78-536: Freedomland may refer to: Freedomland U.S.A. , a short-lived themed amusement park in the Baychester section of the Bronx, New York City Freedomland (novel) , a 1998 novel by Richard Price Freedomland (film) , a 2006 film adaptation of Price's novel starring Samuel L. Jackson and Julianne Moore Freedomland , a play by Amy Freed Free Territory of Freedomland ,
156-475: A "gamble". Schumacher hoped that Freedomland would be as large a New York City icon as Central Park or the Statue of Liberty . Although optimistic projections called for up to 5 million visitors a year, Freedomland would have needed to see two million visitors in its first season in order to break even . Toward the end of the season, first-year visitation projections were decreased from 4.8 million to 1.7 million;
234-484: A $ 16.35 million mortgage note. As part of the plan, Webb and Knapp would give the park a $ 3 million cash loan, and it would purchase the lien that the construction contractors had placed on the park. This plan was approved in June 1961, just prior to the start of the park's second season. Zeckendorf also unsuccessfully attempted a merger with Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino . Yonkers Raceway's owners declined, though
312-586: A New York gangland robbery of the Little Old New York Bank. The Old Chicago section was located on the park's western border, south of Old New York. One of the main geographical features of Old Chicago was an imitation of the Great Lakes . This water body was 6 feet (1.8 m) deep, covered a surface area of 10 acres (4.0 ha), and could hold 10,000,000 U.S. gallons (38,000,000 L). Attractions included: Restaurants and refreshments included
390-421: A Webb and Knapp subsidiary, as well as Freedomland Inc., an IRC subsidiary, were created to operate and manage the theme park. Wood and IRC president Peter De Met announced further details of the proposed park at a press conference that May. According to Wood and De Met, the park was to cover 205 acres (83 ha) and would have space for up to 32,000 visitors. About 85 acres (34 ha) would be developed for
468-485: A beverage bar, and Chuck Wagon Snack Stand, a snack bar. The San Francisco section was located at the south end of the park. Attractions included: Restaurants and refreshments included Chun-King Shangri-La Restaurant, located in the replica Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf, a snack stand with an actor dressed as an old salt seaman telling stories. A&W Root Beer, an exhibit and restaurant sponsored by A&W Root Beer , operated only from 1962 to 1964. Shops included
546-482: A competition for its official hostess, "Miss Freedomland", every season; according to the New York Amsterdam News , these hostesses "have gone on to lucrative careers in fashion and television modeling". None of the rides on opening day were traditional amusement park attractions such as roller coasters . As attendance failed to meet the operators' expectations, generic fairground attractions were added to
624-457: A development in Dunedin Beach, Florida . This resolved the park's short-term debt. Zeckendorf was also considering ways to keep Freedomland open year-round, proposing ideas such as a ski slope, a horse-racing track, a bowling alley, and a series of Christmas events. Freedomland's fifth operating season began on May 16, 1964, with the park operating only on weekends until June. In advance of
702-501: A feasibility study for the location of Wood's proposed American-history theme park. By late 1958, Wood had pitched his American-history park concept to the Webb and Knapp development company. Early the next year, a site was selected: a portion of a 400-acre (160 ha) plot owned by Webb and Knapp in the northeast Bronx section of New York City. The site, in the Baychester neighborhood, was
780-546: A few weeks after opening day, the former due to "electrical difficulties". In total, Freedomland was only 85 percent complete at the time of its opening. Parts of the original proposal, such as a Freedomland Inn and a movie studio, were never completed. Admission was initially $ 1.00 for adults, 75 cents for those aged 12 to 17, and 50 cents for those under 12. Members of the United States Armed Forces also paid 75 cents. The admission fee only covered entry to
858-847: A food-service area that served fried chicken. There was also the Mardi Gras Sidewalk Cafe and the Jolly Roger snack area. Shops included the Carousel Toy Shop, next to the King Rex Carrousel. The Satellite City – The Future section was located at the southeast section of the park. Attractions included: Restaurants and refreshments included the Satellite City Snack Bar, as well as a Coca-Cola soft-drink bar. There were several unbuilt areas and attractions. One area near New Orleans and Satellite City would have recreated
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#1732847909859936-627: A former municipal landfill, originally marshland fed by Rattlesnake Creek and the Hutchinson River . This led to a profusion of mosquitoes during certain periods of the year. The International Recreation Corporation (IRC) was incorporated in Boston in April 1959 to oversee development of the proposed park. Webb and Knapp's principal owner, William Zeckendorf , announced the plans for Freedomland on April 30, 1959. National Development Corporation (NDC),
1014-408: A glass blower shop, and other stores. Unlike Disneyland, where the shops were connected to each other, the stores were generally separated internally, like actual shops on city streets. Macy's recreated its original Manhattan store, Macy's Herald Square . There was also a live street show that included a German band, an 1880s Tammany Hall speech, a political pep rally, campaigning suffragettes , and
1092-579: A large map of the contiguous United States and was designed like a movie set . As guests entered from the parking lot, they walked into Little Old New York of the 1890s. Baychester Avenue and the New England Thruway at the park's western edge approximately represented Freedomland's border with Canada. The designers added decor such as vintage building advertisements and a night-lighting system. Freedomland's attractions on opening day were significantly different from what had originally been planned. Of
1170-404: A live show called Colossus; in total, the park had 164 events and attractions for the 1961 season. The Freedomland Inn, which had been planned to open in the park's second season, had not started construction. During the 1961 season, over 1.7 million visitors entered Freedomland. The park still had a myriad of issues: for instance, to satiate employees' demands for pay raises, the security budget
1248-584: A marketing expert, who cut costs by decreasing the $ 150,000 weekly payroll by 20% and forbidding employees from collecting overtime . To raise money for the park, Zeckendorf proposed selling his leaseholds on three hotels in Midtown Manhattan (the Astor , Commodore , and Manhattan hotels) to the IRC. Webb and Knapp also considered developing a shopping center along Freedomland's periphery, and they started constructing
1326-586: A micronation declared by Filipino explorer Tomás Cloma in the Spratly Islands Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Freedomland . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freedomland&oldid=854762876 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
1404-514: A minimum asking price of $ 2 million. The site, covering 500,000 square feet (46,000 m ), did not garner any bids. Zeckendorf also sold off adjacent plots of land. The park closed for the season on September 29, 1963. In total, Freedomland earned a combined $ 3 million from admissions during the 1962 and 1963 seasons. However, Freedomland still had a large amount of debt. Webb and Knapp faced serious financial troubles of its own, in part because of declining revenues from its hotels, prompting
1482-459: A musical number from New York City Department of Sanitation 's 60-piece band. Fifty bulldozers, representing every U.S. state, were exhibited at the groundbreaking ceremony. Despite these lavish preparations, only 19 members of the public attended the ceremony, in addition to sponsors and performers. Over the next months, more than 2,000 workers were hired, mostly by the two major contractors, Turner Construction and Aberthaw Construction. Work
1560-454: A net profit in each of its five operating seasons; if it were downsized 30 acres (12 ha), Freedomland estimated that it could make a $ 25,000 profit if it were to reopen in 1965. Freedomland never reopened, and its attractions, buildings, and other features were auctioned and sold during 1965. Disney brothers The Disney family is an American family that gained prominence when brothers Roy and Walt began creating films through
1638-423: A price that many vendors could not pay with their low profits. Total admission for 1962 was estimated at 1.4 million. The 1963 season started on April 21 of that year, at which point it was open weekends only until that June. Admission had been reduced to one dollar. By that time, the themes of the amusements and events had little to do with history in general, let alone American history. The events advertised at
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#17328479098591716-446: A railroad and an aerial lift ride carrying passengers between different parts of the park. The 2 ft ( 610 mm ) narrow gauge Santa Fe Railroad traveled between the park's Chicago and San Francisco areas. The ride was approximately six minutes long and consisted of a loop stretching about 1 mile (1.6 km). The park leased two locomotives named Monson No. 3 and Monson No. 4, as well as passenger coaches and flatbeds, from
1794-425: A souvenir shop called Indian Trading Post and an Italian restaurant with attached gift shop. The Old Southwest section was located on the eastern border of the park, north of Old San Francisco. Attractions included: Restaurants and refreshments included a Mexican restaurant called Libby's Hacienda, or Libby's Frito House, which served quick service meals, along with several "specials" that included Fritos . There
1872-499: A week in late June. Freedomland charged $ 3.50 admission during the 1962 season. After implementing a system of portable radios , the park laid off 700 of its 3,000 workers during that season. Additionally, visitors who entered after 6 p.m. were charged a reduced price of $ 2.50. The park also offered concerts, which featured acts such as Louis Armstrong , the Glenn Miller Orchestra , Benny Goodman , and Paul Anka . In
1950-534: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Freedomland U.S.A. Freedomland U.S.A. (often shortened to Freedomland ) was a theme park dedicated to American history in the Baychester section of the northeastern Bronx in New York City , United States. Freedomland was built on marshland owned by the Webb and Knapp company, of which William Zeckendorf Sr.
2028-801: The Edaville Railroad in Massachusetts; the rolling stock was transported back to the Edaville Railroad via truck between seasons. A two-passenger double Von Roll (VR101) sky ride, the Tucson Mining Company Sky Ride, traveled between the Old Southwest and Old Chicago sections of the park. The ride used gondolas manufactured by Gangloff Cabins, supposedly obtained from the 1958 Brussels World's Fair , and designed as replicas of ore cars. Sixty-four gondolas were used. The attraction
2106-659: The Gun Hill Road station , served by the 5 train. Furthermore, the presence of several highways, such as the New England Thruway , made the site accessible from the surrounding New York metropolitan area , whose population exceeded 10 million. Express bus service ran to Manhattan and the Pelham Bay Park and Gun Hill Road subway stations. For the wealthy, Flotair operated a seaplane service that could reach Manhattan in five minutes. Freedomland U.S.A. had
2184-729: The Walt Disney Hometown Museum , housing a collection of memorabilia from the Disney family, many of which were donated by the family of Ruth Flora Disney Beecher, Walt's sister, opened, in the restored Santa Fe Railway Depot in Marceline, Missouri . In 2009, the Walt Disney Family Museum , designed by Disney's daughter Diane and her son (Walt's grandson) Walter E. D. Miller, opened in the Presidio of San Francisco . The museum
2262-771: The 16 areas and attractions announced in an August 1959 press release, 12 were operating on opening day, some of which were themed to a completely different time span than in the original plan. As conceived, the park also focused on history from a narrow era, between roughly 1850 and 1900, rather than a larger period. The park could accommodate up to 32,000 visitors at once or 90,000 visitors per day. The premises included 8 miles (13 km) of navigable waterways and lakes, 10,000 newly planted trees, more than 18 restaurants and snack bars, and parking for 7,200 cars for guests and 1,800 for employees. The park also included 35,000 shrubs. Freedomland's operators also acquired 80 burros , 200 horses, six stagecoaches, canoes, and saddles to make
2340-485: The 1964 season, the park's operators added a haunted castle attraction. By then, the San Francisco-themed area already had been walled off. For several months prior to the start of the 1964 season, there were rumors that Freedomland would be moved to Florida, where it could operate year-round. Staff members were also told that only Little Old New York, Old Chicago, and Satellite City might be open for 1965, while
2418-791: The Brass Rail Stockyards Restaurant, a steak restaurant. This was the largest restaurant in Freedomland with over 300 seats. Shops included the Hallmark Card Shop, a store that sold souvenir postcards, which also served as Freedomland's communication center. There was also the Relic Shop, a souvenir shop located near the Chicago Fire attraction. The Great Plains section was located south of Old Chicago. Attractions included: Restaurants and refreshments included Borden's Milk Bar,
Freedomland - Misplaced Pages Continue
2496-601: The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, today known as mass media and entertainment conglomerate The Walt Disney Company . The Disney family's influence on American culture grew with successful feature films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937 and the opening of the Disneyland Amusement park in 1955. Other Disney family members have been involved in the management and administration of
2574-574: The Disney company, filmmaking, and philanthropy. The family name, originally d'Isigny ("from Isigny") , is of Norman French derivation, coming from the town of Isigny-sur-Mer . The Disneys, among others who took names from the Normans , settled in England and gave their name to Norton Disney in Lincolnshire. Some of the family moved to Ireland around the 11th century. Elias Charles Disney (1859–1941)
2652-634: The Florida peninsula. Plans were also drawn up for a replica of a Hollywood set located near San Francisco. An expansion of the New England section would have included a commemoration of the Battle of Bunker Hill , a fishing village, and a Plymouth Rock recreation. In addition, the developers planned to build the Freedomland Inn just south of the park, with between 300 and 600 rooms. Architect William B. Tabler
2730-478: The IRC did purchase a controlling interest in the raceway that October. The park reopened on June 10, 1961. Admission fees were raised to $ 2.95 for a park-wide entrance ticket, and pay-per-ride admission was abolished. To entice visitors, Freedomland started to add more traditional amusement rides, such as the Moon Bowl dance floor, as well as expanded its schedule of performances. The new attractions included
2808-403: The administration of U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower ; all members of the U.S. Congress; the governors of all 50 U.S. states; and United Nations delegates to the park's opening. The opening was postponed to July 1 so the park could be ready for the expected crowds, then rescheduled again to June 18 due to high excitement generated by the marketing campaign. Journalists were invited to preview
2886-543: The city's newspapers, radio and TV stations, and subway cars. Advertisements were found as far away as 100 miles (160 km) from the Bronx, and several contests and promotions for Freedomland were held in the greater New York City area. Several taglines were devised to advertise Freedomland, including "The World's Newest and Largest Outdoor Entertainment Center", "The World's Largest Entertainment Center", "The World's Largest Family Entertainment Center", and "The World's Largest Outdoor Entertainment Center". Marketers also used
2964-1169: The company. Disney was often compared to his uncle and father. He had two sons (one, Tim Disney , a documentary film producer), and two daughters; his daughter Abigail Disney is a documentary filmmaker. Walter Elias Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American entrepreneur, animator, writer, voice actor and film producer who cofounded Disney Brothers Studio with his brother Roy. He received 59 Academy Award nominations, including 22 awards: both totals are records. He married Lillian Bounds in 1925. They had two daughters, bearing Diane (December 18, 1933 – November 19, 2013) and after, reportedly, suffering several miscarriages, adopting Sharon (in December 1936, born six weeks previously – February 16, 1993). Diane married Ronald William Miller , who became president of Walt Disney Productions in 1980 and CEO in 1983, before being ousted by Roy E. Disney. Sharon, who became an actress, had three children from two marriages, to Robert Brown and later, to William Lund, and died, of complications of breast cancer, February 16, 1993. In 2001,
3042-456: The construction of their own attractions. Major contractors were hired to furnish the props and attractions, including flat-ride manufacturer Arrow Dynamics , souvenir manufacturer Enco National Corporation, concessionaire The Brass Rail, and sternwheeler manufacturer Todd Shipyards . Frederic V. Schumacher was hired as the park's general manager in September 1959. In addition, Ellington and Co.
3120-672: The creation of other amusement parks across the United States under his company Marco Engineering. Wood had devised plans for an American-history theme park as early as 1957, in conjunction with Milton Ted Raynor, who later became president of Freedomland Inc. The new theme park would be themed entirely around American history, in a more historically accurate version of the Disneyland layout, which initially included four distinct areas: Adventureland , Tomorrowland , Fantasyland , and Frontierland . Two consultants at Marco Engineering performed
3198-525: The firm to write off its entire investment in Freedomland in 1963. The company also sought to sell its lease of the land. That December, Zeckendorf obtained a $ 25 million mortgage loan from a pension fund of the Teamsters Union . Zeckendorf secured the loan by giving the Teamsters Union his lease of the park's 149-acre (60 ha) site, an adjacent 258-acre (104 ha) plot in Baychester, and
Freedomland - Misplaced Pages Continue
3276-522: The former amusement park. Freedomland was conceived and built by C. V. Wood , a Texan who had worked in the planning, construction, and management of Disneyland , which opened in Anaheim, California , in 1955. After Disneyland's opening, Wood's relationship with the Disney brothers became strained because of various disputes, and he was ousted from Disneyland management by early 1956. He soon became involved in
3354-478: The generic slogan "A World of Fun for Everyone", but they discarded another tagline, "Freedomland is fifty states of happiness!". A promotional jingle was also developed for Freedomland. On June 18, 1960, Freedomland was dedicated with a ceremony in front of the Chicago-themed railroad station. About 25,000 people attended the dedication, which raised funds for local youth programs. The following day, June 19,
3432-450: The land was valued at $ 30 million and the scenery another $ 33 million. The eateries comprised another $ 1 million of the cost. The actual theme park consisted of 85 acres (340,000 m ) of the 205-acre site leased by the IRC. Prior to opening day, Freedomland launched an aggressive advertising campaign. The first phase, targeting the 10 million people living within 50 miles (80 km) of New York City, consisted of daily advertisements in
3510-463: The late 19th century. Attractions included: Restaurants and refreshments included Borden's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor; F&M Schaefer Brewery, an old-fashioned brewery sponsored by Schaefer Beer ; Kandy King Candy Shop; Lipton's Inn and Lipton's Tea House; New York Coffee House; and Welch's Grape Juice Bar, a beverage bar located near the New England vineyard. Shops included a print shop to purchase vintage-style posters, an apothecary shop,
3588-679: The long term, there were plans to make Freedomland into a year-round destination. Following these changes, paint company Benjamin Moore & Co. , which sponsored an exhibit in Satellite City, sued Freedomland in September 1962, seeking $ 150,000 in damages. The company sought to void its lease for exhibit space, citing "historical and educational" changes to the park's character. The New York Supreme Court ruled against Benjamin Moore. Concessionaires also started complaining of high rents, which had increased to $ 20 to $ 25 per square foot ($ 220 to $ 270/m ),
3666-481: The park during the off-season. Prior to the 1962 season, Freedomland spent $ 1 million to add and expand its offerings. The improvements included a 5,000-seat arena and a midway-themed area with children's rides, as well as the Astro-Ride roller coaster and a Wiggly-Worm caterpillar ride. The 1962 season started on May 27 of that year. It was open weekends only for the first month, expanding its schedule to seven days
3744-411: The park faced financial issues; by the end of the 1961 season, Freedomland had $ 8 million in debt. To generate revenue, the park added more exhibits and conventional amusements. By 1963, further financial issues led the owners to sell off a portion of Freedomland's site to a pension fund of the Teamsters Union , as well as close off a section of the park. Even though Freedomland's planners anticipated that
3822-531: The park in November 1960. The various lawsuits and liens left the park in debt. During the 1960 season, Webb and Knapp bought a 40% share in the project, only for the stock to drop by almost two-thirds, from $ 17.50 to $ 6.25 a share. At one point, local merchants refused to accept checks that Freedomland had issued. By that August, Raynor and Wood had resigned from the park's operation, and Zeckendorf hired two men to replace them. Zeckendorf also hired Art K. Moss,
3900-482: The park in subsequent opening seasons, and the park had 45 rides and over 200 programs by 1962. As at Disneyland, many of Freedomland's attractions received corporate sponsorships , and alcoholic beverages were banned in Freedomland. The site was accessible from the rest of the city via the New York City Subway's Pelham Bay Park station , served by the 6 and <6> trains, and
3978-560: The park included a children's zoo, puppet shows, DJ shows, clown performances, and circus parades. The Meteor single-rail coaster, bumper cars , side shows, a wax display, and a reconstructed carousel from the Dentzel Carousel Company were also added during the 1963 season. As Webb and Knapp's financial troubles increased in the 1960s, the firm placed the site of the proposed Freedomland Inn for sale at an auction in July 1963, with
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#17328479098594056-426: The park itself, and 125 acres (51 ha) would house parking, maintenance areas, and other service areas. There would also be a 12,000-spot parking lot and a 600-room motel. In mid-1959, Freedomland Inc. leased the site for 50 years. IRC issued about one million shares , which were then sold to NDC and Freedomland Inc. The IRC offered 580,000 shares to the public in July 1959, priced at $ 17.50 per share, and
4134-408: The park officially opened. To draw more visitors, Freedomland started a second advertising campaign on that day, targeting ten major populated areas within a radius of 125 miles (201 km). People lined up to get into the park two and a half hours before its official 9:00 a.m. opening. Pat Boone cut the ribbon at 8:30 a.m. By noon, radio announcers were warning people not to go to Freedomland;
4212-401: The park on April 28, 1960. By that May, the park's managers were so confident of the park's June 18 opening date that they had arranged for the popular TV series The Ed Sullivan Show to be broadcast from there on that date. When announced, Freedomland was supposed to cost $ 15.5 million, funded by Freedomland Inc.'s stock issues. The final cost was significantly higher, at $ 65 million;
4290-426: The park seem more realistic. At Freedomland's opening, there were 41 attractions, as well as performances reenacted by over 2,000 cast members. The park also had its own fire department, as well as a dedicated police department with 110 officers. Performance programs were designed to be interactive: for instance, children were enlisted to participate in fighting a reenacted Great Chicago Fire . Freedomland hosted
4368-414: The park ultimately saw 1.5 million visitors, a statistic that was never surpassed in subsequent seasons. For the 1960 operating season, Freedomland was open seven days a week until September 18, when its operating hours were cut to weekends only for the rest of the season. Freedomland's managers had planned to operate the park from May 15 to October 15 of each year. The last operating day of the 1960 season
4446-611: The park would eventually be developed into a full-time amusement area, Freedomland closed permanently at the end of the 1964 season, filing for bankruptcy on September 14, 1964. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, part of the Freedomland site was redeveloped as Co-op City , the world's largest co-op housing development. The Bay Plaza Shopping Center was built on another part of the site. Many Freedomland attractions and design features were auctioned or sold to other parks, and many of these rides no longer exist. While little physical evidence of Freedomland remains, several media works commemorate
4524-518: The park; each of the 35 rides had an additional surcharge of 10 to 50 cents. Patrons could also buy coupon books for nine rides, which cost between $ 2.50 and $ 3.50. At some point during the first season, adult admission was increased to $ 1.50. Under Wood's leadership, Freedomland's designers created a history-themed concept, divided into seven themed areas based on the history of the United States. Each section featured attractions, shops, and restaurants fitting that section's theme. The layout resembled
4602-451: The parking lot was full, and visitors were reportedly parking on side streets up to 1 mile (1.6 km) from the main gate. By 2:05 p.m., Freedomland stopped selling tickets due to traffic jams on highways and local roads leading to the park. Ultimately, the park recorded 61,500 visitors, one-third less than the expected maximum capacity, and closed at 9:00 p.m., three hours before its intended closing. On opening day, one security guard
4680-507: The proposed motel during the 1960–1961 off-season. At the end of the 1960 season, park operators initially predicted that the park would reopen in May 1961. The reopening date was postponed by one month. Freedomland continued to experience financial troubles: before the beginning of the 1961 season, it was $ 8 million in debt. This led the IRC to propose that Zeckendorf sell the leaseholds on several Manhattan hotels to Freedomland Inc. in exchange for
4758-635: The rest of the park would be redeveloped. That July, Freedomland stopped booking rock-and-roll bands and started hiring big bands . In July 1964, the IRC acquired Webb and Knapp's stake in Freedomland Inc. National Development Corporation president Hyman Green, who owned 20 percent of the NDC, bought the remaining 80 percent stake from Zeckendorf. The transactions were intended to reduce Webb and Knapp's large debt, which it had incurred after writing off $ 17.9 million in investments in IRC and Freedomland Inc. At
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#17328479098594836-502: The season. Within three days, Freedomland Inc. had filed for bankruptcy. At the time, Freedomland Inc.'s liabilities were $ 27 million, about three times its $ 9 million in assets . The largest creditors, in order, were the IRC, the NDC, Zeckendorf, and the Internal Revenue Service . The bankruptcy filing nearly caused the collapse of the Teamsters Union, which held the mortgage on the property. Freedomland had never earned
4914-423: The stock offering was quickly oversubscribed . This raised $ 17 million for the park. Under the terms of the lease agreement, the park was to pay an annual rent of $ 600,000 for the first five years, $ 750,000 for the next ten years, and $ 1 million thereafter. Wood presented further details for the park to Zeckendorf and his son William Zeckendorf Jr. later the same year. A groundbreaking ceremony for Freedomland
4992-643: The time, Green said he expected Freedomland to make a profit during the 1964 season, even as it had lost money year-to-date. Zeckendorf later said that Webb and Knapp's involvement in Freedomland "hurt the financial position of Webb and Knapp more than anything we've ever done." Toward the end of the 1964 operating season, Freedomland was expected to reopen the next year, even though it had only earned $ 738,000 from admissions. In an indication of its deep financial troubles, The New York Times reported that Freedomland Inc. had paid its employees with bad checks totaling $ 60,000. On September 13, 1964, Freedomland closed for
5070-460: The winter of 1959–1960, and forty-two buildings were in various states of completion by February 1960. On March 24, six small unfinished buildings were destroyed by fire and were razed; this did not affect progress on the rest of the park. The burned structures were reused as props for Freedomland's Chicago Fire attraction. Freedomland's opening was originally set for June 1, 1960. Advertising agent Edward Weiner wished to invite politicians such as
5148-477: Was also marked by several incidents involving patron injuries. On June 25, 1960, days after the grand opening, a horse-drawn stagecoach overturned in the Great Plains section of the park and injured 10 people. Another incident occurred on October 24, 1960, when a children's train ride overturned and injured two boys. Meanwhile, Turner Construction and Aberthaw Construction filed a $ 3.648 million mechanic's lien on
5226-699: Was also the Santa Fe Opera House and Saloon, a soft drink bar that featured a 30-minute stage show with a four-piece band, showgirls, singers and comedians. Some of New York City's radio disc jockeys and program hosts would broadcast from the stage. There were two souvenir shops: the Mexican Market and the Western Trading Post. The New Orleans – Mardi Gras section was located north of the Old Southwest. Attractions included: Restaurants and refreshments included Jesse Jewell Plantation House Restaurant,
5304-542: Was an American businessman and co-founder of The Walt Disney Company . Roy was married to Edna Francis from April 1925 until his death. Roy's nephew Charles Elias Disney chose to name his son Charles Roy Disney in Roy's honor. Their son, Roy Edward Disney (January 10, 1930 – December 16, 2009 ), was a longtime senior executive for the Walt Disney Company and the last member of the Disney family to be actively involved in
5382-413: Was at the end of October. On August 28, 1960, three armed men stole the day's receipts of over $ 28,000; most of the money was recovered when the thieves, identified as employees, were arrested two weeks later. At the end of that September, local news media reported that Freedomland had failed to pay the city a 5% amusement tax totaling $ 148,200. The tax was paid by the following week. The 1960 season
5460-520: Was born in the rural village of Bluevale , Province of Canada (now Ontario , Canada), to Irish Protestant immigrants Kepple Elias Disney (1832–1891) and Mary Richardson (1838–1909). Both parents had emigrated from Ireland to Canada as children, accompanying their parents. Disney married Flora Call (1868–1938) on January 1, 1888, in Kismet, Lake County, Florida. The couple had five children: Roy Oliver Disney (June 24, 1893 – December 20, 1971)
5538-409: Was completed within just under 300 days. Some 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land were excavated to create 10.2 million US gallons (39,000,000 L) of canals. Land was raised by up to 50 feet (15 m) to create the park's natural-looking features. Billboard magazine reported that the park was to have between 33 and 35 rides on opening day, as well as more than 80 commercial tenants who funded
5616-439: Was decreased, which resulted in people sneaking into the park without an admission ticket. To combat the park's declining reputation, Moss announced that taxicab drivers of New York City and their families would be able to enter Freedomland for free. According to a study conducted by park management, visitors stayed for an average of 7 hours and 48 minutes during the 1961 season. By 1962, it cost $ 1 million per year to maintain
5694-469: Was hired to design the inn, which would have been directly south of the park, and contained amenities such as a wading pool, an Olympic-size swimming pool , a restaurant, and a coffee shop. Ultimately, only a foundation slab was developed; upon the park's eventual demise, some props were dumped over the slab and used as landfill. Due to Freedomland's high construction costs, it was $ 7 million in debt on its opening day, leading commenters to describe it as
5772-413: Was hired to manage advertising for the park, Sylvester Weaver Jr. oversaw radio and television coverage of the park, while Douglas Leigh was hired as the park's lighting consultant. Allen Hixon was hired in early 1960 to design the park's layout. The construction contractors had finished the foundations of 15 structures by November 1959. The park's construction was facilitated by mild weather during
5850-476: Was initially planned for July 4, 1959, coinciding with Independence Day . Ultimately, the ceremony occurred on August 26, 1959. The ceremony featured a helicopter ride over the premises for the park's backers, as well as a special New York City Subway train for attendees. The festivities also included performances from cowboys and showgirls; the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts; performances from costumed actors; and
5928-410: Was quoted as saying that the drinking fountains were non-functional, the restrooms were few and far between, the concessionaires were poorly equipped for operation, and many exhibits were not yet painted or decorated. The park had a much smaller crowd on its second day of operation when it had an average of 15,000 visitors throughout the day. Satellite City and the Chicago Fire were not operational until
6006-509: Was the company's first Double Von Roll 101 sky ride. The attraction contained two extended cables, although guests perceived these as four cables, two traveling in each direction. For the 1960 and 1961 seasons, the sky ride was a round trip only, but starting in 1962, guests could board at Chicago. The Little Old New York section, at the north end of the park, was closest to the main entrance and contained an information booth, stroller rental, and lockers. It depicted New York City as it appeared in
6084-414: Was the major owner. Zeckendorf announced his plans for Freedomland in May 1959. The park, conceived and built by C. V. Wood , consisted of over 40 attractions arranged in the shape of a large map of the contiguous United States . Groundbreaking ceremonies for Freedomland occurred in late 1959, and Freedomland opened to large crowds on June 19, 1960. Because of Freedomland's $ 65 million construction cost,
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