Dreamland Amusement Park, Decatur, Illinois. (1905-1912)

Dreamland Amusement Park was established in 1905 by the Decatur Amusement Company with Fred Given appointed as manager. $40,000 was raised by a group of citizens. Ten acres were bought from E. S. Baker which were located on the Streetcar and Interurban lines, adjacent to Decatur, a city of 30,000.

The park included an artificial lake and a pumping station, a roller rink, a roller coaster, vaudeville theater, dance hall, merry-go-round, boating, a bathhouse and refreshment stand. For seven years the park was open, it never made a profit.

Dreamland Amusement Park was auctioned off on Tuesday, February 20, 1912, at the courthouse in Decatur, Illinois, and all items, which included an Edison picture machine, an organ, roller skates, lawn swings, park benches, chairs, and pool tables, sold in an auction. The city bought the property in 1919 for $15,000 ($221,000 today) and added it to Fairview Park.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.