Kiddieland Amusement Park
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 Sign at the front of Kiddieland. |
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| Location | 8400 W. North Ave Melrose Park, Illinois |
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| Website | www.kiddieland.com |
| Owner | Family owned and operated |
| Opened | 1929 |
| Operating season | April-October |
| Rides | 30 total |
Kiddieland Amusement Park is an amusement park in Chicagoland, located just west of Chicago at the corner of North Avenue and First Avenue in Melrose Park, Illinois. It is home to several classic rides including the Little Dipper roller coaster, which opened in 1950.
The park is in jeopardy of closing by 2010 due to a dispute amongst the family as the land is owned by Shirley and Glenn Rynes, while the park is operated by Ronald Rynes and Cathy Norini.[1]
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[edit] History
Kiddieland started out as a small venture of Arthur Fritz in 1929 when he purchased six ponies and offered rides as an escape for parents reeling from the Great Depression. Miniature gasoline-powered cars were added a few years later after Fritz learned that they were being given away to children by the newspaper as a subscription promotion.
In 1940, the "German Carousel", two Miniature Steam Locomotives, the "Little Auto Ride", the "Roto Whip" and the "Ferris Wheel" were added. The Roto Whip and the Ferris Wheel are still operated at the park. The park saw its first major expansion in the 1950s with the addition of the Little Dipper and the Carousel, of which both still exist today. Bumper cars were added in the 1960s as they replaced the original pony ride.
The park transferred ownership in 1977, as Arthur Fritz grandchildren took over the park and its operation. The park has continued its expansion since then and has installed several major attractins, including a Log flume, a swinging pirate ship, a 40-foot long water coaster, and numerous other attractions.
[edit] The Little Dipper
The Litter Dipper was designed by Herbert Schmeck and built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1950. The brakes are operated manually by a wooden handle in the station. The out-and-back coaster is 24 feet tall and travels a course of 700 feet. It was awarded the ACE Coaster Classic award by the American Coaster Enthusiasts.
