Adventureland (Illinois)

Adventureland was an amusement park located in Addison, Illinois which operated from 1961 to 1977. The land where the park is located was originally a restaurant and tavern known as Paul's Picnic Grove and, from 1958 to 1961, was a family attraction site known as Storybook Park.

Adventureland
LocationAddison, Illinois, U.S.
Coordinates41°57′21.5″N 88°3′6″W
Opened1961
Closed1977
Attractions
Roller coasters3

From 1967 to 1976, it was the largest amusement park in Illinois.[1] Attractions at the park included Dizzy Hofbrauhaus, Scrambler, Crash 'n Splash Torpedo Tubs, Western Round-Up, Bumper Cars, Italian Bobs, which reached 35 ft. high, and Super Italian Bobs, which reached 60 ft.[2] The park offered parking for 3,000 cars.

History

The former Storybook Park was sold to Durell Everding, whose family also owned Santa's Village (now Santa's Village AZoosment Park) in 1961 and renamed Adventureland.[3] Some attractions from Storybook Park were kept, but the new owner began to focus on adding more rides to the park to attract older visitors as well. Owner Durell Everding died in 1970 and the park was run by his family until it was later purchased by Medinah Investors. The park closed in 1977 as the result of competition from newer parks; the park's rides and attractions were sold off upon the park's closing. [4]

Since the park's closing, Medinah Road on the site's east side was re-routed through part of the property. The Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago building now occupies most of the site, although aerial views show evidence of the park's trails, while urban explorers have reported finding remains of park buildings and ride foundations on the site.

References
  1. Addison Advantage Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Summer 03. Retrieved June 9, 2007
  2. Rollercoaster Database Retrieved June 9, 2007
  3. "What Ever Happened To..." Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  4. "Adventureland". Bloomingdale Public Library. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
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