Paul's Grove ─► Storybook Park ─► Storybook City USA, in Medina, Illinois (Addison, IL). (1952-1961)

The land that Storybook City sat on was originally owned by Paul Werner and was known as Paul's Grove. It is unknown exactly when Werner began to operate Paul's Grove. It consisted of 24 acres and hosted a restaurant and a dance pavilion.

It was located at the northwest corner of Medinah Road and Lake Street in the Chicago suburb of Bloomingdale, Illinois, but all advertisements and the mailing address read "Addison, Illinois."

Paul's Grove was purchased by John and Marie Spiezio in 1952 and they managed it until 1958.

C. Diane Bishop: "My first job was Cinderella here in 1959. That's Mike the coachman in the seat. My fondest memory is when the horses spooked one day and jackknifed the coach into a tree. Moms were not happy."

Sometime in 1958, the park was purchased by Richard Barrie who changed the name to Storybook Park, then later Barrie changed the name to Storybook City, USA. The park was geared to families with young children.

Richard Barrie was the founder and owner of the private, corporate event amusement and picnic park called, "Hillcrest Park" in Woodridge [formerly Lemont], from 1952 to 2003.

Barrie added some kiddie rides, built a fairy-tale castle, and hired people to dress in costumes, thus bringing the storybook characters to life. After some financial problems, Barrie sold Storybook City USA to Durell Everding in 1961.

Notice the odd seating arrangement on the miniature train.

Chicago Tribune Ad, December 10, 1960

 

Everding renamed it Adventureland in 1961 and expanded the focus of the amusement park to include older children, teens, and young adults. The original Storybook City structures remained and the kiddie rides were grouped together in a section Everding called the "Kiddie Korral". Adventureland grew and became the largest amusement park in Illinois after Chicago's Riverview Park closed in 1967. It would retain this title until Marriott's Great America opened in 1976 (now Six Flags Great America since 1984), and Adventureland closed in 1977.

The Original "Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe" from Storybook Park (the toe was enclosed) can be seen at the miniature golf course at Green Valley Golf Range in Hanover Park, Illinois.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

Fort Massac, Metropolis, Illinois.

The high bank overlooking the Ohio River at Metropolis drew a series of occupants to the site. Prehistoric Native Americans camped near here. In 1757, after years of intermittent use for trading purposes, the French constructed a fortification to block British expansion into the Mississippi River basin.

The fort was named in honor of the Marquis de Massiac, a French naval minister. The end of the French and Indian War in 1763 marked the fort passing into British hands. 

In 1778 as a prelude to his march on Kaskaskia, George Rogers Clark and his men landed at the mouth of Massac Creek and advanced to the fort, which they found abandoned. Under orders from President Washington, the fort was rebuilt in 1794 and garrisoned to guard American interests on the lower Ohio River. A customs port was opened, as was a post office. Zebulon Pike, for whom Pike's Peak is named, served here as a Lieutenant. 

After the War of 1812 the post was no longer needed, and it was again abandoned.

In 1908, recognizing its historical importance, the site was dedicated as Illinois' first state park. Archaeological excavations in the 1930s, 1960s and 1970s provided information that ultimately resulted in a reconstructed fort from the American period. Dedicated in 1973, the reconstructed fort was not placed in the original location to the west to preserve the site's integrity. 

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.