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Palisades Amusement Park
| In the early 1900's the chief mode of transportation was the trolley. The trolley companies needed some gimmick to increase their customer base on non-working days like Sundays. The trolley companies had to pay for electric use on a flat fee basis, which meant even on days when the trolleys were not used. They needed a reason to get people to use their service on Sundays and holidays. This was the original idea behind the building of Palisades Amusement Park. By having an attraction that would provide entertainment, people from a wide ranging area would make the trip to use the attraction on their days off. The company, Bergen County Traction Company decided to develop the park. |
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By 1910 the park had become one of the country's premier attractions. People from way out on Long Island would take a trolley to Manhattan then a ferry across the river boarding another trolley, which would take them up a steep hill to the amusement park. On June 8 1913, a pool opened up in the park. This pool was advertised as a pool, which could handle 10,000 swimmers. There were bathhouses that could accommodate 2,000 people. In 1946 the pool came under controversy. Only club members had permission to use the pool. It was realized, after some time, that blacks could not use the pool. An uproar was created as blacks and people with dark skin felt that they were being discriminated against.
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Civil rights leaders had got involved. Arrests resulted and court cases heard. Although discrimination was not proven blacks were eventually allowed to use the pool in the 1950's. Although the park provided plenty of means of entertainment, exhibiting a carnival-like atmosphere, it was also the site of important events,like the largest outdoor meeting for women's rights. The park also gave a start to some famous performers, Little Anthony, |
Bobby Rydell, Freddy Cannon, and Lesley Gore to name a few. All was not easy for the park. There were various changes of ownership and problems relating to loss of life from ride malfunction, none more disastrous then the numerous fires encountered in the park.
- In 1920 the park faced its first fire destroying one of its oldest pavilions. An explosion of the building, which stored the fireworks, caused one fatality and shattered several windows in the area. It also drove a shed off the cliffs and damaged the Palisade Park sign.
- In 1924 a fire destroyed 1/8 of the park injuring nineteen people, and in the 1940's another more serious fire broke out. This fire killed 7 people and badly injured 150. There was damage in excess of 1 million dollars.
| Regardless of the extent of damage the park suffered it was repaired after each disastrous event. Another problem threatened the closing of the park. Attendance was down and it was too expensive to keep it running. The addition of the George Washington Bridge in 1931 increased access to the park and continued its popularity right into the 1970's.Last but not least were the continued complaints |
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fromresidents in the area. From the building of the park to its demise, local residents complained. In the early years local people would cut down advertising billboards and attend council meetings explaining how the moral fiber of the community had degraded with the presence of the park.
In 1971 the park finally closed. In its place high rises now dominate the 38-acre site.
The original owners, the Bergen County Traction Co. the trolley line later became PSE&G, overcoming the inconvenience of that flat fee.
I would like to thank Vince Gargiulo who provided information through his book "Palisades Amusement Park A Century of Fond Memories", published by Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ., and the Fort Lee Public Library.
For more information on Palisades Amusement Park visit Palisadespark.com
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