Besides me, who can say they went to both?
Such a great childhood memory for me!
Such a great childhood memory for me!
Palisades and Asbury Amusement Parks
- Thread starter zappaa
- Start date
Several "Altar Boy" trips to Palisades Park (entrance + $5.00 spending money lasted all day) and many hitch-hiking trips down the GSP to Asbury Park. Concerts at the Conv. Center, also $5.00; Chicago Transit Auth, Iron Butterfly, Rascals and a few more. I feel sorry for kids today. Those concerts would be $105.00.
When you call them CTA instead of just Chicago, you know you're old:sunglasses:
I saw them along with the Guess Who at the Kansas City Speedway around 1970 so I'm right there with ya.
I've been to Palisades but don't ever remember going to Asbury.
How many also went to the NYC Worlds Fair Plus Freedomland around 1964 ? Both were awesome.
http://backinthebronx.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/archive/bronxezine/newest/
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/new-york-world-fair-1964-gallery-1.1328696
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/new-york-world-fair-1964-gallery-1.1328696
http://backinthebronx.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/archive/bronxezine/newest/
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/new-york-world-fair-1964-gallery-1.1328696
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/new-york-world-fair-1964-gallery-1.1328696
I think they were CTA for 1 album (there's the age thing again) when the CTA sued them. ....and we segway to another thread....And THAT'S why I used Uber in Chicago a few months ago.
Wow, talk about a trip down memory lane! I went to Freedomland and the NY World's Fair. Never went to Palisades Amusement Park and went to Asbury Park quite a bit in my youth. I mainly went to Asbury Park for the movies. They had about 6 theaters, the Paramount being the biggest. I took my girlfriend there to see the latest releases. Thanks Zappaa for evoking some fond memories.
Took the the new blue subway to Flushing for the worlds fair in1964, followed by a Met game.
Amazing I've never heard or read about Freedomland?
Amazing I've never heard or read about Freedomland?
Wasn't Freedomland just the western part of Palisades Park? [EDIT: wrong.. the Bronx as people mention below.. I guess as a kid I wasn't doing the driving and had no idea where the car ended up.. at the time.. large amusement park, no boardwalk, meant palisades]
Wild West City out in Netcong is running commercials that reminded me of Freedomland. And now mentioning Netcong reminded me of Bertrand Island.. or Lake Hopatcong's amusement park and probably my single most remembered ride.. it was some kind of roller coaster/haunted house that you did in a rowboat/coaster car.
Ahh.. the Lost River Chute Ride
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You left one out. I worked at Olympic Park on the Newark, Irvington border
Same structurally as Palisades and I think it was the first to be sold to make room for housing
I do not remember any concert there
Also from Northern New Jersey Rockaway playland was not too far. it stayed open to very recently
But I did see Santana in an outdoor concert on an open grass area ( as best as I can remember)between South Mountain Arena and the edge of South Mountain Reservation. At any rate it was two main streets( perhaps Prospect? )
In the mid sixties we were starting to see concerts at Seton Hall , and other colleges.
My favorite memories though were those early 60's concerts at the Brooklyn Fox, and Paramount,
These shows would have as many as 20 acts doing a few hits each.
Some just posted a poster from that period where ( maybe 1962) the Who and the Rolling stones were billed at 18 and 19 on the list highlighted by The Shangri Las and James Brown
Hopefully these thoughts may elongate the thread ,
Same structurally as Palisades and I think it was the first to be sold to make room for housing
I do not remember any concert there
Also from Northern New Jersey Rockaway playland was not too far. it stayed open to very recently
But I did see Santana in an outdoor concert on an open grass area ( as best as I can remember)between South Mountain Arena and the edge of South Mountain Reservation. At any rate it was two main streets( perhaps Prospect? )
In the mid sixties we were starting to see concerts at Seton Hall , and other colleges.
My favorite memories though were those early 60's concerts at the Brooklyn Fox, and Paramount,
These shows would have as many as 20 acts doing a few hits each.
Some just posted a poster from that period where ( maybe 1962) the Who and the Rolling stones were billed at 18 and 19 on the list highlighted by The Shangri Las and James Brown
Hopefully these thoughts may elongate the thread ,
ho26rus, that concert reminds me of one when I was at Ohio U. Every year we had a two day Ohio U Folk festival. In 1973 there were 20 acts highlighted by the Youngbloods. Listed at 19 and 20 were The Eagles and Bruce Springsteen! Amazing how quickly that changed.
Freedomland was in the Bronx.Just checked with my wife who is from the Bronx. The property is now Co-op City.
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We don't we have tunnels of love anymore? My kids would love them!
I bet half the people on this board don't know what a 'tunnel of love' is.
I bet half the people on this board don't know what a 'tunnel of love' is.
Here's a video.. must have been a tie in to the 1964 Worlds Fair.. or maybe the idea to build stemmed from Disney's expansions and thinking.. what a great idea! I bet there are people now thinking.. we should build a DisneyWorld in the metro area.
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Good Ol'
Grew up near Bertrand's Island. Lost River was great. Scariest roller coaster ever was the Wildcat. It was scary because you thought it could collapse at any moment.
Grew up near Bertrand's Island. Lost River was great. Scariest roller coaster ever was the Wildcat. It was scary because you thought it could collapse at any moment.
Went to both Palisades and Olympic Park, never Asbury.
Did both the World's Fair (our high school band performed there twice) and Freedomland.
Best concerts were at Central Park, Wolman (sp?) skating rink sponsored by Schaeffer Beer - saw Country Joe, Tim Buckley (also on the program a relatively unknown, Linda Ronstad), Phil Ochs et al.
Did both the World's Fair (our high school band performed there twice) and Freedomland.
Best concerts were at Central Park, Wolman (sp?) skating rink sponsored by Schaeffer Beer - saw Country Joe, Tim Buckley (also on the program a relatively unknown, Linda Ronstad), Phil Ochs et al.
Went to both parks. I have a summer intern working for me this summer (Rutgers student). She lives on the site that used to be Palisades Amusement Park.
Anyone besides me remember Dreamland Park on Frelinghuysen Ave in Newark?How about Olympic Park in Irvington? This is going back in time to 1938-1950.
Those concerts were the best!! $1.50 general admission, $2.50 for reserved seats on the "floor", Best concert I ever saw was the Band on a perfect summer night in NYC. Saw lots of great bands there including the Boss in 1975 there.
Alter boy trip to Palisades amusement Park the last year it was open.
Many trips to te Asbury boardwalk.
Went to Olympic Park but was too young to remember .Drove by the site all the time since we lived in Vailsburg nd had friends in Union. UI am told that my father took me on the roller coaster and I screamed so much they stopped the ride to take me off.
Trivia: Did you know that the Carrousel in Disney World came from Olympic Park. It did. Originally built in 1917, Disney purchased it in 1967.
Many trips to te Asbury boardwalk.
Went to Olympic Park but was too young to remember .Drove by the site all the time since we lived in Vailsburg nd had friends in Union. UI am told that my father took me on the roller coaster and I screamed so much they stopped the ride to take me off.
Trivia: Did you know that the Carrousel in Disney World came from Olympic Park. It did. Originally built in 1917, Disney purchased it in 1967.
Back in the day, Dorney Park also had a ride like this one. It was called Journey to the Center of the Earth.Wasn't Freedomland just the western part of Palisades Park? [EDIT: wrong.. the Bronx as people mention below.. I guess as a kid I wasn't doing the driving and had no idea where the car ended up.. at the time.. large amusement park, no boardwalk, meant palisades]
Wild West City out in Netcong is running commercials that reminded me of Freedomland. And now mentioning Netcong reminded me of Bertrand Island.. or Lake Hopatcong's amusement park and probably my single most remembered ride.. it was some kind of roller coaster/haunted house that you did in a rowboat/coaster car.
Ahh.. the Lost River Chute Ride
My late father in law was the park superintendent at Palisades and his father before him. Basically meant he ran the park, my wife got to ride whatever she wanted and "won" all the Miss_______ contests. By the time we met, the park had closed. I coulda been riding the Cyclone all day....damn!
Or the wild mouse, as kids we all heard the stories of people being launched off the cyclone and falling to their death, I was scared out of my wits of it.
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Just the other day I got the Disney World guide book to plan a trip there. In it they mentioned the carousel purchased from Olympic Park. Technically, it is the oldest attraction there.
Wow. I went to all the places mentioned. Grew up in West New York, NJ, and went to Palisades Park often. When they opened the big pool, we would swim, go on the rides, eat at Hirams or Callahans and have dessert at the DairyQueen.
We would spend part of the Summer in Belmar and walk to Asbury (Being careful to walk quietly and swiftly with our heads down through Ocean Grave). Saw lot's of movies and spent a lot of nickels on pinball.
Went to Freedomland once. It was a zoo. Went to the Worlds Fair often. Took any bus on Boulevard East into the Port Authority and grabbed the 7 train to Flushing. Best day woiuld be hitting the Fair (couldn't live without Belgian Waffles) and walking over to Beautiful Shea Stadium for the night game.
Footnote: also went to Olympic park, but it did not compare to Palisades.
We would spend part of the Summer in Belmar and walk to Asbury (Being careful to walk quietly and swiftly with our heads down through Ocean Grave). Saw lot's of movies and spent a lot of nickels on pinball.
Went to Freedomland once. It was a zoo. Went to the Worlds Fair often. Took any bus on Boulevard East into the Port Authority and grabbed the 7 train to Flushing. Best day woiuld be hitting the Fair (couldn't live without Belgian Waffles) and walking over to Beautiful Shea Stadium for the night game.
Footnote: also went to Olympic park, but it did not compare to Palisades.
I just realized the thread title mentions Asbury. I do remember that funhouse mentioned earlier. I'd imagine that lawyers ended that... personal injury generating machine that place was.
I remember the first time I visited as a young adult.. in a car.. at night.. little foggy.. seeing that Springsteen lyric come to life.. "The amusement park rising bold and stark..". Other than that.. we visited every park it seems up and down the shore growing up.. Seaside heights was our favorite and we ended up moving to Toms River and I worked on that boardwalk in HS and college. Lots of good memories.. weird stories. Never really bought into that "Benny go home" nonsense either.
I remember the first time I visited as a young adult.. in a car.. at night.. little foggy.. seeing that Springsteen lyric come to life.. "The amusement park rising bold and stark..". Other than that.. we visited every park it seems up and down the shore growing up.. Seaside heights was our favorite and we ended up moving to Toms River and I worked on that boardwalk in HS and college. Lots of good memories.. weird stories. Never really bought into that "Benny go home" nonsense either.
I went to Olympic Park many times in the 50's & early 60's. I grew up in Linden and went there just about every summer. I did go to the World's Fair in NY in 1964 and again in 1965. I only went to Palisade's once and Rye Beach once. I think I went to Rye in 1960. I went to Palisade's probably in about 1965 or so. I went to Asbury several times with my parents.
