The Little Dipper.The top of one of the carousels before the park closed.
Kiddieland Amusement Park (stylized as "KiDDieLAND") was an amusement park located at the corner of North Avenue and First Avenue in Melrose Park, Illinois. It was home to several classic rides including the Little Dipper roller coaster, which opened in 1950. The park closed on September 27, 2009, and was demolished in 2010 to make way for a new Costco store. The sign for the amusement park was relocated to the Melrose Park Public Library, where it can be seen in the parking lot.
History
Kiddieland started out as a small venture of Arthur Fritz, a local builder and contractor, in 1929 when he purchased six ponies and offered rides to local children. He realized parents would often save a few pennies in order to provide their children entertainment during the Great Depression. Miniature gasoline-powered cars were added a few years later after Fritz learned that they were being given away to children by a Chicago newspaper as a subscription promotion. By the 1930s, Fritz was calling his collection of amusements Kiddieland; the attractions were primarily sized and geared towards younger children.
In 1940, the German Carousel, two miniature steam locomotives, the Little Auto Ride, the Roto Whip and the Ferris wheel were added. The Roto Whip and Ferris wheel would remain as rides until the park's closing. The park saw its first major expansion in the 1950s with the addition of the Little Dipper and the merry-go-round. Fritz's adult children also became more involved in the park at this time. The 1960s saw bumper cars replace the original pony ride, as well as the unexpected death of Fritz in 1967.[1]
The park transferred ownership in 1977, as three of Fritz's grandchildren took over the park and its operation. The park continued its expansion over the next several decades and installed several major attractions, including a Log flume, a swinging pirate ship, a 40-foot (12 m) long water coaster, and numerous other attractions.
Closure
A dispute developed between Shirley and Glenn Rynes, who owned the land that Kiddieland occupied, and Ronald Rynes, Jr. and Cathy and Tom Norini, who owned the amusement park itself.[2] The landowners sued the park owners in 2004, claiming that the park had an improper insurance policy and that fireworks were prohibited in the lease. The case was thrown out in a Cook County court and later in an appeals court. The landowners declined to extend the lease on the land in early 2009.[2][3] In late June 2010, it was announced that Kiddieland would be demolished, nine months after the park closed to the public. A Costco store now occupies the land.[4]
Image gallery
Rides and Attractions
Ride
Year opened
Year closed
Description
Boats
1949
2009
Tractors
1958
1988
Five gas-powered tractors could be driven between guardrails (not on tracks) by children with an optional standing platform in back for adults. Tractors were painted two green to represent John Deere, three red to represent International Harvester and one yellow to represent Allis-Chalmers. Tractors were not sold at the closing auction. The family kept one; as of 2020 Thoosie Rocco Casella owns another; some additional trucks were located at a private collector's house when the Kiddieland firetrucks were rescued in 2022.
Was relocated Gillian's Funland in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, but status is unknown after park closed.
German Carousel
1962
2009
Special ordered by Fritz for Kiddieland. Sold at auto auction for $557,000 to a private car collector in Canada. Was last seen in Arizona auction. [6]
Kiddie Swings
2008
2009
Kiddieland Limited Steam Engines
1941 & 1949
2009
A 14 in (356 mm) gauge miniature railway with two steam locomotives. One, a 4-6-4 Hudson, was built in 1941 and the other, a 4-8-4 Northern, was built in 1949. The Hudson was sold to Hesston Steam Museum in the 1980s. The Northern stayed at Kiddieland until 2009 and was bought by Bill McEnery of Gas City. The Northern was leased by McEnery to the Hesston Steam Museum in Indiana and operated for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The Northern was purchased outright by the Museum after McEnery filed for bankruptcy.
Kiddieland Limited Diesel Engines
1953
2009
Two diesel-powered engines built between 1950 and 1953. The diesels have disappeared from public knowledge since the park closed and it is unknown if they were sold or scrapped.
Designed by Herbert Schmeck and built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1950. The brakes are operated manually by a wooden handle in the station. The out-and-back coaster is 24 feet (7.3 m) tall and travels a course of 700 feet (210 m). It was awarded the ACE Coaster Classic award by the American Coaster Enthusiasts. The ride was relocated to Six Flags Great America after Kiddieland's closure.[8]
Little Ferris Wheel
1951
2009
Now at the Volo Museum in Volo, Illinois.
Log Jammer
1992
2009
Being relocated to Santa's Village AZoosment Park after sitting in storage at Wisconsin's Little Amerricka. Was planned to reopen as Yule Tide Plunge in 2022, but plans have not progressed as of 2024.
