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Thought Bounce Land Trampoline Park was at Hollywood Kiddieland? My article will definitely surprise you!
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| Main Entrance. |
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| Pony Rides |
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| Photo of Mark Lassman at Hollywood Kiddieland, Chicago, June 1960. |
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| Photo by: Walter Rieger |
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| The Swingin' Gym [my personal favorite]. |
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The Klatzco family bought Novelty Golf and Games in Lincolnwood in the mid-60s. Novelty has two miniature golf courses and a 19th hole, like a pinball game where you would shoot your golf ball and win a free round of golf if the ball went into the one and only hole in the center. The game room was packed full of pinball machines and, later, video games, but it was small. In later years, they built batting cages.
In the late '60s, Hollywood Kiddieland ride tickets cost 20¢ each or six for a dollar. At the season's opening, Kiddieland offered free tickets in exchange for the cardboard caps from glass milk bottles. Mothers across West Ridge, Rogers Park, and surrounding communities saved bottle caps over the winter. Opening day saw record crowds of kids and their moms lining up at the ticket booths with their "pot-o-gold" ─ large bulging bags of milk bottle caps.
There were a couple of food concession stands and a small Souvenir Stand.
Like many other Chicagoland "Kiddie Parks," Hollywood Kiddieland had a fire truck used to pick up birthday party guests at their homes and deliver them to the amusement park. When the fire truck wasn't picking up partygoers, it was used as a ride in the park.
The Klatzco family closed Hollywood Kiddieland, the batting cages, and the miniature golf course in 1974 but continued to run Novelty Golf and Games (and still open at the Northwest corner of Devon and Lincoln Avenues in Lincolnwood, Illinois), where Buddy Klatzco was co-owner.
After the 25-year property lease expired in 1974, Hollywood Kiddieland was sold.
Like many other Chicagoland "Kiddie Parks," Hollywood Kiddieland had a fire truck used to pick up birthday party guests at their homes and deliver them to the amusement park. When the fire truck wasn't picking up partygoers, it was used as a ride in the park.
After the 25-year property lease expired in 1974, Hollywood Kiddieland was sold.
Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.
NOTE: Bounce Land Trampoline Parks were around from the late 50s to the early '60s. One was on Devon Avenue just east of Lincoln Avenue on the Chicago side of Devon. Many people associate this Bounceland with Hollywood Kiddieland in Chicago, but as you can see from the map below, they are different businesses. Follow the link to Bounce Land above to see a map of where Bounce Land and Hollywood Kiddieland are located.
Thanks for the memories!
ReplyDeletethats where i went to get my hitting practice in. good batting cages.
DeleteI would love to know more about that area during that time period. I lived in Chicago all my life on the Northside and frequently pass through there. My earliest memories is of the theatres and the Zayre across the street. I never know about Kiddieland. I just moved to Arizona a year ago and i miss everything about the Northside of Chicago and the Northern burbs. I wish i knew more resources to see pics of the area from back then.
ReplyDeleteZayre used to be Community
DeleteShoppers World Discount Store, Community Discount Store, Zayre, Super K Center (Kmart) and Home Depot all occupied 6211 Lincoln Avenue at McCormick Boulevard and Devon Avenue in Chicago, Illinois.
DeleteMY ARTICLE ─► https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2018/12/shoppers-world-community-zayre-super-kmart-occupied-6211-lincoln-avenue-chicago.html
I went on a ride here called "the wild mouse" it was a rollercoaster that you sat in a boxlike car...when the car came to the edge of a section it did a very sharp right turn,,it made you feel like the cart would go flying right off the track instead of the turn..I was 5 and It scared the crap out of me,lol when I came off,my mom said omg! I was white as a ghost...still to this day,I never go on a roller coaster because of that memory..lol
ReplyDeleteThe Wild Mouse in the Riverview Amusement Park on Western and Belmont and it was an amazing roller coaster.
DeleteAnd I remember how bang up my knees got in those turns.
DeleteThe "Wild Mouse was also at "Fun Fair" in Skokie. It was on the South west corner at Golf Rd. and Skokie Blvd.
DeleteThe history of Fun Fair in Skokie, Illinois. http://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2017/01/fun-fair-amusement-park-skokie-illinois.html
DeleteHollywood Kiddieland did not have the Wild Mouse roller coaster. The roller coaster was much smaller - for little kids. You can see some of the tracks in a picture above.
DeleteThat ride was at Riverview
DeleteI worked there in the late 60's. My boss was Geoff Accairi. Those were some of my best memories from my early teenage years!
ReplyDeleteI remember him. He also had juke boxes in our restaurant Burts. He was the nicest man and good to all the children
DeleteGeoff's wife, Kaye, used to teach English at Annunciation grammar school in Bucktown, Chicago. I loved her!
DeleteThank you for creating this walk down memory lane.
ReplyDeletelovev to see the pictures
ReplyDeletegreat times and memories
Hey! That's me in the picture of the little blue car with the yellow car in the background! It was taken back in 1972 or '73. I remember absolutely loving that ride.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad took me and my youngest sister and brother there on weekends. I think it was '73 and '74....just before they closed. We always had a good time. I had a childhood crush on the guy running the roller coaster. Went on that ride several times....lol
ReplyDeleteThank-you for sharing a sweet piece of my childhood. My brother and I grew up on Kedzie and Devon so Kiddieland was a part of our lives. I remember how lucky we felt living across the street from Thillens Stadium and just a block away from Kiddieland. The only rides I have ever been on were those wonderful rides at Kiddieland. How sad that it had to sold as that location has never thrived as it had when Kiddieland was there. It was a special place for Baby Boomer kids to be kids. Precious memories... Thank-you.
ReplyDeleteHad many a birthday party there. Loved being picked up by the fire truck! Fond memories indeed.
ReplyDeleteThese pictures are great. Though I am looking for a picture of the whole roller coaster. Does anybody have one?
ReplyDeleteMy mom once got us pony rides from Kiddyland for our birthday. We rode in the alley behind our apartment! We were so cool!Great memories happy times! Awesome pictures!Thanks
ReplyDeleteWow! Lucky you !
DeleteI was always whining to my mom for a horse for my birthday or Christmas even though we lived in an apartment.I figured no problem I could ride the horse inside if it's too cold outside. She said we'll see that way I couldn't freak out if she said no. And shut me up for awhile.lol!
Dropped lots of quarters at those batting cages. Such a sweet trip down memory lane. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSo much fun! Great memories at KiddyLand! Thanks~
ReplyDeleteI also worked there for 2 seasons. I think it was '60 & '61. A friend sent me a link to this wonderful trip down memory lane because he knew I worked there. The only Acciari I remember is Jeff. There was also Ray Angelini (spel?). He was around there a lot too. I thought he was an owner too, maybe not. I think the guy in the white t-shirt in the concession stand pic is Manuel. I think he was Cuban and like a foreman, a good guy who watched over us kids. When I was there a guy named Max owned the ferris wheel and the tilt-a-whirl. He supplied his own operators, guys who could best be described as real "carnis". One had a tattoo right in the middle of his forehead. These guys were a source of "education" to a bunch of green high school kids. Some of the rides shown in the pics weren't there when I was and I ran many of the ones shown.The train engine was yellow back then too. Get this: starting pay was .90 an hour but I enjoyed every minute there, never a dull moment! Such pleasant memories!
ReplyDeletePete
Wow, that was good pay back then!
DeleteHi! I’m seeing this 6 years after these comments are written, but this writer is correct! My father was Ray Angelini and yes, he was the majority owner in fact. You remembered well and even spelled his name correctly! That was a long time ago! I remember my dad being there every day and he wore nice pants, a button down white shirt and a tie most of the time. My brother Steve and my cousins used to work there too. What a fantastic place!
DeleteMy father used to take my brother and I to the batting cages back then those were some of the best days.
ReplyDeleteI remember going down that slide so fast and slid backwards the area near the elbow had some severe speed burns
ReplyDelete10 rides for $1.00!
ReplyDelete" large bulging bags of milk bottle caps" LOL!~ Mostly I remember the VW fire truck and the kiddie cars. Can you imagine letting kids that young ride in an open pick up truck today?! It was one of my favorite memories of my childhood. It's also nice to see the "Lincoln Village" sign atop the building on the east side of McCormick is still there.
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I both worked there...I remember Ann Puzzo, and Manny (who was one of the Bosses)....the ride i remember hating the most wad the buzz bombers.....we would yank the wires out so they would buzz.....also the boat rides with that damm bell.....
ReplyDeleteI worked here in the late 60's when I was quite young. I ran the Swinging Gyms, Merry-go-Round, boats, roller coaster, etc. I loved the merry-go-round since I could ride walking around it while in motion (a no-no) and my favorite thing to "ride" was the Swinging Gym since I was quite adept at it, if I say so myself ;-). Loved Bounceland too and was never hurt, but only G-d knows why not!
ReplyDeleteAmazing memories! I was pretty young when I lived in the neighborhood, but clearly recall three things about Kiddieland (as I called it — never remember actually saying "Hollywood Kiddieland"): the roller coaster (which scared me silly, at that age — probably 5), the train-track hand-car, and a tethered boat ride where boats, floating in a water tank, coasted in a circular ride since the boats were connected to wheel-spoke arms around a central hub. I also rather vaguely remember sparkly cars with beep-beep-beeping horns going around a track. I think a ride rather similar to that was still operating at Santa's Village a few years ago when I took my kids there.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid it was a wonderland in the neighborhood. And after we'd go for ice cream down the block. My favorite was probably the slide and bumper cars. Even older I would go and use the batting cages.
ReplyDeleteAmazing memories I still drive by there alot one lasting impression it left on me was that slide I was going so fast and after one of the bumps my arm got a speed burn on it no scar but I can still feel it like it was yesterday.
ReplyDeleteKiddyland did have the lamest rollercoaster in history of amusment parks...
ReplyDeleteHollywood Kiddieland was for little kids. To expand the age group, they added bumper-cars and the Swingin' Gym.
DeleteMy father took me and my sister to Kiddieland one chilly Sunday in the mid-50s and as I got off the ride...SURPRISE...my older cousin was running it! He was probably about 15 or 16. Can't remember what ride, though, probably one of the spin rides. Maybe those airplanes with the gusn that buzzed when you hit the push-button. We're talking 1955 here!
ReplyDeleteI worked there in the early fifties. Former Chicago police Captain Klatzco still owned it. His son Dick Klatzco and Dick Golden managed the park at this time.
ReplyDeleteI would start every spring putting the rides together, summer operating the rides, taking them apart in the fall.
Worked seven days a week in order to buy a motorcycle. Bought a motorcycle in 1954, but continued working there until I graduated high school in 1958.
My best friend I met there was Don Lantz. Haven’t heard from him in years. Hope he is doing well. I learned more about working during my time at Kiddie Land than anything since. Everyone should work at a amusement park or carnival if want to get a real world experience.
We lived 5 blocks away at Devon and California. I was riding my 1968 5-Speed Stick, Schwinn Orange Krate to Kiddieland all the time. Some how, my Dad always 'found' a couple of bucks, sometimes $3 ($25 today), whenever I wanted to go.
DeleteDo you remember Bounce Land Trampoline Parks? It was on the south side of Devon east of Lincoln, about where the Pizza Hut.
MY ARTICLE ─► https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2016/11/bounceland-trampoline-parks-northern.html
Do you remember the cage that 2 people would get into and rock back and forth until it finally went over the top?
DeleteThere is a photo of the "Swingin' Gym," in the article above.
DeleteThank you so much for this fabulous website!!!!
DeleteI recall the gift shop. They had awesome treasure for a 5-7 year old. My dad took my often. I bought a little beaded change purse. It was Native American in design. I recall my father and I going down the big slide together 💜
ReplyDeleteThis was my first job. When I was 14 I ran rides at this Kiddyland. I ran the small rides, the merry-go-round and the Ferris wheel. I couldn’t run the train because you had to be 18 years old to do that. It must’ve been 1965 when I worked there. 😎
ReplyDelete