Riverview Park (Chicago) facts for kids
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Main entrance to Riverview Park
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| Location | 3300 North Western Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
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| Coordinates | 41°56′33″N 87°41′28″W / 41.9425320°N 87.6911674°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Opened | July 2, 1904 |
| Closed | October 4, 1967 |
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Riverview Park was a super popular amusement park in Chicago, Illinois. It was open for many years, from 1904 to 1967. Imagine a huge park, about 74 acres big, filled with fun! It was located in the Roscoe Village neighborhood of Chicago.
Contents
Awesome Rides and Fun Attractions
Riverview Park was famous for having over 120 rides! It had some of the most exciting roller coasters and unique attractions.
Top Roller Coasters
- The Bobs: This was a classic wooden roller coaster that everyone loved. It was known for its thrilling drops and turns.
- The Comet: Another exciting roller coaster that gave riders a speedy trip.
- The Silver Flash: This coaster was also a big hit, known for its quick movements.
- The Fireball: Built in 1923, this ride had a really steep drop that went into a dark tunnel!
- Jetstream: This wooden roller coaster opened in 1964. It replaced an older ride called Greyhound.
Other Cool Rides
- Aladdin's Castle: This was a classic fun house. It had tricky mazes, a floor that felt like it was collapsing, and a spinning barrel that made you dizzy!
- Shoot the Chutes: An old-fashioned water ride where you slid down a ramp and made a big splash!
- The Rotor: This spinning ride was super cool. Riders stood against a wall, and as it spun faster, the floor dropped out! You would be stuck to the wall by the force.
- Mill on the Floss: This ride was also known as the Tunnel of Love. It was a gentle boat ride through a dark tunnel, perfect for a relaxing break.
- Flying Turns: Imagine a wooden bobsled ride with steep, twisting turns! It was moved to Riverview Park after the Chicago World's Fair in 1934.
- Pair-O-Chutes: This unique ride lifted people high up a tower in carts attached to parachutes, then dropped them down! The Beach Boys even sang about it in their song "Amusement Parks U.S.A."
- Carousel: A beautiful carousel with 70 horses, built in 1908. It's one of only a few like it left in the world! After the park closed, this carousel was moved to Six Flags Over Georgia and is still enjoyed today.
More Fun Rides and Shows
Riverview Park had many other attractions, including:
- A small, coal-fired train that took you on a ride.
- A Ferris wheel for great views of the park.
- Bumper Cars, called "Bump 'Em," where you could crash into your friends.
- A "Space Ride" that was a sky ride, giving you a bird's-eye view of everything.
- A "Freak show" in the 1950s that featured unique performers.
The Park's History and Location
The land where Riverview Park stood was owned by a person named George Schmidt. Before it was an amusement park, it was a private place for skeet shooting.
A famous labor leader, "Big Bill" Haywood, once spoke at Riverview Park to a huge crowd of almost 80,000 people!
What's There Now?
Today, you won't find the rides of Riverview Park. The area is now home to a shopping center called Riverview Plaza. There's also a police station, a university, and a manufacturing company.
Part of the old park grounds is now Richard Clark Park. In the wooded area of the park, you can still see some of the old foundations from Riverview Park! This area is now used by mountain bikers for dirt jumping and pump tracks. There's also a cool sculpture called Riverview by artist Jerry Peart near the police station.
Park Memories and Collectibles
Items from Riverview Park are very special and valuable to collectors. Many old items and paintings of the park used to be displayed at a place called Riverview Tavern.
The Riverview Carousel is the only ride that was saved from the park. It's still operating at Six Flags Over Georgia!
Riverview's Influence on Games
Riverview Park even inspired some famous pinball machines!
- The 1972 Bally pinball machine called Fireball was named after the park's Fireball roller coaster.
- Bally's "Aladdin's Castle" arcade division and a pinball machine were named after the fun house at Riverview.
- The 1979 Williams pinball game Flash and their 1985 game Comet were named after the park's roller coasters with the same names.
Images for kids
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The Bobs roller coaster
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The Comet roller coaster
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The Silver Flash roller coaster
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Shoot the Chutes water ride
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The Mill on the Floss (Tunnel of Love)
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The Flying Turns ride
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The Pair-O-Chutes ride
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The Carousel
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The miniature train
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The Hot Rods track
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