Libertyland facts for kids
Main entrance gateway and drop tower in 2005.
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| Location | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
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| Coordinates | 35°07′08″N 89°58′55″W / 35.119°N 89.982°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Opened | July 4, 1976 |
| Closed | October 29, 2005 |
| Operating season | April to September |
| Attendance | 372,807 (2004) |
| Area | 25 acres (10 ha) |
Libertyland was a fun amusement park in Memphis, Tennessee. It opened on July 4, 1976, which is a special day in the United States! Sadly, the park closed its doors in 2005 because it wasn't making enough money. Today, where Libertyland once stood, there's a cool sports complex for young people that was built in 2022.
Contents
The Story of Libertyland
How the Park Started
Back in 1971, the people who ran the Mid-South Fair had a great idea. They wanted to build an amusement park at the Fairgrounds. They planned for different themed areas and even a special monorail to help people get around the parking lot. Their goal was to make the most of the land and use rides that were already there. These included a wooden roller coaster called Pippin and the beautiful Grand Carousel.
Libertyland officially opened on July 4, 1976. New rides were added to the ones that were already popular. One of the most famous rides was the Zippin Pippin, a wooden roller coaster that was a favorite of the legendary singer Elvis Presley! The Grand Carousel was also a classic ride that many people loved.
New Rides and Challenges
Over the years, Libertyland attracted many visitors, but it never made a huge profit. Still, the park kept adding exciting new attractions. One of these was a steel roller coaster called the Revolution. Later, in the late 1990s, a ride called Tidal Wave was added. In 2002, Tidal Wave was replaced by a thrilling drop tower called Rebellion. This ride had a 90-foot drop and brought even more people to the park.
Why the Park Closed
For a long time, people knew that Libertyland was having money problems. Not many new rides were being added, and fewer people were visiting. In 2005, the park tried to get more visitors by repainting buildings and creating a new logo. However, these efforts weren't enough to keep the park open.
Libertyland had its last day of operation on October 29, 2005. Soon after, the Mid-South Fair board decided to close the park for good. They explained that the park wasn't making enough money, attendance was dropping, and they wanted more space for the annual Mid-South Fair.
Efforts to Save the Park
After the announcement, a group called Save Libertyland! was formed. They wanted to keep the park open, saying it gave hundreds of jobs to teenagers and was an affordable place for families. This group even went to court to try and stop the park's rides from being sold. The city of Memphis eventually claimed ownership of the Zippin Pippin and the Grand Carousel.
Some companies offered to operate the park, but the Mid-South Fair decided to sell the rides anyway.
The Auction and What Happened Next
An auction for Libertyland's rides and equipment was held on June 21, 2006. Most of the rides were sold to other parks.
- The Zippin Pippin was bought by the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin. It was rebuilt there and is still operating today at Bay Beach Amusement Park. If you have a Tennessee ID, you can even ride it for free!
- The Revolution roller coaster was bought by DelGrosso's Amusement Park but was later sold to a theme park in the Philippines, where it now operates as The Zimerman Corkscrew Coaster.
- The Rebellion drop tower was sold to Ghost Town in the Sky and reopened in 2007.
In 2006, a company called Joyland Inc. was interested in building a new amusement park on the old Libertyland site. However, after seeing the site, they decided not to go through with it because of a lot of damage to the park's systems like wiring and plumbing.
Libertyland's Legacy Today
Even though Libertyland is gone, parts of it live on. The beautiful Grand Carousel was restored and now operates at the Children's Museum of Memphis. It opened in its new home in November 2017.
The northern part of the old Libertyland site is now a parking lot and green space called Tiger Lane, used for tailgate parties. In 2022, a large sports complex called the Memphis Sports and Events Center was built where the amusement park once stood. This 227,000-square-foot center hosts many tournaments and events, and it also has two soccer fields nearby.
Exciting Rides at Libertyland
Libertyland had many different rides for everyone to enjoy. Here are some of the popular ones:
- Bumper Boats
- Car-Go-Round
- Casey's Cannonball Train Ride
- Dragon Wagon
- Fun Run
- Grand Carousel - A classic carousel that opened in 1923 and is now at the Children's Museum of Memphis.
- Kamikaze - A thrilling ride by Fabbri Group.
- Little Bumper Boats
- Old Hickory Log Flume - A water ride where you float down a channel.
- Paratrooper
- Park's Peak
- Pirate Ship - A large ship that swings back and forth.
- Rebellion - A drop tower that opened in 2002.
- Red Baron
- Revolution - A roller coaster with loops and corkscrews, built in 1979.
- Screamer
- Sea Dragon
- Surf City - A fun water slide.
- Tennessee Tilt - A spinning ride called a Tilt-A-Whirl.
- Thriller
- Turnpike Antique Cars
- Twain's Twister - A spinning ride known as a Scrambler.
- Umbrella Ride
- Wipeout - A ride by Chance Rides.
- Zippin Pippin - A famous wooden roller coaster that opened in 1923 and is now in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
