Forest Park Highlands Book

[The Interpreter]

Very nice and interesting article (but doesn't mention the book title?):

http://www.stltoday....2d2d98c3b2.html

So, *I* will: Forest Park Highlands:

http://www.amazon.co...98774002&sr=8-1

[CoastersRZ]

Seems like another well written book about a long lost park. Also illustrates yet another example of what a nemesis fires can be to amusement parks.

I treasure the Charles Jacques Jr. book on Coney Island because it captures so much of the history of Coney and what it meant to the Cincinnati area in its early years. Few people realize how different the amusement park industry is now compared to the way it used to be. Back in the day, (before Disneyland was around and there were bigger "corporate" parks, there used to be tons of smaller parks. Trolley parks became prevalent as a way for streetcar companies to increase ridership on their routes. Several parks that were once served by trolleys still exist today. Kennywood is a prime example, as are other parks like Dorney, Camden, Lake Compounce, Lakemont Park, and Waldameer. For those who have read the Charles Jacques book on Coney Island, you will notice how Coney`s management would often write to Kennywood`s management describing the latest flood of the Ohio, or the latest reviews of the newest attractions.

Right around the time that Walt was planning Disneyland, and after World War II when the baby boomers were being born, many of these original trolley parks were facing troubles. Most trolley lines and street cars were gradually declining use and being abandoned altogether. Almost every city at one point had small amusement parks (even Cincinnati had Chester Park and Coney Island). Then once Disneyland opened, and the big themer parks like the Six Flags, the Taft parks, initially with Kings Island, and other large parks started opening, it pretty much forced out most of the smaller, and in some cases, family run parks.

It is truly remarkable that Coney Island, once given up for dead after the shiny new Kings Island opened in 1972 has thrived since that time. And this year it gets to celebrate a milestone that not many parks have reached. Especially the new wave of theme parks that opened in the `60s and through the 70s. This year Coney will celebrate its 125th anniversary. (The official date is June 21). I know that Coney is planning several special events over the course of the summer to commemorate this landmark anniversary. I`ll be sure to let everyone know about more details as I find out about them!

[The Interpreter]

As Mr. Garner is to Forest Park Highlands, you are to Coney and Kings Island and people like Paul Bonifield (just to mention one other outstanding example) are with their incredible archives of souvenirs, relics, knowledge and photographs. I worry particularly as more things go online and only online that things like those Kennywood letters would not be saved, while, ironically, otherwise much more will remain for future scholars and park lovers to dig through.

I've ordered Mr. Garner's book, and can't wait to receive it! Do be aware that is mostly photos and only 128 pages, but it sounds like a real treasure and labor of love.

[XGatorHead 8904]

Right around the time that Walt was planning Disneyland, and after World War II when the baby boomers were being born, many of these original trolley parks were facing troubles. Most trolley lines and street cars were gradually declining use and being abandoned altogether. Almost every city at one point had small amusement parks (even Cincinnati had Chester Park and Coney Island). Then once Disneyland opened, and the big themer parks like the Six Flags, the Taft parks, initially with Kings Island, and other large parks started opening, it pretty much forced out most of the smaller, and in some cases, family run parks.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Borders (because they're closing the Mason Montgomery location and were having a huge sale) and one of the items I purchased was Ohio's Amusement Parks in Vintage Postcards. My grandma happened to be over when I got home, and she immediately grabbed that book and started looking for pictures of Chester Park. There were several, but I had never heard of Chester Park until that moment. She said that was where she went when she was a girl. Of course she went to Coney too, but Chester was closer and they went there more often.