tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post3071566698155985822..comments2024-03-28T16:36:10.544-05:00Comments on The Digital Research Library of Illinois History Journal™ : Old Chicago Amusement Park in Bolingbrook, Illinois, (1975-1981). World's First Indoor Amusement Park.Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10605531495401356831noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-12895919844321903952024-01-20T01:39:16.565-06:002024-01-20T01:39:16.565-06:00I lived in Bolingbrook. The surrounding towns were...I lived in Bolingbrook. The surrounding towns were at low income level. Romeoville Lisle and Joliet did not have enough family money to keep the stores open. More than half of the available store fronts never opened as the rent was way too high for the limited area shoppers to visit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-22374686571652995992024-01-11T11:11:36.185-06:002024-01-11T11:11:36.185-06:00I truly enjoyed visiting "Old Chicago" a...I truly enjoyed visiting "Old Chicago" and was deeply saddened to hear it had closed - even though my family and I had moved away when that happened in 1980. I loved this place! I certainly wish it could have lasted. So many kids missed out on this experience. <br />Thank you to Dr. Gale for publishing this and for reminding me of some happy memories. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-24694296992866886172023-10-17T22:05:51.450-05:002023-10-17T22:05:51.450-05:00Exactly my thoughts, I had the same feeling the th...Exactly my thoughts, I had the same feeling the three or four times I went there. I always felt it needed more natural light, more skylights. The mall was dark, and the ride area seemed cold and uninviting. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-19911144999341217212023-05-23T17:13:04.111-05:002023-05-23T17:13:04.111-05:00I think one of the reasons Old Chicago failed was ...I think one of the reasons Old Chicago failed was that it had a dark, dismal interior. The lack of natural sunlight and windows gave it a vibe of being in someone's basement. To compound the uncomfortable atmosphere, the amusement park area was incredibly noisy. The solid cement floor echoed the constant clang of machinery and motors from the rides, to the point where you couldn't converse. Even to myself as a teenager, the place just wasn't enjoyable and felt stifling. The shops and decor were great, though. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-39104585280664837762023-05-23T03:34:32.483-05:002023-05-23T03:34:32.483-05:00Just so many wonderful.pictures! Thanks Neil!Just so many wonderful.pictures! Thanks Neil!Kate Martinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-60128570250405031762022-11-02T10:09:16.220-05:002022-11-02T10:09:16.220-05:00Me too .couldn't wait to go with my brother an...Me too .couldn't wait to go with my brother and friends..every weekend..and lots of sailors hung out thereAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-71823936345273610152022-08-08T09:53:24.132-05:002022-08-08T09:53:24.132-05:00I remember Old Chicago! As a teenager, I came with...I remember Old Chicago! As a teenager, I came with some friends and family in the first year it opened. It was a year or two before Marriott's Six Flags Great America: the only parks I'd been to were: the LAST YEAR of Riverview, and more recently/often FunTown, on 95th & Stony Island. It's too bad that it didn't last as long, and if it had some "anchor stores", like Marshall Fields or Sears, probably would have given Six Flags Great America some competition! No telling how well it would have run if opened up in the last 30-40 years with "anchors".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-72415705275351962632022-07-25T06:10:37.880-05:002022-07-25T06:10:37.880-05:00Old Chicago did not have an anchor store. No Wards...Old Chicago did not have an anchor store. No Wards, Marshall Field's, Sears, Load & Taylor, or others. So as a shopping center, Old Chicago was a total failure.Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10605531495401356831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-69194142359639635932022-07-25T01:03:23.054-05:002022-07-25T01:03:23.054-05:00I sure miss this place. Great memories!! I remembe...I sure miss this place. Great memories!! I remember taking pics with all the characters, enjoying the rides and the haunted house, watching the shows, and then hitting the restaurants and shops after a long afternoon of fun. I remember munching on funnel cakes and cotton candy. And those lions at the entrance. I wonder if those are the same lions at the Art Museum in downtown Chicago. It was a wonderful place. This was the original Mall of America. Old days, good times I remember....When I hear this classic Chicago tune, I always remember Old Chicago!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-36624817759679151442022-05-02T18:40:31.555-05:002022-05-02T18:40:31.555-05:00I used to love this place. I remember taking part ...I used to love this place. I remember taking part in a hypnosis act onstage. First time I saw a cork-screw coaster! Lots of good memories there! I left it all behind when S. California called to me and I moved west in ‘77. Sad to see they tore it down, but I also was sad to see Riverview Park being torn down too!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-15000104920270793612022-04-27T23:26:48.538-05:002022-04-27T23:26:48.538-05:00Did you see a picture of the Four Seasons (dark ri...Did you see a picture of the Four Seasons (dark ride) in this article? Which one? Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10605531495401356831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-24805579775367964322022-04-27T19:30:39.958-05:002022-04-27T19:30:39.958-05:00My favorite was the Four Seasons dark ride. I was ...My favorite was the Four Seasons dark ride. I was little when I went but I have faint memories of it. I wish there was pictures or a video of it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-162806224423586872020-11-19T15:22:49.558-06:002020-11-19T15:22:49.558-06:00A scene or two from the movie "The Fury"...A scene or two from the movie "The Fury" (1978 with Kirk Douglas, Amy Irving) was filmed at Old Chicago. Teen with telekinetic powers makes one of the amusement park rides come apart and crash.mickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06107980466754462721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-90337437161228244342020-05-24T12:05:58.946-05:002020-05-24T12:05:58.946-05:00Thank you for the information about your Dad. i ad...Thank you for the information about your Dad. i added it as a photo caption in the article.Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10605531495401356831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-20928631621727703472020-05-23T22:39:50.280-05:002020-05-23T22:39:50.280-05:00My father, Peter Labella, is pictured in this arti...My father, Peter Labella, is pictured in this article playing his trumpet. He led the circus band at Old Chicago. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12554382972294424074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-51973366979857020192020-05-22T15:15:18.996-05:002020-05-22T15:15:18.996-05:00sure was a fun place its so sad it was closed. loo...sure was a fun place its so sad it was closed. looking at the pics sure put a tear in my eye..so so sadAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11789047232751755442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-82831677733062598122019-10-26T10:27:41.392-05:002019-10-26T10:27:41.392-05:00I worked there as a sweeper in the park. My boyfri...I worked there as a sweeper in the park. My boyfriend ran a ride. He had to wear one of those costumes once in a while. I wonder if he's in one of the photos. LOL Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-43172511861745610982018-10-11T08:50:43.257-05:002018-10-11T08:50:43.257-05:00Mountain played there 2.Mountain played there 2.curbstomphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17923787629633712758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-69076940447175254752017-01-31T15:23:18.484-06:002017-01-31T15:23:18.484-06:00Some of my favorite memories from my childhood wer...Some of my favorite memories from my childhood were here. <br />Disco and funnel cake,most of all time spent with my cousin and friends. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04599153088610349718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-48545383960704440092017-01-30T19:38:54.522-06:002017-01-30T19:38:54.522-06:00Oh, yes, I remember it well! One thing was that t...Oh, yes, I remember it well! One thing was that the entrance to the amusement park was on the back of the building, so you had to enter from the front, go through the whole mall (or technically, half it it), and then you could reach the park entrance on the back side of the perimeter. Wonder if that made a difference, that it was just a hassle to get to the fun part.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15689892666565349710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-28601683794236279582017-01-29T20:57:22.813-06:002017-01-29T20:57:22.813-06:00It has been reinvented in Minnesota: the Mall of A...It has been reinvented in Minnesota: the Mall of America. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-87011657041335455282017-01-29T13:10:29.995-06:002017-01-29T13:10:29.995-06:00What about the disco? I spent every weekend there!...What about the disco? I spent every weekend there!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14208119871204672492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-39982612880913151542017-01-28T09:52:51.763-06:002017-01-28T09:52:51.763-06:00WOW! My old stomping ground!!! My sister,friends, ...WOW! My old stomping ground!!! My sister,friends, and I used to come here just about EVERY weekend! I agree with Tricia Fontana! I think they were just a little ahead of times. I'm pretty sure they'd be a big hit today!!! At least there'd be a place to go in the winter!!! <br />Good times!!! <br />Kimberly EdwardsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-27313598514155549912017-01-26T13:49:07.318-06:002017-01-26T13:49:07.318-06:00Wow these really brought back memories . I wish th...Wow these really brought back memories . I wish they never tore the building down but atLEAST the kept the street name. I wish someone could reinvent this Old ChicagoAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17788903451609292080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2698674352470153088.post-63921523872685814702017-01-26T10:07:30.731-06:002017-01-26T10:07:30.731-06:00Extraordinary!...Extraordinary!...skywalkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04728553523053192713noreply@blogger.com