Lincoln Land Amusement Park in Effingham, Illinois. (1977-1988)

After a year's worth of telephone conversations, I finally set up a meeting with Jim Mayhood, one of Charles Eugene "Gene" Mayhood, the owner's children, at the Helen Matthes Library in Effingham on Saturday, November 2, 2013. We chatted for just under an hour. Jim gave me a Lincoln Land Amusement Park Token. Jim and his other siblings worked at the park over the years. One of their slogans was "Open Rain or Shine."

"A land of thrills. A land of excitement. Lincoln Land

offers entertainment the whole family will enjoy."

THE HISTORY BEFORE LINCOLN LAND AMUSEMENT PARK

Gene helped expand Effingham's landscape on the south side of town. He bought 30 acres of farmland and built the Village Square Mall. 

Initially, Gene started many businesses in the mall, including the Carousel Ice Cream Parlor, Computer Village, Keyboard Music Company, the Playland Arcade, Radio Shack, the Village Cinemas, and the Village Snack Bar.

When Gene reached 26 stores, he purchased 50 acres for expansion. JCPenney and an additional 14 new businesses opened at the mall, anticipating a massive boost in foot traffic from the draw of a new indoor amusement park in 1977. 

THE HISTORY OF LINCOLN LAND AMUSEMENT PARK

Gene Mayhood, the man with a lot of "get up and go," was the genius behind building the indoor Lincoln Land Amusement Park in 1977, right next door to the Village Square Mall. 

The amusement park was open seven days a week between May 23rd and September 1st and on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for the rest of the year. The park was billed as the "World's largest indoor amusement park," with 100,000 square feet of entertainment.

The enclosed and air-conditioned Lincoln Land amusement park offered free parking and admission. It housed a giant, full-size Ferris wheel that nearly touched the ceiling, a giant carousel, the scrambler, tilt-a-whirl, the casino ride, the hurricane, bumper cars, Astro-liner, and a moonwalk, along with many other carnival-type rides.

A section had over 80 arcade games and midway games of chance with prizes awarded; clown racers, hoopla toss, basketball, milk can softball, shoot-out-the-star, loads of skee-ball machines and a grand photo center.

 

There were 4 Food and Refreshment Areas and a special area for picnics. The park also had an auditorium that would seat 1,000 people that presented family shows and live entertainment.

There was a giant stairway in the middle of the park. On the 2nd floor was the Skate Land roller rink with a huge skating floor, the Country Club Miniature Golf Course with 18 holes, and a game arcade.

Toddlers and young children could enjoy themselves in their own Kiddie Land, a specially created playland giving kids the amusement park excitement they wanted and the safety parents demanded.

In the early 1980s, the building had 15 major rides. Lincoln Land is the main reason why there are hundreds of parking spaces at Village Square Mall today, as the lot was packed nightly back in the 1970s and '80s.

Gene sold the mall to New York-based Elart Corporation in 1988. The amusement park building is now an office/retail center.

Jim Mayhood says the main reason Lincoln Land Amusement Park closed was the drastic drop in guests and the yearly increase in operating expenses. 

Jim has kindly permitted me to recreate the Lincoln Land Amusement Park logo. I offer some great items. Thank you, Jim. 

VISIT OUR LINCOLN LAND SOUVENIR SHOP

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.