Palisades Amusement Park: A Century of Fond Memories - Hardcover

Gargiulo, Vince

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0813522242 ISBN 13: 9780813522241

Publisher: Rutgers University Press, 1995

Synopsis

In 1898, a rustic picnic ground on the New Jersey Palisades overlooking the Hudson River and Manhattan began a transformation into one of the greatest amusement parks in the world. Its attractions over the course of nearly seventy-five years of operation reflected the popular culture of a changing nation: from the high-diving horses of the twenties to the rock 'n' roll shows of the fifties and sixties, along with perennial favorites like the fun house and the Tunnel of Love, the famous Cyclone  roller coaster, and the carousel. The Park was the place where many turn-of-the century dwellers saw their first flying machines, and it was the backlot for several early motion pictures.    

With the cooperation of hundreds of residents, former employees, and executives of the Park, Vincent Gargiulo has provided a comprehensive history of Palisades Amusement Park. The Park's personnel included such notables as Arthur Godfrey and Buster Crabbe; W. C. Fields, Jean Harlow, Johnny Weismuller, and Jackie Coogan were among the many celebrity regulars. Top entertainers like Tony Bennett, Chubby Checker, Diana Ross & the Supremes, the Jackson Five, and Frankie Avalon performed for record crowds at its famed open-air theater. The Park inspired a hit song, Freddy Cannon's "Palisades Park,"  and it played host to numerous contests, such as the Diaper Derby and the Miss American Teen-Ager pageant. Every summer weekend thousands of visitors enjoyed "the world's largest salt-water pool," vinegar-soaked french fries, and the cacophony of sounds on the midways.   

For the millions who visited the Park until it closed in 1971, this book is sure to bring back cherished memories. And for amusement park and roller coaster fans never lucky enough to have entered its colorful gates, it will re-create the thrills, laughter, and joy that was "Palisades."

             

About this title

About the Author:

Vince Gargiulo grew up in Cliffside Park under the glow of the famed amusement park. He is the founder and executive director of Palisades Amusement Park Historical Society, author of an earlier Palisades history, and writer and coproducer of an award-winning Palisades television documentary. His excitement and eagerness to keep the park's memories alive are reflected on every page of Palisades Amusement Park.

From Booklist:

The amusement park that grew on the New Jersey Palisades overlooking the Hudson River could always be identified by its trademark blend of "entertainment, nature, and colorful attractions." In 1898, a picnic ground was turned into a paradise for some 300 million visitors who thereafter flocked to Palisades Park before its closure in 1971. The Palisades became one of America's favorite amusement parks, and its owners had a knack for letting the park reflect the culture of the nation. The austerity of the 1920s saw Kewpie-doll prizes replaced by coffee and sugar; the 1940s promoted beauty pageants such as Miss Eyeglass-wearing; the 1950s saluted rock and roll; the 1960s gave rise to rocket ships. Fire and accidental deaths marred the park's history, but the crowds never stopped coming. Big names from Benny Goodman to the Jackson Five appeared at the park until it was declared a "gaudy nuisance" by its neighbors and the country lost an icon, "hand-built of wood, metal and grease." A fascinating read for anyone who's ever ridden a roller coaster or wishes she had. Patricia Hassler

About this edition

• Publisher: Rutgers University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0813522242
• ISBN 13: 9780813522241
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 155