Kiddie Dude Ranch in Lombard, Illinois. (1940-1960)

After searching the Internet and making a few inquiries, I received a phone call from Ralph Weimer, son of Earl Weimer, the owner and operator of the "Kiddie Dude Ranch" located on the southeast corner of Roosevelt Road and Lawler Avenue in Lombard, Illinois (now part of Glen Ellyn).

The story goes...

Ralph Weimer said his father was a carpenter by trade, and he built their house off Lawler around 1931-32. "In those days, you could easily count the number of cars passing by on Roosevelt Road."

Weimer remembers, as a child, his father taking him for pony rides in Elmhurst (Roosevelt and York Roads) at a pony ring run out of a trailer park by a man named Steve Wall. When Wall decided to sell the pony ring, Earl Weimer bought the ponies—about 10 in all—the saddles, and the fencing, which Weimer noted was initially built for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, in 1939. The fencing, which Weimer described as 66-foot wide, 200-foot-long, was "ornate ten-foot sections, painted white with red and white striped poles at each end.

When asked why his dad decided to create the amusement park, Weimer replied that his father "wanted to get into something like that; an entrepreneurial spirit." During the week, Earl Weimer worked in carpentry and ran the pony ride operation on weekends.

Weimer recalled that his father set up pony rides at area carnivals, and around 1945, built a new barn on Roosevelt Road, and added a mini train, ticket stand and other features to the amusement park, including a parking lot, merry-go-round, "Turn Pike" car ride, whip, boat ride, small Ferris wheel, airplane ride, and a fire engine ride.

Left to Right: Russ Ward, Bobby McBride, Ron Ward

The amusement park offered for sale refreshments such as soda, candy, popcorn, and ice cream, and Earl Weimer went on to build a shelter over the pony hitching rail.

The whole family worked at the Kiddie Dude Ranch, including his mother, who was "very actively involved" in such jobs as working at the ticket stand, keeping the books, and selling refreshments. His mother died in 1955, and his father closed the amusement park in 1960 due to illness and died shortly afterward, said Weimer.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

*Permission from Ralph Weimer. Photographs are the copyright © of Ralph Weimer, who sent these photographs to me for scanning, so I may document his family's amusement park online. *Special thanks to the Lombard Historical Society. The "Lombardian," and Jane Charmelo.