Fond Memories

Memories of a Unique Time and Place

In the baby scrapbook my mother kept for me, is a photo of me as a toddler sitting on the back of a unicorn. It is labeled "Palisades Amusement Park" on the back. I am uncertain whether this animal was on a carousel or if the picture was taken in a photo booth on the grounds. That was apparently the first of my many visits to Palisades Amusement Park.

My first actual memory of the park was in the 50's when my grandmother brought me by bus from Bogota, NJ and we spent a hot summer's day riding the rides and exploring the park. My favorite ride was the Caterpillar with the retractable canvas covering. I can vividly remember the excitement of seeing the wide variety of rides, game booths and brightly colored buildings. The squeals of the riders on the roller coaster mixed with the cries from the hawkers of the assorted games calling to come "try your luck.". There was the smell of hot dogs, cotton candy and lemonade and it was hard to choose, but I remember having the cotton candy there for the first time and going home with a huge striped lollipop that lasted for weeks.

When I was a few years older, my grandmother took me and a couple of my siblings to the park and this time we all visited the Fun House. I have
the best memory of my Gran going down the slide with her handbag held high in the air. She was dressed in the traditional style for a grandma in those days, a dress, nylons and heels and yet she was enough of a trooper to hop on that slide and come flying down like her grandkids.

Over the years, I came to the park with carloads of friends or went there on dates, swam in the saltwater pool and rode on most of the rides. It was even
fun to be there in the rain, with the neon lights reflected in the puddles. Once a reporter from the Newark Star Ledger took a photo of me and a
friend on a rainy day, sticking our bare feet under the water pouring off an awning. I would love to see that picture again today from their archives.

I remember especially the view from the ferris wheel at the edge of the park with the lights of the GWB and the NYC skyline across the Hudson. It was so beautiful at night and I always felt lucky to be there to appreciate it. In the area of the ferris wheel was the strength meter, where all the teenage boys would attempt to impress their dates by swinging the mallet and hopefully, ringing the bell at the top (though not many did) and win a prize. Of course, all their buddies would be there, taunting them and they would often end up red-faced and taking try after try to ring the elusive bell while the crowd hooted and hollered around them.
My boyfriend, (now my husband), was great at shooting baskets and won a couple teddy bears and what was called a boudoir doll or bed doll, that I still own today. The doll has a painted face with flirty eyes and long lashes, and a pink satin dress with a matching floppy satin hat. She is made from a composition material and was designed to display on a bed. These dolls were highly coveted by teenage girls and I was thrilled when I got mine. I also have a red and white Bachmann pretzel tin that was won at the same stand on another visit. I wonder how many other prizes are still out there, that their owners have held onto over the years and the scope of the variety. I remember seeing people clutching large plaster Kewpie-type dolls and other statues as they walked the midway.

When I heard the park would be closing, I lived in another state and it had been years since I'd been there, but I was filled with sadness to realize such a treasure would be gone forever. There are thousands of us who loved the Palisades Amusement Park and are grateful this site exists to allow us to share those special memories of a unique time and place.