Hopkins Amusement Park, DeKalb, Illinois. (ca.1920-1968)

Hopkins Park was 32 acres at 1403 Sycamore Road, DeKalb, Illinois. Judge Jacob H. Hopkins donated the parkland to the city in 1893. The park was initially designed as a passive recreation space with walking paths, a bandshell, and a pond. 

In 1915, the park district added a swimming pool to Hopkins Park, a major draw for families during the summer months. In the early 1920s, the park began offering various other attractions, including a carousel, a roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, a miniature train, and an 18-hole miniature golf course.

Hopkins Park Swimming Pool, ca. 1945.

The park also hosted various events, such as concerts, festivals, and corporate and family picnics.

Hopkins Amusement Park reached its peak of popularity in the 1950s. As the popularity of amusement parks began to decline in the 1960s, Hopkins Amusement Park began to fall on hard times.

Hopkins Amusement Park closed in 1968, and the park was eventually turned into a more traditional city park focusing on passive recreation. The rides were ultimately sold off.

However, the park retained some of its amusement park history, including the carousel, the bandshell, and the pond.

In 1989, the DeKalb Park District built a community center in Hopkins Park. The community center includes a swimming pool, a gymnasium, and meeting rooms. The community center is a popular spot for residents of DeKalb and the surrounding area, and it is also used by several local organizations.

Today's Hopkins Park Swimming Pool.

Hopkins Park is a valuable asset to the DeKalb community. The park provides various recreational opportunities for residents of all ages and is also a popular spot for special events. The park's history as an amusement park is a reminder of its rich history, and it is a testament to its ability to adapt to the community's changing needs.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Joyland Amusement Park, Urbana, Illinois. (ca 1954-1988)

Joyland Amusement Park was opened in the early 1950s by George Mallow on the Champaign County Fairgrounds, although there were ongoing legal skirmishes between the fair association and Mallow.

It later moved to a site on North U.S. 45. 

In 1960 new owner Frank Stewart, who also owned the two drive-in theaters in Champaign-Urbana, announced that he had purchased Joyland from Mallow and that it would have entertainment "for every member of the family, no matter what the age may be." Instead of just a merry-go-round, train and other rides for small children, there would be a go-kart track, a driving range, a rifle range and an indoor trap shooting range, Stewart said.

Stewart sold the park two miles north of Urbana in 1961 to Mr. and Mrs. B.V. Phelps, who had operated a Joyland Park in Wichita, Kansas. In 1962 they said that hours would be 6 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. An adult-sized Ferris wheel was installed, and a boat ride was planned. Kiddie rides cost 5¢ apiece.

This Octopus ride photo is a visual aid. It was not at Joyland Amusement Park, Urbana.

In 1963 a "Tilt-a-Whirl" and an Octopus ride were added to the amusements that included the kiddie train, roller coaster, merry-go-round, ferris wheels and kiddie rides.

By 1964 Phelps proposed moving much of Joyland back to Urbana, this time at Crystal Lake Park. But a few days later, the Urbana Park Board rejected the idea. Ted Brash, president of the park board, said kiddie rides are "not in character with the park." 

The park added the Scrambler, Bumper Cars, a 19-hole miniature golf course, and a variety of food concessions.

Joyland Amusement Park in Urbana, Illinois, closed in 1988. The park cited declining attendance and rising costs as the reasons for the closure. The park's land was sold to a developer, and the rides were auctioned off.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Joyland Kiddie Rides, Franklin Park, Illinois. (1952-1956)

Joyland Kiddie Rides in Franklin Park, Illinois, located at 1280 Mannheim Road, Franklin Park. It was open from 1952 to 1956. Joyland Kiddie Rides was owned and operated by George Thompson of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. 

This photo is a visual aid.

The park featured five rides, including a merry-go-round, a Ferris wheel, a tilt-a-whirl, a miniature train, and pony rides. Tickets were 10¢ and 15¢ for the pony rides.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.