Freedomland U.S.A.
Template:Short description Template:Good article Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English Template:Infobox amusement park
Freedomland U.S.A. (often shortened to Freedomland) was a theme park dedicated to American history in the Baychester section of the North Bronx in New York City, United States. Freedomland was built on marshland owned by the Webb and Knapp company, of which William Zeckendorf Sr. was the major owner. Zeckendorf announced his plans for Freedomland in May 1959. The park, conceived and built by C. V. Wood, consisted of over 40 attractions arranged in the shape of a large map of the contiguous United States. Groundbreaking ceremonies for Freedomland occurred in late 1959, and Freedomland opened to large crowds on June 19, 1960.
Because of Freedomland's $65 million construction cost, the park faced financial issues; by the end of the 1961 season, Freedomland had $8 million in debt. To generate revenue, the park added more exhibits and conventional amusements. By 1963, further financial issues led the owners to sell off a portion of Freedomland's site to a pension fund of the Teamsters, as well as close off a section of the park. Even though Freedomland's planners anticipated that the park would eventually be developed into a full-time amusement area, Freedomland closed permanently at the end of the 1964 season, filing for bankruptcy on September 14, 1964.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, part of the Freedomland site was redeveloped as the Co-op City housing development. The Bay Plaza Shopping Center was built on another part of the site. Many Freedomland attractions and design features were auctioned or sold to other parks, and many of these rides no longer exist. While little physical evidence of Freedomland remains, several media works commemorate the former amusement park.
Creation
Freedomland was conceived and built by C. V. Wood, a Texan who had worked in the planning, construction, and management of Disneyland, which opened in Anaheim, California, in 1955.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Naish p. 262">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After Disneyland's opening, Wood's relationship with the Disney brothers became strained because of various disputes, and he was ousted from Disneyland management by early 1956. He soon became involved in the creation of other amusement parks across the United States under his company Marco Engineering.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 11-13">Template:Harvnb</ref> Wood had devised plans for an American-history theme park as early as 1957, in conjunction with Milton Ted Raynor, who later became president of Freedomland Inc.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 105">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="silive-part2"/> The new theme park would be themed entirely around American history, in a more historically accurate version of the Disneyland layout, which initially included four distinct areas: Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and Frontierland.<ref name="Naish p. 262" />
Site
Template:Maplink Two consultants at Marco Engineering performed a feasibility study for the location of Wood's proposed American-history theme park. By late 1958, Wood had pitched his American-history park concept to the Webb and Knapp development company.<ref name="Virgintino p. 20">Template:Harvnb</ref> Early the next year, a site was selected: a portion of a Template:Convert plot owned by Webb and Knapp in the northeast Bronx section of New York City.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 105" /> The site, in the Baychester neighborhood, was a former municipal landfill,<ref name="Kachejian 2019">Template:Cite news</ref> originally marshland fed by Rattlesnake Creek and the Hutchinson River.<ref name="Phase 1A PS189X">Template:Cite web</ref> This led to a profusion of mosquitoes during certain periods of the year.<ref name="Kachejian 2019" />
The International Recreation Corporation (IRC) was incorporated in Boston in April 1959 to oversee development of the proposed park.<ref name="Virgintino p. 27">Template:Harvnb</ref> Webb and Knapp's principal owner, William Zeckendorf, announced the plans for Freedomland on April 30, 1959.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Virgintino p. 39">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> National Development Corporation (NDC), a Webb and Knapp subsidiary, as well as Freedomland Inc., an IRC subsidiary, were created to operate and manage the theme park.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Naish p. 261">Template:Harvnb</ref> Wood and IRC president Peter De Met announced further details of the proposed park at a press conference that May.<ref name="New York Herald Tribune 1959">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> According to Wood and De Met, the park was to cover Template:Convert and would have space for up to 32,000 visitors.<ref name="New York Herald Tribune 1959" /> About Template:Convert would be developed for the park itself, and Template:Convert would house parking, maintenance areas, and other service areas.<ref name="Virgintino p. 28"/> There would also be a 12,000-spot parking lot and a 600-room motel.<ref name="New York Herald Tribune 1959" />
In mid-1959, Freedomland Inc. leased the site<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 105" /><ref name="Naish p. 261" /><ref name="Fowle 1959">Template:Cite news</ref> for 50 years.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960">Template:Cite news</ref> IRC issued about one million shares, which were then sold to NDC and Freedomland Inc.<ref name="Virgintino p. 28">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> The IRC offered 580,000 shares to the public in July 1959, priced at $17.50 per share,<ref name="nyt-1959-07-21">Template:Cite news</ref> and the stock offering was quickly oversubscribed.<ref name="nyt-1959-07-22">Template:Cite news</ref> This raised $17 million for the park.<ref name="Kirby 1959">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Under the terms of the lease agreement, the park was to pay an annual rent of $600,000 for the first five years, $750,000 for the next ten years, and $1 million thereafter.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> Wood presented further details for the park to Zeckendorf and his son William Zeckendorf Jr. later the same year.<ref name="Dim p. 15">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Construction
A groundbreaking ceremony for Freedomland was initially planned for July 4, 1959, coinciding with Independence Day.<ref name="Virgintino p. 39" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ultimately, the ceremony occurred on August 26, 1959.<ref name="Talese 1959">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="The Billboard 1959">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The ceremony featured a helicopter ride over the premises for the park's backers, as well as a special New York City Subway train for attendees. The festivities also included performances from cowboys and showgirls; the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts; performances from costumed actors; and a musical number from New York City Department of Sanitation's 60-piece band.<ref name="Talese 1959" /><ref name="The Billboard 1959" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 42-43">Template:Harvnb</ref> Fifty bulldozers, representing every U.S. state, were exhibited at the groundbreaking ceremony.<ref name="The Billboard 1959" /> Despite these lavish preparations, only 19 members of the public attended the ceremony, in addition to sponsors and performers.<ref name="Talese 1959" />
Over the next months, more than 2,000 workers were hired, mostly by the two major contractors, Turner Construction and Aberthaw Construction. Work was completed within just under 300 days.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 106">Template:Harvnb</ref> Some Template:Convert of land were excavated to create Template:Convert of canals.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> Land was raised by up to Template:Convert to create the park's natural-looking features.<ref name="Naish p. 262" /> Billboard magazine reported that the park was to have between 33 and 35 rides on opening day, as well as more than 80 commercial tenants who funded the construction of their own attractions.<ref name="Kirby 1959" /> Major contractors were hired to furnish the props and attractions, including flat-ride manufacturer Arrow Dynamics, souvenir manufacturer Enco National Corporation, concessionaire The Brass Rail, and sternwheeler manufacturer Todd Shipyards.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 43-45">Template:Harvnb</ref> Frederic V. Schumacher was hired as the park's general manager in September 1959.<ref name="nyt-1959-09-11">Template:Cite news</ref> In addition, Ellington and Co. was hired to manage advertising for the park,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Sylvester Weaver Jr. oversaw radio and television coverage of the park, while Douglas Leigh was hired as the park's lighting consultant.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Allen Hixon was hired in early 1960 to design the park's layout.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The construction contractors had finished the foundations of 15 structures by November 1959.<ref name="Kirby 1959" /> The park's construction was facilitated by mild weather during the winter of 1959–1960, and forty-two buildings were in various states of completion by February 1960.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> On March 24, six small unfinished buildings were destroyed by fire and were razed; this did not affect progress on the rest of the park.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Virgintino p. 21">Template:Harvnb</ref> The burned structures were reused as props for Freedomland's Chicago Fire attraction.<ref name="Virgintino p. 21" /><ref name="MA p. 21">Template:Harvnb</ref> Freedomland's opening was originally set for June 1, 1960.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 51-52" /> Advertising agent Edward Weiner wished to invite politicians such as the administration of U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower; all members of the U.S. Congress; the governors of all 50 U.S. states; and United Nations delegates to the park's opening.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The opening was postponed to July 1 so the park could be ready for the expected crowds, then rescheduled again to June 18 due to high excitement generated by the marketing campaign.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 51-52">Template:Harvnb</ref> Journalists were invited to preview the park on April 28, 1960.<ref name="nyt-1960-04-29">Template:Cite news</ref> By that May, the park's managers were so confident of the park's June 18 opening date that they had arranged for the popular TV series The Ed Sullivan Show to be broadcast from there on that date.<ref name="Roevekamp 1960">Template:Cite news</ref>
Opening
When announced, Freedomland was supposed to cost $15.5 million, funded by Freedomland Inc.'s stock issues.<ref name="Fowle 1959" /><ref name="Virgintino p. 39"/><ref name="Dim p. 15"/> The final cost was significantly higher, at $65 million;<ref name="Gilbert 19600612">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="NYDN-Saving-1962">Template:Cite news</ref> the land was valued at $30 million and the scenery another $33 million.<ref name="NYDN-Saving-1962" /> The eateries comprised another $1 million of the cost.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> The actual theme park consisted of Template:Convert of the 205-acre site leased by the IRC.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 105" /> Prior to opening day, Freedomland launched an aggressive advertising campaign. The first phase, targeting the 10 million people living within Template:Convert of New York City, consisted of daily advertisements in the city's newspapers, radio and TV stations, and subway cars.<ref name="Alden 1960">Template:Cite news</ref> Advertisements were found as far away as Template:Convert from the Bronx, and several contests and promotions for Freedomland were held in the greater New York City area.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 247-248">Template:Harvnb</ref> Several taglines were devised to advertise Freedomland, including "The World's Newest and Largest Outdoor Entertainment Center", "The World's Largest Entertainment Center", "The World's Largest Family Entertainment Center", and "The World's Largest Outdoor Entertainment Center".<ref name="Virgintino pp. 38-39" /> Marketers also used the generic slogan "A World of Fun for Everyone", but they discarded another tagline, "Freedomland is fifty states of happiness!".<ref name="Virgintino pp. 38-39" /> A promotional jingle was also developed for Freedomland.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 38-39">Template:Harvnb</ref>
On June 18, 1960, Freedomland was dedicated with a ceremony in front of the Chicago-themed railroad station.<ref name="Lyle 1960">Template:Cite news</ref> About 25,000 people attended the dedication, which raised funds for local youth programs.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 51-52"/><ref name="Buckley 1960">Template:Cite news</ref> The following day, June 19, the park officially opened.<ref name="MacGregor 1960" /> To draw more visitors, Freedomland started a second advertising campaign on that day, targeting ten major populated areas within a radius of Template:Convert.<ref name="Alden 1960" /> People lined up to get into the park two and a half hours before its official 9:00 a.m. opening.<ref name="Virgintino p. 55">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="Dim p. 15" /><ref name="MacGregor 1960" /> Pat Boone cut the ribbon at 8:30 a.m.<ref name="Virgintino p. 55" /> By noon, radio announcers were warning people not to go to Freedomland; the parking lot was full, and visitors were reportedly parking on side streets up to Template:Convert from the main gate.<ref name="Virgintino p. 57">Template:Harvnb</ref> By 2:05 p.m., Freedomland stopped selling tickets due to traffic jams on highways and local roads leading to the park.<ref name="MacGregor 1960" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ultimately, the park recorded 61,500 visitors, one-third less than the expected maximum capacity, and closed at 9:00 p.m., three hours before its intended closing.<ref name="Dim p. 15" /><ref name="MacGregor 1960">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Naish p. 268">Template:Harvnb</ref>
On opening day, one security guard was quoted as saying that the drinking fountains were non-functional, the restrooms were few and far between, the concessionaires were poorly equipped for operation, and many exhibits were not yet painted or decorated.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> The park had a much smaller crowd on its second day of operation when it had an average of 15,000 visitors throughout the day.<ref name="nyt-1960-06-21">Template:Cite news</ref> Satellite City and the Chicago Fire were not operational until a few weeks after opening day, the former due to "electrical difficulties".<ref name="Virgintino p. 57"/><ref name="MA p. 30">Template:Harvnb</ref> In total, Freedomland was only 85 percent complete at the time of its opening.<ref name="Virgintino p. 39"/><ref name="Dim p. 15" /> Parts of the original proposal, such as a Freedomland Inn and a movie studio, were never completed.<ref name="Virgintino p. 28"/>
Admission was initially $1.00 for adults, 75 cents for those aged 12 to 17, and 50 cents for those under 12.<ref name="Roevekamp 1960" /><ref name="Lyle 1960" /><ref name="Buckley 1960" /> Members of the United States Armed Forces also paid 75 cents.<ref name="Roevekamp 1960" /> The admission fee only covered entry to the park; each of the 35 rides had an additional surcharge of 10 to 50 cents.<ref name="Buckley 1960" /><ref name="Molleson 1960">Template:Cite news</ref> Patrons could also buy coupon books for nine rides, which cost between $2.50 and $3.50.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At some point during the first season, adult admission was increased to $1.50.<ref name="NYDN-Saving-1962" /><ref name="Robertson 1961" />
Areas and attractions
Under Wood's leadership, Freedomland's designers created a history-themed concept, divided into seven themed areas based on the history of the United States. Each section featured attractions, shops, and restaurants fitting that section's theme. The layout resembled a large map of the contiguous United States and was designed like a movie set. As guests entered from the parking lot, they walked into Little Old New York of the 1890s. Baychester Avenue and the New England Thruway at the park's western edge approximately represented Freedomland's border with Canada.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Untapped">Template:Cite web</ref> The designers added decor such as vintage building advertisements and a night-lighting system.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 60-61"/> Freedomland's attractions on opening day were significantly different from what had originally been planned. Of the 16 areas and attractions announced in an August 1959 press release, 12 were operating on opening day, some of which were themed to a completely different time span than in the original plan.<ref name="Naish p. 264">Template:Harvnb</ref> As conceived, the park also focused on history from a narrow era, between roughly 1850 and 1900, rather than a larger period.<ref name="Naish p. 265">Template:Harvnb</ref>
The park could accommodate up to 32,000 visitors at once or 90,000 visitors per day.<ref name="Naish p. 262" /><ref name="Gilbert 19600612" /> The premises included Template:Convert of navigable waterways and lakes, 10,000 newly planted trees, more than 18 restaurants and snack bars, and parking for 7,200 cars for guests and 1,800 for employees.<ref name="Naish p. 262" /><ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Gilbert 19600612" /> The park also included 35,000 shrubs.<ref name="Molleson 1960" /> Freedomland's operators also acquired 80 burros, 200 horses, six stagecoaches, canoes, and saddles to make the park seem more realistic.<ref name="nyt-1960-04-29" /> At Freedomland's opening, there were 41 attractions,<ref name="Fowle 1959" /><ref name="Gottlock2 p. 106" /> as well as performances reenacted by over 2,000 cast members.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Roevekamp 1960" /> The park also had its own fire department, as well as a dedicated police department with 110 officers.<ref name="Morgenstern 1962">Template:Cite news</ref> Performance programs were designed to be interactive:<ref name="The New York Times 1960">Template:Cite news</ref> for instance, children were enlisted to participate in fighting a reenacted Great Chicago Fire.<ref name="Naish p. 268" /> Freedomland hosted a competition for its official hostess, "Miss Freedomland", every season; according to the New York Amsterdam News, these hostesses "have gone on to lucrative careers in fashion and television modeling".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
None of the rides on opening day were traditional amusement park attractions such as roller coasters.<ref name="Alden 1960" /> As attendance failed to meet the operators' expectations, generic fairground attractions were added to the park in subsequent opening seasons,<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 106" /> and the park had 45 rides and over 200 programs by 1962.<ref name="NYDN-Saving-1962" /><ref name="The Globe and Mail 1962" /> As at Disneyland, many of Freedomland's attractions received corporate sponsorships,<ref name="Virgintino pp. 63-64">Template:Harvnb</ref> and alcoholic beverages were banned in Freedomland.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" />
Transportation
The site was accessible from the rest of the city via the New York City Subway's Pelham Bay Park station, served by the Template:NYCS trains, and the Gun Hill Road station, served by the Template:NYCS trains.<ref name="Fowle 1959" /><ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 60-61">Template:Harvnb</ref> Furthermore, the presence of several highways, such as the New England Thruway, made the site accessible from the surrounding New York metropolitan area, whose population exceeded 10 million.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 105" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 60-61"/> Express bus service ran to Manhattan and the Pelham Bay Park and Gun Hill Road subway stations.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 60-61"/> For the wealthy, Flotair operated a seaplane service that could reach Manhattan in five minutes.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 60-61"/>
Intra-park transport
Freedomland U.S.A. had a railroad and an aerial lift ride carrying passengers between different parts of the park.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> The Template:RailGauge narrow gauge Santa Fe Railroad traveled between the park's Chicago and San Francisco areas. The ride was approximately six minutes long and consisted of a loop stretching about Template:Convert. The park leased two locomotives named Monson No. 3 and Monson No. 4, as well as passenger coaches and flatbeds, from the Edaville Railroad in Massachusetts; the rolling stock was transported back to the Edaville Railroad via truck between seasons.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 93-94">Template:Harvnb</ref>
A two-passenger double Von Roll (VR101) sky ride, the Tucson Mining Company Sky Ride, traveled between the Old Southwest and Old Chicago sections of the park.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Naish p. 264" /> The ride used gondolas manufactured by Gangloff Cabins, supposedly obtained from the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, and designed as replicas of ore cars. Sixty-four gondolas were used. The attraction was the company's first Double Von Roll 101 sky ride. The attraction contained two extended cables, although guests perceived these as four cables, two traveling in each direction. For the 1960 and 1961 seasons, the sky ride was a round trip only, but starting in 1962, guests could board at Chicago.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 153-154">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Little Old New York (1850–1900)
The Little Old New York section, at the north end of the park, was closest to the main entrance and contained an information booth, stroller rental, and lockers. It depicted New York City as it appeared in the late 19th century.<ref name="Virgintino p. 75">Template:Harvnb</ref> Attractions included:
| Attraction name | Description | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|
| Horseless Carriage | An antique car ride in a 1909 model Cadillac through the New England countryside. | <ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> |
| Tug boats "Totsie" and "Pert" | A boat ride from New York Harbor. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 82-83">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="MA p. 45">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Horse-drawn trolley | Operated on tracks and traveled from New York to the Old Chicago area. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 82-83"/><ref name="MA p. 39">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| The Bank of New York | A working bank branch that doubled as an exhibit about currency. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 82-83"/><ref name="MA p. 39"/> |
Restaurants and refreshments included Borden's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor;<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71">Template:Harvnb</ref> F&M Schaefer Brewery, an old-fashioned brewery sponsored by Schaefer Beer;<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Kandy King Candy Shop;<ref name="Virgintino 2018">Template:Harvnb</ref> Lipton's Inn and Lipton's Tea House;<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71" /> New York Coffee House;<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71" /> and Welch's Grape Juice Bar, a beverage bar located near the New England vineyard.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71"/> Shops included a print shop to purchase vintage-style posters, an apothecary shop, a glass blower shop, and other stores. Unlike Disneyland, where the shops were connected to each other, the stores were generally separated internally, like actual shops on city streets. Macy's recreated its original Manhattan store, Macy's Herald Square.<ref name="Virgintino 2018" /> There was also a live street show that included a German band, an 1880s Tammany Hall speech, a political pep rally, campaigning suffragettes, and a New York gangland robbery of the Little Old New York Bank.<ref name="Molleson 1960" /><ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" />
Old Chicago (1871)
The Old Chicago section was located on the park's western border, south of Old New York. One of the main geographical features of Old Chicago was an imitation of the Great Lakes. This water body was Template:Convert deep, covered a surface area of Template:Convert, and could hold Template:Convert.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 89-91">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Attractions included:
| Attraction name | Description | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|
| The Chicago Fire | At scheduled times, a Chicago building would "burn" and the flames were extinguished by character actors portraying firemen along with volunteers from among park guests using the vintage 1800s water pumper. The attraction was based on the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. | <ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Gottlock2 p. 106" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 86-88">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Chippewa War Canoes | An attraction where guests paddled one of five 19-passenger canoes led by Native American guides. Operated 1960–1961. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 94-95">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Great Lakes Cruise | A boat ride along the Great Lakes on one of two 110-foot, 400-passenger sternwheeler boats with calliopes. | <ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Gottlock2 p. 106" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 89-91" /> |
| Indian Village | A teepee village with Native Americans creating handicrafts for sale and showcasing traditional dances. It was moved to the Great Plains after a few seasons. | <ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 120-121"/> |
| Santa Fe Railroad station | A railroad station. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 93-94"/> |
| State Fair Midway | A series of more typical amusement rides, including a Meteor Monorail roller coaster from Mack Rides; an Astro Ride; a Bumper Scooter; a go-kart track; and a Wiggle Worm. A kids' section was included, with a junior Santa Fe train and several other rides for small children. A dock was added for the New York Harbor Tug Boats. Operated during 1962–1964. | <ref name="Gottlock2 pp. 106-107">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="Virgintino pp. 95-96">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
Restaurants and refreshments included the Brass Rail Stockyards Restaurant, a steak restaurant. This was the largest restaurant in Freedomland with over 300 seats.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71" /> Shops included the Hallmark Card Shop, a store that sold souvenir postcards, which also served as Freedomland's communication center. There was also the Relic Shop, a souvenir shop located near the Chicago Fire attraction.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 95-96" />
The Great Plains (1803–1900)
The Great Plains section was located south of Old Chicago. Attractions included:
| Attraction name | Description | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|
| Borden's Barn Boudoir | A fully furnished apartment for the Borden Company's mascot, Elsie the Cow. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 118-120"/> |
| Borden's Farm | A working farm exhibit that included horses, cows, sheep, pigs, poultry, corn and hay. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 118-120">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Cavalry Rifles | A shooting gallery. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 118">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Fort Cavalry | A log-by-log replica of a U.S. Army stockade. | <ref name="Naish p. 264" /><ref name="Virgintino p. 118"/> |
| Fort Cavalry Stage Line | A stage coach ride past a buffalo herd and through the Rocky Mountains that included a mock robbery by actors portraying outlaws. A driver and four horses led each of the coaches, and between four and eight coaches were reportedly used. | <ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 120-121">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Mule-Go-Round | A merry-go-round pulled by western mules. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 118"/> |
| Pony Express | A rider would pick up a message at the office and deliver it to The Old Southwest section for pick-up by the park guest. | <ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> |
Restaurants and refreshments included Borden's Milk Bar, a beverage bar, and Chuck Wagon Snack Stand, a snack bar.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71"/>
San Francisco (1906)
The San Francisco section was located at the south end of the park. Attractions included:
| Attraction name | Description | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|
| Barbary Coast | A recreation of San Francisco's entertainment district. | <ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> |
| Chinatown | A recreation of San Francisco's Chinatown, with shops and a Chinese restaurant sponsored by Chun King.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> There were also two inoperative junks that were built in Hong Kong. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 143"/> |
| Hollywood Arena | An amphitheater added in 1961, with animal acts and large-scale human stunts, it also featured appearances from New York City children's television personalities such as Wonderama host Sonny Fox, WPIX-TV's Officer Joe Bolton, Super Circus ringmaster Claude Kirchner and WNEW-TV's Uncle Fred Scott. | <ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Horse-Drawn Surreys | A transportation ride to the Southwest area. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 141-142" /> |
| Northwest Fur Trapper | A boat ride adventure through Lewis and Clark territory, similar to Disneyland's Jungle Cruise. | <ref name="Naish p. 264" /><ref name="Dim p. 16">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Santa Fe Railroad station | A railroad station. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 93-94"/> |
| San Francisco Earthquake | A dark ride made by Arrow Dynamics, which simulated the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. | <ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Seal Pool | A display of actual Pacific harbor seals. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 143">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
Restaurants and refreshments included Chun-King Shangri-La Restaurant, located in the replica Chinatown,<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71"/> and Fisherman's Wharf, a snack stand with an actor dressed as an old salt seaman telling stories.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 141-142">Template:Harvnb</ref> A&W Root Beer, an exhibit and restaurant sponsored by A&W Root Beer, operated only from 1962 to 1964.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71"/> Shops included a souvenir shop called Indian Trading Post<ref name="Virgintino pp. 141-142" /> and an Italian restaurant with attached gift shop.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 141-142" />
The Old Southwest (1890)
The Old Southwest section was located on the eastern border of the park, north of Old San Francisco. Attractions included:
| Attraction name | Description | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|
| Burro Trail | An outdoor ride across the park's Rocky Mountains on actual burros. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 150">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Casa Loca | A walk-through crooked house that appeared to defy the law of gravity. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 150-151">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Gunfight | A live street show with actors engaged in a Western gun fight. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 150-151"/> |
| Mine Caverns | A dark ride on an underground mine train through lava pits that revealed giant bats and cave creatures. Fourteen ride vehicles were used, with four passengers per vehicle. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 151-152">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Texas Longhorns | An actual herd of steers. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 150" /> |
| Tucson Mining Company | The gondola ride. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 153-154" /> |
Restaurants and refreshments included a Mexican restaurant called Libby's Hacienda, or Libby's Frito House, which served quick service meals, along with several "specials" that included Fritos.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 72-73">Template:Harvnb</ref> There was also the Santa Fe Opera House and Saloon, a soft drink bar that featured a 30-minute stage show with a four-piece band, showgirls, singers and comedians. Some of New York City's radio disc jockeys and program hosts would broadcast from the stage.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71" /><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> There were two souvenir shops: the Mexican Market and the Western Trading Post.<ref name="Virgintino p. 150" />
New Orleans – Mardi Gras
The New Orleans – Mardi Gras section was located north of the Old Southwest. Attractions included:
| Attraction name | Description | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | A pirate-themed boat ride based on the original plans for Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean ride. | <ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Civil War | A horse-drawn correspondents wagon under a flag of truce brought park guests through recreations of American Civil War battle grounds, camps, derailed trains and burning houses. It ended at the surrender at Old Appomattox Court House. | <ref name="Naish p. 264" /><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Crystal Maze | The world's first glass-walled house of mirrors maze. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 164">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Danny the Dragon | A tram-like ride on the tail of a Template:Convert long fire breathing dragon through Storybook Land. Freedomland had a green Danny and a red Danny. | <ref name="dgonzaleznyt">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Kandy Kane Lane | A children's play area with a helicopter ride, a swan boat ride, a toy fair and a sand pile. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 164" /> |
| King Rex Carrousel | A Dentzel merry-go-round dated to circa 1912. | <ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Popeye Museum | Museum themed to the cartoon character Popeye. Operated 1962 only. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 170-171">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Pirate Gun Gallery | A shooting gallery. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 164" /> |
| Spin-A-Top | A spinning ride similar to Disney's Mad Tea Cups ride, with 18 "tops" on three turntables. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 164" /> |
| Tornado Adventure | A dark ride that simulated driving though a Tornado Alley twister. | <ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 170-171" /> |
| Wax Museum | A wax museum brought from the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle. Operated 1963–1964. | <ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> |
Restaurants and refreshments included Jesse Jewell Plantation House Restaurant, a food-service area that served fried chicken.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71" /> There was also the Mardi Gras Sidewalk Cafe<ref name="Virgintino p. 164" /> and the Jolly Roger snack area.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71" /> Shops included the Carousel Toy Shop, next to the King Rex Carrousel.<ref name="Virgintino p. 164" />
Satellite City – The Future
The Satellite City – The Future section was located at the southeast section of the park. Attractions included:
| Attraction name | Description | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|
| Blast-Off Bunker | An authentic reproduction of a Cape Canaveral control room in which visitors could witness a simulated rocket launch from start to finish. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 182">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Braniff Space Rover | A simulation of a space journey in a 250-seat theatre designed to appear as a spaceship. | <ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Moon Bowl | A stage and Template:Convert dance floor that featured celebrity performers and guests. Operated 1961–1964. | <ref name="Naish p. 270">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Virgintino pp. 183-184">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Moving Lake Walk | An automated moving sidewalk across a man-made lake. The lake was removed and replaced by the Moon Bowl for the 1961 season, but the sidewalk remained. | <ref name="Virgintino pp. 183-184" /> |
| Satellite City Turnpike | A miniature auto ride in futuristic cars. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 185">Template:Harvnb</ref> |
| Special exhibits about modern science and industry. | <ref name="Virgintino p. 182" /> | |
Restaurants and refreshments included the Satellite City Snack Bar, as well as a Coca-Cola soft-drink bar.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 70-71" />
Unbuilt areas and attractions
There were several unbuilt areas and attractions. One area near New Orleans and Satellite City would have recreated the Florida peninsula. Plans were also drawn up for a replica of a Hollywood set located near San Francisco. An expansion of the New England section would have included a commemoration of the Battle of Bunker Hill, a fishing village, and a Plymouth Rock replica.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 58-59">Template:Harvnb</ref>
In addition, the developers planned to build the Freedomland Inn just south of the park, with between 300 and 600 rooms.<ref name="Virgintino p. 28"/>Template:Efn Architect William B. Tabler was hired to design the inn, which would have been directly south of the park, and contained amenities such as a wading pool, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a restaurant, and a coffee shop.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 48-49" /> Ultimately, only a foundation slab was developed; upon the park's eventual demise, some props were dumped over the slab and used as landfill.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 48-49">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Operation
1960 season
Due to Freedomland's high construction costs, it was $7 million in debt on its opening day,<ref name="Dim p. 15" /> leading commenters to describe it as a "gamble".<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> Schumacher hoped that Freedomland would be as large a New York City icon as Central Park or the Statue of Liberty.<ref name="The New York Times 1960" /> Although optimistic projections called for up to 5 million visitors a year,<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /><ref name="Dim p. 16" /> Freedomland would have needed to see two million visitors in its first season in order to break even.<ref name="NYDN-Bell-1960" /> Toward the end of the season, first-year visitation projections were decreased from 4.8 million to 1.7 million;<ref name="Naish p. 269">Template:Harvnb</ref> the park ultimately saw 1.5 million visitors, a statistic that was never surpassed in subsequent seasons.<ref name="Dim p. 16" /> For the 1960 operating season, Freedomland was open seven days a week until September 18, when its operating hours were cut to weekends only for the rest of the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Freedomland's managers had planned to operate the park from May 15 to October 15 of each year.<ref name="Roevekamp 1960" /> The last operating day of the 1960 season was at the end of October.<ref name="New York Daily News 1960">Template:Cite news</ref>
On August 28, 1960, three armed men stole the day's receipts of over $28,000; most of the money was recovered when the thieves, identified as employees, were arrested two weeks later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Time 1960">Template:Cite magazine</ref> At the end of that September, local news media reported that Freedomland had failed to pay the city a 5% amusement tax totaling $148,200.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The tax was paid by the following week.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The 1960 season was also marked by several incidents involving patron injuries. On June 25, 1960, days after the grand opening, a horse-drawn stagecoach overturned in the Great Plains section of the park and injured 10 people.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Another incident occurred on October 24, 1960, when a children's train ride overturned and injured two boys.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Meanwhile, Turner Construction and Aberthaw Construction filed a $3.648 million mechanic's lien on the park in November 1960.<ref name="nyt-1960-11-11">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The various lawsuits and liens left the park in debt.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 106" /><ref name="Virgintino p. 270">Template:Harvnb</ref> During the 1960 season, Webb and Knapp bought a 40% share in the project, only for the stock to drop by almost two-thirds, from $17.50 to $6.25 a share.<ref name="Naish p. 269" /><ref name="Time 1960" /> At one point, local merchants refused to accept checks that Freedomland had issued.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By that August, Raynor and Wood had resigned from the park's operation, and Zeckendorf hired two men to replace them.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Zeckendorf also hired Art K. Moss, a marketing expert, who cut costs by decreasing the $150,000 weekly payroll by 20% and forbidding employees from collecting overtime.<ref name="Dim p. 16" /> To raise money for the park, Zeckendorf proposed selling his leaseholds on three hotels in Midtown Manhattan (the Astor, Commodore, and Manhattan hotels) to the IRC.<ref name="nyt-1960-09-20">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Webb and Knapp also considered developing a shopping center along Freedomland's periphery, and they started constructing the proposed motel during the 1960–1961 off-season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1961 season
At the end of the 1960 season, park operators initially predicted that the park would reopen in May 1961.<ref name="New York Daily News 1960" /> The reopening date was postponed by one month.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Freedomland continued to experience financial troubles: before the beginning of the 1961 season, it was $8 million in debt. This led the IRC to propose that Zeckendorf sell the leaseholds on several Manhattan hotels to Freedomland Inc. in exchange for a $16.35 million mortgage note.<ref name="NYT-Financing-1964">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Wall Street Journal 1961">Template:Cite news</ref> As part of the plan, Webb and Knapp would give the park a $3 million cash loan, and it would purchase the lien that the construction contractors had placed on the park.<ref name="Wall Street Journal 1961" /> This plan was approved in June 1961, just prior to the start of the park's second season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Zeckendorf also unsuccessfully attempted a merger with Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yonkers Raceway's owners declined, though the IRC did purchase a controlling interest in the raceway that October.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The park reopened on June 10, 1961.<ref name="Robertson 1961" /><ref name="New York Amsterdam News 1961">Template:Cite news</ref> Admission fees were raised to $2.95 for a park-wide entrance ticket, and pay-per-ride admission was abolished.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 106" /><ref name="Robertson 1961">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="MA p. 30" /> To entice visitors, Freedomland started to add more traditional amusement rides, such as the Moon Bowl dance floor, as well as expanded its schedule of performances.<ref name="Dim p. 16" /><ref name="Gottlock2 p. 106" /><ref name="Virgintino p. 263">Template:Harvnb</ref> The new attractions included a live show called Colossus;<ref name="New York Amsterdam News 1961" /> in total, the park had 164 events and attractions for the 1961 season.<ref name="nyt-1961-04-30">Template:Cite news</ref> The Freedomland Inn, which had been planned to open in the park's second season, had not started construction.<ref name="NYT-Financing-1964" /> During the 1961 season, over 1.7 million visitors entered Freedomland, greater than the opening season.<ref name="NYT-Season-1962">Template:Cite news</ref> The park still had a myriad of issues: for instance, to satiate employees' demands for pay raises, the security budget was decreased, which resulted in people sneaking into the park without an admission ticket.<ref name="Naish p. 269" /> To combat the park's declining reputation, Moss announced that taxicab drivers of New York City and their families would be able to enter Freedomland for free.<ref name="Dim p. 16" /> According to a study conducted by park management, visitors stayed for an average of 7 hours and 48 minutes during the 1961 season.<ref name="Morgenstern 1962" />
1962 season
By 1962, it cost $1 million per year to maintain the park during the off-season.<ref name="Morgenstern 1962" /> Prior to the 1962 season, Freedomland spent $1 million to add and expand its offerings.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 106" /><ref name="NYT-Season-1962" /><ref name="Hulse 1962">Template:Cite news</ref> The improvements included a 5,000-seat arena and a midway-themed area with children's rides,<ref name="NYT-Season-1962" /> as well as the Astro-Ride roller coaster and a Wiggly-Worm caterpillar ride.<ref name="Gottlock2 pp. 106-107" /> The 1962 season started on May 27 of that year.<ref name="NYT-Season-1962" /> It was open weekends only for the first month, expanding its schedule to seven days a week in late June.<ref name="NYT-Season-1962" /><ref name="The Globe and Mail 1962">Template:Cite news</ref> Freedomland charged $3.50 admission during the 1962 season.<ref name="NYDN-Saving-1962" /><ref name="MA p. 30" /><ref name="The Globe and Mail 1962" /> After implementing a system of portable radios, the park laid off 700 of its 3,000 workers during that season.<ref name="NYDN-Saving-1962" /> Additionally, visitors who entered after 6 p.m. were charged a reduced price of $2.50.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The park also offered concerts, which featured acts such as Louis Armstrong,<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Benny Goodman, and Paul Anka.<ref name="nyt-1962-06-29">Template:Cite news</ref> In the long term, there were plans to make Freedomland into a year-round destination.<ref name="NYDN-Saving-1962" />
Following these changes, paint company Benjamin Moore & Co., which sponsored an exhibit in Satellite City, sued Freedomland in September 1962, seeking $150,000 in damages. The company sought to void its lease for exhibit space, citing "historical and educational" changes to the park's character.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The New York Supreme Court ruled against Benjamin Moore.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Concessionaires also started complaining of high rents, which had increased to Template:Convert, a price that many vendors could not pay with their low profits. Total admission for 1962 was estimated at 1.4 million.<ref name="Dim p. 16" />
1963 season
The 1963 season started on April 21 of that year, at which point it was open weekends only until that June.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Admission had been reduced to one dollar.<ref name="MA p. 30" /> By that time, the themes of the amusements and events had little to do with history in general, let alone American history.<ref name="Naish p. 269" /> The events advertised at the park included a children's zoo, puppet shows, DJ shows, clown performances, and circus parades.<ref name="Naish p. 270" /> The Meteor single-rail coaster, bumper cars, side shows, a wax display, and a reconstructed carousel from the Dentzel Carousel Company were also added during the 1963 season.<ref name="Gottlock">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="JN-Open-1963">Template:Cite news</ref> As Webb and Knapp's financial troubles increased in the 1960s,<ref name="nyt-1963-05-28">Template:Cite news</ref> the firm placed the site of the proposed Freedomland Inn for sale at an auction in July 1963,<ref name="nyt-1963-07-09">Template:Cite news</ref> with a minimum asking price of $2 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="nyt-1963-06-20">Template:Cite news</ref> The site, covering Template:Convert,<ref name="nyt-1963-06-20" /> did not garner any bids.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Zeckendorf also sold off adjacent plots of land.<ref name="nyt-1964-11-03">Template:Cite news</ref> The park closed for the season on September 29, 1963.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In total, Freedomland earned a combined $3 million from admissions during the 1962 and 1963 seasons.<ref name="NYT-Troubles-1964">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="New York Daily News 1964">Template:Cite news</ref> However, Freedomland still had a large amount of debt. Webb and Knapp faced serious financial troubles of its own, in part because of declining revenues from its hotels, prompting the firm to write off its entire investment in Freedomland in 1963.<ref name="O'Donnell 1964">Template:Cite news</ref> The company also sought to sell its lease of the land.<ref name="O'Donnell 1964" /><ref name="nyt-1964-06-06">Template:Cite news</ref> That December, Zeckendorf obtained a $25 million mortgage loan from a pension fund of the Teamsters Union.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Wall Street Journal 1963">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="nyt-1963-12-09">Template:Cite news</ref> Zeckendorf secured the loan by giving the Teamsters Union his lease of the park's Template:Convert site, an adjacent Template:Convert plot in Baychester, and a development in Dunedin Beach, Florida.<ref name="Wall Street Journal 1963" /> This resolved the park's short-term debt.<ref name="NYT-Shifted-1964">Template:Cite news</ref> Zeckendorf was also considering ways to keep Freedomland open year-round, proposing ideas such as a ski slope, a horse-racing track, a bowling alley, and a series of Christmas events.<ref name="Virgintino p. 263" />
1964 season
Freedomland's fifth operating season began on May 16, 1964, with the park operating only on weekends until June.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In advance of the 1964 season, the park's operators added a haunted castle attraction.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By then, the San Francisco-themed area already had been walled off.<ref name="Dim p. 16" /><ref name="Virgintino p. 260">Template:Harvnb</ref> For several months prior to the start of the 1964 season, there were rumors that Freedomland would be moved to Florida, where it could operate year-round.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Virgintino p. 264" /> Staff members were also told that only Little Old New York, Old Chicago, and Satellite City might be open for 1965, while the rest of the park would be redeveloped.<ref name="Virgintino p. 264" /> That July, Freedomland stopped booking rock-and-roll bands and started hiring big bands.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="p2294936080">Template:Cite news</ref>
In July 1964, the IRC acquired Webb and Knapp's stake in Freedomland Inc. National Development Corporation president Hyman Green, who owned 20 percent of the NDC, bought the remaining 80 percent stake from Zeckendorf.<ref name="NYT-Shifted-1964" /><ref name="Wall Street Journal 1964a" /><ref name="The Washington Post and Times Herald 1964a">Template:Cite news</ref> The transactions were intended to reduce Webb and Knapp's large debt, which it had incurred after writing off $17.9 million in investments in IRC and Freedomland Inc.<ref name="NYT-Shifted-1964" /><ref name="Wall Street Journal 1964a">Template:Cite news</ref> At the time, Green said he expected Freedomland to make a profit during the 1964 season, even as it had lost money year-to-date.<ref name="The Washington Post and Times Herald 1964a" /> Zeckendorf later said that Webb and Knapp's involvement in Freedomland "hurt the financial position of Webb and Knapp more than anything we've ever done."<ref name="Dim p. 16" /> Toward the end of the 1964 operating season, Freedomland was expected to reopen the next year, even though it had only earned $738,000 from admissions.<ref name="New York Daily News 1964" /><ref name="The New York Times 1964" /> In an indication of its deep financial troubles, The New York Times reported that Freedomland Inc. had paid its employees with bad checks totaling $60,000.<ref name="The New York Times 1964">Template:Cite news</ref>
Demise
Bankruptcy
On September 13, 1964, Freedomland closed for the season.<ref name="Virgintino p. 264">Template:Harvnb</ref> Within three days, Freedomland Inc. had filed for bankruptcy. At the time, Freedomland Inc.'s liabilities were $27 million, about three times its $9 million in assets.<ref name="New York Daily News 1964" /><ref name="Wall Street Journal 1964">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="The Washington Post and Times Herald 1964">Template:Cite news</ref> The largest creditors, in order, were the IRC, the NDC, Zeckendorf, and the Internal Revenue Service.<ref name="NYT-Troubles-1964" /> The bankruptcy filing nearly caused the collapse of the Teamsters Union, which held the mortgage on the property.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Freedomland had never earned a net profit in each of its five operating seasons; if it were downsized Template:Convert, Freedomland estimated that it could make a $25,000 profit if it were to reopen in 1965.<ref name="NYT-Troubles-1964" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 275-276">Template:Harvnb</ref> Freedomland never reopened, and its attractions, buildings, and other features were auctioned and sold during 1965.<ref name="Gottlock" />
Causes
Freedomland Inc.'s bankruptcy filings cited competition from the 1964 New York World's Fair as a direct reason for the park's closure.<ref name="Wall Street Journal 1964" /><ref name="The Washington Post and Times Herald 1964" /> The author Michael Virgintino wrote that the World's Fair was unlikely to be the main reason for Freedomland's bankruptcy, as the World's Fair had been announced in 1959, and many of the fair's visitors only attended that event a few times.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 281-282" /> Furthermore, the World's Fair had recorded a financial loss in 1964, and several amusement attractions at the fair had gone bankrupt during that year.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> This was part of a decline in New York City's amusement industry in general, as the city's traditional amusement area of Coney Island had declined simultaneously.<ref name="dgonzaleznyt" />
Several factors contributed to Freedomland's failure. First, it only operated seasonally, thus reducing potential income; this contrasted with Disneyland, which operated year-round.<ref name="Gottlock" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 281-282">Template:Harvnb</ref> Freedomland was only open for three or four months a year, so its capacity was much lower than Disneyland's, which had 6 million guests in 1964.<ref name="Dim p. 16" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 281-282" /> Second, the marshland was unstable and contributed to damage to many of the structures, requiring additional repair costs. A third factor was Freedomland's weak sense of identity, as people wishing for more traditional attractions could go to other places like Coney Island or Rye Playland.<ref name="Gottlock" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 281-282" /> The park's failure may also have been exacerbated by the fact that Webb and Knapp had acquired too many assets, such as hotels, which had also struggled financially in the early 1960s.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Freedomland may not have been intended to last long from the outset. William Zeckendorf said in 1970 that Freedomland was a "placeholder" to obtain land variances to permit more lucrative residential and commercial development of the marshland; the durability of the amusement structures obviated the need to undergo a proper monitoring period of 15 to 20 years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Virgintino pp. 283-284">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Redevelopment
The NDC indicated in 1965 that it would sell about Template:Convert of its Template:Convert holdings in the northeast Bronx<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> to the United Housing Foundation.<ref name="Dim p. 16" /><ref name="Virgintino p. 277">Template:Harvnb</ref> In February 1965, the United Housing Foundation announced plans for the Co-op City development, a 15,500-unit housing cooperative, on the site.<ref name="Ennis 1965">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Naish p. 272">Template:Harvnb</ref> Even as these plans were announced, Freedomland was still negotiating to operate 30 acres adjacent to Co-op City.<ref name="Ennis 1965" /> The New York City Planning Commission approved these plans in May 1965, with no provisions for an amusement park.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By early the next year, most remaining portions of Freedomland were destroyed.<ref name="Gottlock" /> Co-op City was constructed on Freedomland's parking lot and the Little Old New York and Satellite City areas during the late 1960s,<ref name="Virgintino p. 278">Template:Harvnb</ref> and the first residents began moving to the area in 1968.<ref name="nyt-1968-09-16">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The construction of Co-op City contributed to large areas of salt marsh degradation, exacerbating a process that had started when Freedomland was built.<ref name="Kachejian 2019" />
The rest of the park remained decrepit and undeveloped through the 1970s, and some of the park's abandoned buildings remained on site. During the early 1980s, Bay Plaza Shopping Center was constructed on the land occupied by five additional park areas.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 279-280">Template:Harvnb</ref> Another proposal during the late 20th century, which called for light industrial development on the Freedomland site, failed when the developer could not obtain funding. Subsequently, Prestige Properties and Development Company proposed redeveloping part of the site as a commercial and office complex in 1990, following the completion of the adjacent Bay Plaza.<ref name="nyt-1990-11-07">Template:Cite news</ref> A small part of the Freedomland development—a tract at the convergence of the New England Thruway and Hutchinson River Parkway, which had been intended for the Freedomland Inn—remained undeveloped until 2012, when an expansion of Bay Plaza Shopping Center opened at the site.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 279-280"/>
Reception
The areas were not historically or geographically accurate,<ref name="Naish p. 262" /> and they primarily depicted events from the late 19th century.<ref name="Naish p. 265" /> A writer for The New York Times stated that the themed lands were "perhaps not quite acceptable to the Geodetic Survey because so many dull places have been left out",<ref name="Gilbert 19600612" /> and Time magazine called the park "nothing less than a replica of the continental U.S.A., 833 yds from parkway to shining parkway".<ref name="Bizneyland">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Furthermore, most of the attractions were themed on the American frontier,<ref name="Naish p. 265" /> a factor influenced by Wood's and Raynor's respective upbringings in Texas and Chicago,<ref>See:
- Template:Cite news
- Template:Cite news</ref> as well as Zeckendorf's grandfather's adventures in Arizona Territory.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> This led writer Paul D. Naish to state, "The photographed streetscapes at Freedomland have a distinctly generic quality."<ref name="Naish p. 265" /> Walt Disney said of the park in 1961: "I think it was wrong from the start."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Freedomland generally received negative attention from members of the media. For instance, at the groundbreaking ceremony, writer Gay Talese observed that the park, characterized by its backers as the future "'greatest outdoor entertainment center in the history of man'", was to be built on such a "vast wasteland".<ref name="Talese 1959" /> Historian Walter Muir Whitehill described Freedomland as an operation with a "veneer of pseudo history" whose main purpose was to make money.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Time magazine wrote of the simulated attractions in the park, which included "an electromagnetic dragon [and] real buffalo grazing the prairies", as well as so-called "birch-bark Chippewa war canoes" that were actually fiberglass Cherokee ships.<ref name="Bizneyland" /> However, the magazine also stated that the public did not initially seem to mind these false representations.<ref name="Naish p. 268" /><ref name="Bizneyland" /> By contrast, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times wrote in 1962 that "the Bronx is cheering" for Freedomland, even though "there is very little to cheer about in the Bronx".<ref name="Hulse 1962" />
Soon after the park's opening, it also gained a negative reputation among the public: toward its final years, mention of Freedomland often provoked reactions of either "ridicule or apathy".<ref name="Dim p. 15" /> After the park closed, a Newsday writer called Freedomland a "flop" and said of many of the opening day visitors: "They came. They saw. They left. And most never came back."<ref name="Dim p. 15" /> According to The New York Times, when Walt Disney World was being developed in central Florida in the late 1960s, some people expressed skepticism about whether Walt Disney World would be commercially successful, citing Freedomland's quick failure.<ref name="nyt-1969-11-26">Template:Cite news</ref>
Template:AnchorIn 1993, The Walt Disney Company proposed developing Disney's America, an American history theme park near Manassas, Virginia.<ref name="LAT-931112">Template:Cite news</ref> The proposal was similar to the Freedomland concept,<ref name="silive-part2">Template:Cite web</ref> but it was abandoned the following year after massive opposition.<ref name="WaPo-940929">Template:Cite news</ref> Russell Miller, one of the critics of Disney's America, found that plan deficient compared to Freedomland. Miller praised Freedomland as "an open-air theatre [that] promised not historical truth but national myth, infused with a spirit", while he questioned whether Disney's America was "a theme park or a bad night on PBS".<ref name="Naish p. 270" /><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Legacy
Site
In nearby neighborhoods such as Williamsbridge, motels built primarily for Freedomland remained operational, despite the dearth of visitor attractions in the northeast Bronx.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Virgintino pp. 49-50">Template:Harvnb</ref> In August 2013, a plaque commemorating the park was installed near the site of its flagpoles.<ref name="Untapped" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During mid-2019, remnants of Totsie, one of the New York Harbor tugboats, were placed near the plaque. The remains of Totsie were donated by Rob Friedman, an unofficial archivist of Freedomland history.<ref name="Spectrum News NY1 2019 z954">Template:Cite web</ref>
A small portion of the former park site, at the northeast corner of Bartow and Baychester Avenues, remains zoned as a C7 district.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Such districts are reserved "for large open amusement parks";<ref name="nyc.gov zoning">Template:Cite web</ref> Coney Island is the only other such district in the city.<ref name="Bronx Times 20182">Template:Cite web</ref> The zoning district is a holdover from Freedomland's operation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Issuu 1910">Template:Cite web</ref> Due to its C7 zoning, the lot lacked any restrictions for the surface areas of signs located within its limits.<ref name="nyc.gov zoning" /> This prompted a subsequent landowner to erect a tall billboard on the lot in 2019, although the billboard was controversial. As a result, Co-op City residents proposed changing the lot's zoning to a standard commercial use.<ref name="Bronx Times 20182" /><ref name="Issuu 1910" />
Attractions moved to other parks
Some Freedomland attractions and design features were auctioned or sold to other parks, and many of these attractions no longer exist.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 108">Template:Harvnb</ref> The Crystal Maze, Danny the Dragon, an interior diorama of the Mine Caverns, the Tornado dark ride, and the King Rex Carrousel were moved to The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, when it was owned by Charles R. Wood and known as Storytown USA, in Lake George, New York.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 290-291"/> The Tornado briefly operated at Kennywood in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, from 1962 before moving to Lake George in 1967. The Crystal Maze building was converted into a concession stand and then an administration building.<ref name="Gottlock" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 290-291">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Two of the three Santa Fe Railroad stations were moved to Clark's Trading Post (subsequently called Clark's Bears), a family-owned park in Lincoln, New Hampshire. The park obtained Freedomland's Chicago station and the one-room prop station based in the Old Southwest-themed area of Freedomland; it was used for the still-operating White Mountain Central Railroad.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Virgintino pp. 288-289">Template:Harvnb</ref> Other Freedomland items that appear at Clark's include bricks from Little Old New York, seats from the Braniff Space Rover and street lamps from all over the park.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 108" /><ref name="Virgintino pp. 288-289"/>
One of the two sternwheelers was moved to the Byram River between Greenwich, Connecticut, and Port Chester, New York,<ref name="Virgintino pp. 91-93">Template:Harvnb</ref> where it supposedly still serves as a restaurant.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 108" /><ref name="Bronx Times">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Efn San Francisco's Earthquake and New Orleans' Buccaneers (renamed Pirate Ride) attractions were moved to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, in 1966; both attractions have been removed.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="Virgintino p. 287">Template:Harvnb</ref> The tugboat Totsie operated for many years at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, Connecticut.<ref name="Virgintino pp. 294-295">Template:Harvnb</ref> Other Freedomland objects and attractions were moved to places such as Niagara Falls on the New York-Ontario border<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 108" /><ref name="Virgintino p. 296">Template:Harvnb</ref> and the Magic Mountain site in Colorado.<ref name="Gottlock2 p. 108" /> Forest Park Highlands, an amusement park in St. Louis that closed in 1963, apparently sold its Aero Jet ride to Freedomland, which in turn sold it to Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
Historical commemoration
Freedomland's history has been the subject of several books. Arcadia Publishing published two books in the Images of America series; the second book, Freedomland: 1960–1964 by Robert McLaughlin, was published in 2015.<ref name="McLaughlin 2015">Template:Harvnb</ref> A detailed book about the park's history, Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History by Michael Virgintino, was published in 2019.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> C. V. Wood's life and contributions to Disneyland are recalled in the book Three Years In Wonderland (2016) by Todd James Pierce.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In 1999, a website dedicated to the history of Freedomland was set up by Friedman. The New York Times reported at the time that "the site quickly became a lightning rod for Freedomland enthusiasts, receiving 6 to 10 E-mail messages a week with reminiscences and offers of material for its creator's growing collection."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
See also
References
Notes
Citations
Sources
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External links
- Pages with broken file links
- 1960 establishments in New York City
- 1964 disestablishments in New York (state)
- Cultural history of New York City
- Defunct amusement parks in New York (state)
- Amusement parks opened in 1960
- Amusement parks closed in 1964
- Co-op City, Bronx
- 1960s in the Bronx
- Entertainment venues in the Bronx
- Companies that have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy