Roller coasters, ferris wheels and family-friendly rides light up the landscape of the Jersey Shore from Sandy Hook Bay down to Cape May County.
Investors first honed in on New Jersey’s shorelines for their entertainment venues more than a century ago, said Jim Futrell, director and historian of the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Families flocked to the parks for entertainment and cool air along the shore.
But the epicenter of thrill-seeking in the Garden State wasn’t always along the coast. Dozens of amusement parks used to be found in more urban areas but eventually they couldn’t stand the test of time.
“Some things never change,” Futrell said. “The heart and soul of the industry in New Jersey is the shore.”
While those amusement parks throughout the state might be lost — many for decades — for those who visited them, they’re not forgotten.
Here are the Garden State’s most memorable amusement parks throughout the years:
Palisades Amusement Park
Anyone who spent their childhood within driving distance of Cliffside Park and Fort Lee was sure to know of Palisades Amusement Park.
The park opened in 1898 as a picnic grove, according to the Palisades Amusement Park Historical Society. Ten years later, by 1908, it had a carousel, rides and a wild west show.
As decades passed, the park would only grow. People from across the country would make their way to New Jersey just to experience what the park had to offer.
By the 1960s it was known on a global scale, with advertisements in international publications, said Vince Gargiulo, the historical society’s founder.
“Even a kid in England could be reading Batman and see an ad for Palisades Amusement Park,” Gargiulo said.
The amusement park was known for one thing in particular: the french fries. They sold for 20 cents a serving.
“People still talk about the french fries,” Gargiulo said. “It was served with vinegar, not with ketchup.”
Growing up, Gargiulo lived within walking distance of the park, he said. Gargiulo called it “Disneyland in New Jersey.”
“There was the smells of the waffles, the sounds of the music, the sounds of the people screaming on the rollercoasters that went down the first hill. It was everything,” Gargiulo said. “It gave you joy in all five of your senses.”
The park closed in 1971 when the owner, who was then 70 years old, sold the land to developers. The destination is now home to high-rise buildings, according to the historical association.
Olympic Park
Olympic Park in Irvington started as a farm. The owner, John Becker, decided to clear a few acres and build an amusement park, according to NAHPA. It first opened in 1887 but didn’t feature what it was known for — the mechanical rides — until 1904.
In the 1920s, admission to the park cost only 10 cents, NAHPA said. Thousands of people came to experience what Olympic Park had to offer every year. Its peak attendance occurred in 1930, with a million people walking through the gates, according to NAHPA.
The park closed for good in 1965 when owner Robert Guenther sold the park rides. Disney bought the carousel and later installed it at Walt Disney World in Florida, NAHPA said.
Action Park
Anyone looking for a thrill in the ‘80s knew where to go: Action Park.
It was an amusement park like no other, said Andy Mulvihill, son of Action Park’s founder, Gene Mulvihill.
Action Park was open in Vernon, New Jersey, from 1976 to 1996. What made its rides unique was that the rider was in control. Every rider had a different experience since they could determine how slow, fast, safe or thrilling a ride was.
“You control the action. You determined how you did a ride,” Mulvihill said. “It was known for a place where there were certainly risks … When all is said and done, people say it was the most fun they’ve ever had.”
Mulvihill published his book, “Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides, and the Untold Story of America’s Most Dangerous Amusement Park,” in 2020.
The book’s website says state inspectors had a difficult time assessing the park’s rides since no two people had the exact same experience on them. “You could get hurt if you’re not careful,” Mulvihill said.
In the 20 years that Action Park was open, five people died as a result of incidents from the rides.
“He certainly made some mistakes, and some were tragic,” Mulvihill said of his father. “He actually was not motivated by profit. He just wanted to create a fun place for people to get together.”
The amusement park closed near the turn of the century due to an abundance of lawsuits, among other factors.
Woodlynne Park
Woodlynne is more than a borough in Camden County, New Jersey. It’s the home and namesake of former Woodlynne Amusement Park, which was open from 1895 to 1914.
The New Camden Land Improvement Company commissioned the amusement park’s creation in 1892. Families from the area would spend the day at the amusement park in the summer months.
A fire destroyed the park in 1914, forcing it to close, according to the Woodlynne Borough’s website. The roller coaster that once stood there is now at Clementon Amusement Park, also in Camden County.
Playland Pier
Wildwood is known for its boardwalk, which hosted Playland Pier. The destination featured a ferris wheel and several rides right along the beach.
It opened in the 1940s, but was destroyed by a nor’easter in 1992.
Hunt’s Pier
Playland Pier wasn’t the only destination for fun in Wildwood. Hunt’s Pier also hosted crowds along the boardwalk throughout the summer months.
It opened in 1957 and by the ‘60s established itself as one of the most noteworthy boardwalk-style amusement parks in the country.
The park then declined and ended up as a storage facility for Morey’s Piers.
Riverview Beach
Pennsville’s Riverview Beach opened more than a century ago, in 1891. What started as a humble destination grew to an amusement park filled with rides, a dance hall and a roller rink.
The park was open for more than 75 years. It closed in 1967 when the ferry discontinued its service to the park.
Bertrand Island Park
Located in Mount Arlington, Bertrand Island Park was a popular New Jersey summer attraction from the early 1920s to 1983.
The park began as a bathing beach, but later expanded to include 20 rides, including a wooden roller coaster and a carousel. An original horse from the carousel is on display at the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum.
The amusement park closed due to competition from bigger theme parks in the area and the evolution of Lake Hopatcong into a year-round community, according to the Morris County government’s website.
This article is part of “Unknown New Jersey,” an ongoing series that highlights interesting and little-known stories about our past, present, and future — all the unusual things that make our great state what it is. Got a story to pitch? Email it to local@njadvancemedia.com.
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Camille Furst may be reached at cfurst@njadvancemedia.com.