage-film-ho
Unfortunately, the location is listed as "Everytown, USA" so we're no closer to a solution on location.
Ken, I don't remember if my friend told me which finger it was. And apparently, nobody thought to grab the finger and send it with her to the hospital. Of course, that was the first thing they asked for at the emergency room. I don't remember now if someone went back to the school to try and retrieve it, or not. I will have to ask my friend to tell me the story again. I hope a large bird or a stray dog didn't make off with her finger! Talk about your "finger" food!
My dad was a high school shop teacher for a semester before going into the Air Force. He worked with an older teacher who was missing a finger (can’t remember which one). He’d cut it off with a band saw while teaching.
When the accident happened, he went into shock. He walked over to/the other teacher in the class and calmly told him he’d just cut off his finger.
They rushed him to the hospital, which was apparently nearby,/and when they found out how recently the accident had happened (I guess they got him/there in something like 10 minutes), they told him they could probably reattach the finger if they could bring it to the hospital quickly.
The entire class went into action and searched that shop top to bottom but could not find the finger. The window of opportunity to reattach it expired and they ended up having tío stitch the wound closed without his severed digit.
He took a week or so off to recover, and when he came back to class he put on his shop coat as always. He stuck his hand in his pocket and found his finger.
AND... the vehicle towards the right could be a 1958 convertible Chevrolet...
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