Riverview Amusement Park Chicago Freak Show
Chicago riverview amusement park nearly everyone remembers a favorite amusement park from their youth but if you lived in chicago before 1967 there s a good chance riverview was yours.
Riverview amusement park chicago freak show. The bobs at riverview was a huge attraction for chicago amusement park fans. Schmidt goes there to have trouble. The park has given many baby boomers some of the fondest memories of their childhood as it has for alice belmont a resident living in a northwest suburb of chicago.
Riverview s 72 acres neon lighted p a r k. One individual however a husky six footer named william b. Article by shirley j jackson.
Just like real ghosts they came in and out. Riverview park opened in 1904 and was located at western and belmont avenues near the current site of lane technical high school. Marshall brodien 16 center is the talker barker at the riverview park freak show in the 1950s.
Our video documentary and companion book laugh your troubles away the complete history of riverview park are the only well researched and thorough histories of the park available. Specializing in riverview park chicago merchandise. Photo chicago riverview amusement park freak show entrance i went into this show when i was a very young boy and always regretted it 1950s visit the post for more.
Belmont remembers visiting the amusement park at least once as a child. Most are now buried in chicago area cemeteries among our own families and everyday chicagoans. Chuck wlodarczyk riverview publications the little dipper was a kiddieland favorite in melrose park.
They are unusual and memorable people who once walked the midway riverwalk and bowery of riverview amusement park on chicago s north side. Promoted as one of the greatest amusement parks in the world riverview had little competition with rides and attractions spreading across 74 acres. By stan holden very year nearly per sons go to chicago s riverview park to have fun.
The freak show featured betty lou williams the world s only living four legged girl. Memories and a few postcards are some of the only things left of riverview amusement park. Sadly they now exist only in our memories.
Riverview park was an amusement park in chicago illinois which operated from 1904 to 1967 it was located on 74 acres 30 ha in an area bound on the south by belmont avenue on the east by western avenue on the north by lane tech college prep high school and on the west by the north branch of the chicago river it was located in the roscoe village neighborhood of chicago s north center.