White City (Amusement) Park, Herrin, Illinois. (1924-1957)

White City Park, a $300,000 amusement park ($4,466,000 today), was located at 621 North 17th Street at East Polk Street, in Herrin. 

Grand Opening 1/4 page Newspaper Advertisement for May 30, 1924.

It opened on Memorial Day of 1924 with over 5,000 electric lights. Over 10,000 people attended the opening day. Their tag-line or slogan was: "The Whitest Spot in Egypt." (Southern Illinois is also known as "Little Egypt.")

Main Entrance

The purchased property was cleared of residences and built substantially, artistically, and conveniently for recreational and fun purposes.

Location

Mr. John D. Marlow had been in the amusement and hotel business all his life. He was President of the Marlow Parks Corp., which operated White City Park amusement center in Herrin for 32 years with partners, George Marlow, James Marlow, and Paul Colombo. Marlow Parks Corp. owned White City Park, the Ly-Mar Hotel in Herrin, and several theaters. The park was open from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

An average of 12,000 people attended on weekends. The park's main feature was the 100x200 foot saltwater swimming pool, one of the largest in the country. Marlow purchased more than $4,000 ($60,000 today) worth of bathing suits and over 1,000 lockers.

Swimming Pool

Swimming Pool Slide

Swimming Pool Steel Diving Tower

The pool was equipped with two children's slides, two large slides, a 10 and 20-foot steel diving towers with diving boards. A spectator's balcony was provided for those who do not wish to swim. The water in the swimming pool was changed daily by pumping water from six deep artesian saltwater wells, thus ensuring a freshwater supply. The pool was also equipped with a chlorinating apparatus that constantly purifies the water with a solution of liquid chlorine gas, thereby destroying all bacterial growth and all water insects. 

A change came for the 1927 season. The entire park was only open on Saturdays (at 6:00 pm), Sundays, and Holidays (at 2:00 pm), although the saltwater swimming pool was open daily.

Ballroom

Ballroom

Attractions also included a roller skating rink, a bowling alley, a penny arcade, a funhouse, the African Dip, skeeball, a large shooting gallery, a puzzle bungalow, strike-'em-out, and a few mechanical carnival-type rides too; the Caterpillar, the Whip, a Merry-Go-Round, Teeter Coaster, the Mixup, and others. Lots of free acts like tumblers and high-wire acts were common on weekends along with spectacular fireworks shows.

Merry-Go-Round

The Caterpillar

The Caterpillar

The Whip, offseason

For those who enjoyed stage attractions and movies, they found a large, 2,500 seat, cool open-air theater, protected in case of rain by an arched steel-constructed roof, with sides arranged so that they can be lowered in case of rain. The shelter held 15,000 people.

Teeter Coaster

Teeter Coaster

There were numerous concession stands, confectionery, and a restaurant. The park was equipped to handle all kinds of food and beverages. A complete electrical refrigerating plant for keeping meat, bottled drinks, and ice cream had been installed. There were a number of electric and gas cooking devices of different kinds, including a novelty Hot Dog roaster, a Tater-Flakes (potato chips) machine, roasted popcorn, and a machine to make sugar wafers.

After the Great Depression began in 1929, the concessions and rides were sold. The theater disappeared, but the ballroom remained open.

The ballroom was originally on the 2nd floor but later was moved to the first floor. It seated 1680 people with standing room for another 600. The dance floor would hold 500 couples at once. The ballroom alone drew 50,000 to 60,000 persons a year during its peak period.

Ballroom Ticket

Many of the nation's top dance bands and big-name musicians played at the White City Park ballroom; Vaughn Monroe, Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Wayne King, Stan Kenton, Guy Lombardo, Lawrence Welk, Paul Whiteman, and Count Basie among many, many others, including popular local talent. The ballroom continued operation until 1957 when the building was sold and became a grocery warehouse market. The landmark building became a fire hazard and was torn down in 1978.

Summarizing his reasons for closing White City in 1957, Marlow said, "The days of the big bands in the big ballrooms are gone."

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale. Ph.D.

White City (Amusement) Park, Belleville, Illinois, formerly "Priester’s Park.” (1899-1919)

In 1899, Frank M. Priester, a 46-year-old German immigrant, used 88 acres near what today is roughly 6000 West Main Street, for "Priester's Park," a relaxing amusement escape for city residents. The area was situated in "Lenz Station," four miles west of Belleville proper. The sprawling property would have baseball, football, golf, tennis and cricket fields along with gymnastic apparatus, bowling alleys, a dance pavilion, rifle range, and a restaurant.

"Everything calculated to make the park the most thoroughly equipped and pleasant resort in St. Clair County has been provided for, including a large lake for fishing and boating," according to a front-page story on January 20, 1899, Belleville Daily Advocate. "The entire place will be lighted with electric lights (powered by an on-site generator). Belleville societies and clubs will be royally entertained whenever they go there."

Lake, Priester's Park, Near Belleville, Illinois.

In 1902, a bolt of lightning sparked a fire that destroyed a barn, bowling alleys, and pavilion. Tragedy struck again in 1905 when two St. Louis men drowned.

By the fall of 1905, Priester already was eager to try something different, so on November 3, he announced his plan to turn the amusement park into Priester's Park Driving and Country Club open to members only. In addition to all of the previous attractions, Priester spent another $20,000 to build a half-mile driving track for horse and auto races, and a movie theater. The idea was to make the club, valued at $100,000 (perhaps $3 million in today's money), a "popular place for gentlemen who appreciate true sportsmanship" while providing special days for women and children. By the following spring, memberships numbered 650 with another 212 offered. The new concept had its informal opening on May 12, 1906.

"A tour of the park and inspection of the buildings will be a pleasant surprise to the admirers of comfort, nature and all that goes to make life worth living," the Advocate gushed.

The bar, for example, featured an extensive buffet served in elegant surroundings with 16th-century trappings. Also new were private club rooms for both men and women, four private dining rooms in Priester's own on-site home — and a hotel.

Priester's Park Hotel.

"There can be no question but that the preserves of the club are the most spacious, up-to-date and finest equipped in the Central West," the Advocate writer concluded.

But all the gold and glitter could not buy the club's success. In the fall of 1907, another fire left $45,000 in damage, prompting another change of plans for Priester. On April 8, 1908, several thousand people enjoyed riding the 2,000-foot roller coaster at what was now called "Priester's White City," where admission was 10 cents to all. Tickets included the lastest rage — a motion picture theater.

Neither the new name nor new events like motorcycle races could save Priester's dream. By 1913, he was embroiled in lawsuits with Star Brewery, from whom he leased land for the park. Priester was eventually awarded roughly $10,000 in damages in two suits. He soon sold the park, but it had even less success in the hands of Peter Schwartz. In July 1917, Belleville ordered the park closed when a sheriff's deputy was slugged while trying to calm an unruly patron. The closure was rescinded the next month, but the city ordered that while liquor and music would be allowed, dancing would be banned, adding to the park's miseries.

For a time in 1916, Belleville discussed buying the place for its first city park, and organizations began donating money. But the West Side Improvement Association claimed it was too far from town and would turn into a costly boondoggle, so the idea died.

Finally, in 1919, the park's roller-coaster history came to an end when Bishop Henry Althoff bought the park for educational purposes. To celebrate New Year's Day 1925, Althoff announced that the Oblate Fathers of Mary would establish a Misson and Retreat House on the property. On October 4, 1926, St. Henry Prep Seminary welcomed 13 students through its doors, the first of nearly 3,000 who would study there until it, too, closed in May 1984.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.