Jane’s Carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park came from Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio
Even before Jane’s Carousel was installed in Brooklyn Bridge Park, groups traveled from Ohio to DUMBO to be reunited with the carousel of their childhood, beautifully restored by Jane Walentas. Philadelphia Toboggan Company’s 1922 PTC #61 was originally installed in Youngstown, Ohio’s Idora Park, which closed after a devastating fire. The Walentas’ purchase of the carousel at the park’s 1984 auction kept the ride from being broken up.
Seeing an ad by Jim Amey on a used ride site seeking ride cars and other Idora Park artifacts for his homegrown museum reminded us of the Ohioans poignant visits. When ATZ contacted Amey, he said the Idora property was still vacant after 30 years and the park’s rides had gone the way of the four winds.
I was in my mid 20s and living overseas when Idora Park ‘died.’ I was sad to hear about Idora’s fire and closure, but it took quite a few years before I realized just how much I (and Youngstown) had lost when Idora Park disappeared. I returned to Youngstown in 1993 and my wife and I walked the Idora Park property. It was heartbreaking to see the destruction and decay. I had been to this park so many times as a child and as a teenager. I worked at Idora Park in the Football Throw game and the Skee-Ball game in the summer of 1976 – my last real visit to Idora Park. Now it was gone. I think that walk of ours was when the seed was first planted that I needed to try to preserve whatever parts of Idora Park I could find, to preserve and share the memory of Idora Park.
Amey started to find Idora Park ride cars, posters and ephemera through people he met via the message boards at IdoraPark.org. His collection includes one of only three front cars to the Wildcat roller coaster, a rear car to the wooden Jackrabbit roller coaster, a Silver Rocket Ship, a Tilt-A-Whirl car, three Caterpillar cars, the 12-foot-tall metal Nutcracker Soldiers that guarded Kiddieland, the entire Kiddieland train and all of its tracks (seen in the 1952 photo below) and a 6-foot-long Idora Park neon sign.
Reed children riding train at Idora Park, Youngstown, OH, 1952. Photo by Walter Reed courtesy of Leon Reed/lreed76 via flickr
“My wife Toni and I are going to put up a building to display our Idora Park collection during certain parts of the year,” says Amey, who plans to retire in the Youngstown area, where he owns property in Canfield, Ohio. “We spoke to the zoning department and the director there is excited about our plan and he’s ready to help us make this a reality. I want people to have the chance to come and relive a little of Idora Park. I’m having large banners made up from photographs that were taken while Idora Park was operating. Those banners will serve as backdrops for the rides that will be on display. We’re still in the planning stages, but I expect that the building will be in place within the next 12 months.”
Since Idora Park closed nearly 30 years ago and it is difficult to identify things as being from the park, Amey is also looking for what he calls “Idora Park-Identical, or Idora Park-Like artifacts” including signs, ride parts and games. His email address is jamesamey[AT]aol[DOT]com.
Idora Park Wildcat roller coaster car on left, Jackrabbit car on right. Jim Amey Collection
Related posts on ATZ…
February 14, 2013: Photo of the Day: Lettering Saved from Demolished Arcade
January 21, 2013: Rare & Vintage: 1960s Chance Skydiver Car
May 18, 2012: Rare & Vintage: Pinto Bros. Pony Cart from Coney Island
May 21, 2009: Astroland Closed But Your Kid Can Still Ride the USS Astroland This Summer!
Amusing the Zillion 
Great story, Tricia. Reminds me again how lucky we are the Walentas preserved that stunning carousel. Hope Jim & Toni Arney achieve their dream.
Thanks! Jim’s story also reminded of the many parks that have closed and were replaced by condos or shopping centers. When the Ameys open their museum, local kids will be able to ride the train on special days
Tricia, the workmanship on the carousel horses is so divine. We all need to feel grateful that there are a few who will not allow all of the splendor of our great American amusement parks turn into condos for Yuppie !!
Tricia, thank you so much for the interview and story. Since you and I last spoke my wife and I have acquired quite a few additional Idora Park large artifacts and Idora-Identical items. Our retirement date is looming and I can’t wait to enter this new phase of life and share the memory of Idora Park with those who miss it. Thanks for getting the word out. I’ll keep you informed of our progress. – Jim & Toni Amey
I have the chainlift from the jackrabbit when they tore it down in 2001
I have a large collection of Idora Park tickets for sale. mwp123atneo dot rr dot com
i have found a very old, ride on train from some kind of amusement park. this is self propelled, by peddling. it says CVS on the side of the engine and the one car i have. if anyone has seen anything like this any info would be great
Brian,
My guess is that CVS may stand for Cumberland Valley Shows, a show.in Tennessee. The founders were also ride manufacturers. Here is their website and history. You may want to contact their grandson Jeremy Floyd for info
http://www.cumberlandvalleyshows.com/our_history/our_history.asp
Tricia
The third rocket from the “rocket ride” is buried in Brookfield Ohio. An old house (across the street from Giant Eagle on old 82 in Brookfield, next to where the old Valley View used to be) was converted to a restaurant but went out of business. It is now some sort of professional building. Anyway when the restaurant closed & the contents auctioned off, no one bid on the rocket. The new owner of the building simply had it buried on the spot. Unfortunately it was discovered accidentally while digging later with another back hoe & severely damaged and then reburied. Probably nothing left of it
The three rocket ships from Idora Park were bought at the Oct ’84 auction by a doctor from Indiana. The rocket ships were brought to Indiana and I have the doctor’s contact info, but he hasn’t returned my numerous calls. I’d like to know what became of those specific (Idora Park) rocket ships. Many other parks had this style of rocket ship – they were made in 1948 in PA.
Is the doc still around? I’m interested in those rockets.
Jim and Toni I have no information to share about where you might find some precious artifacts from the always remembered in my heart idora park. However, I think about the park itself. I know it’s a long shot,but what if we were able to get that land. I know some of the ” bones” of the original park must still be there . The hills to the picnic area, and the water area by the Rapids. It would be a start, to putting , a little idora ( at first) together,and a picnic area , where we could picnic, and reminisce as a group, freely. It could be fun. Maybe even productive.. I don’t know, I just know that ” united we stand . Divided we fall”. There are some dedicated people out here. Is there a way that we could reclaim the park area,from the folks who have it, and. Ruined it , even worse then it was after the original fire. Well, Jim and Toni , here’s hoping….shirley
I worked at Idora in ’83 and ’84 as the carpenter foreman and have a number of artifacts I could be talked out of including the tin arm sign pointing to the park on Glenwood Avenue, wheel off the Jackrabbit etc.
Larry, contact me. TheIdoraParkExperience@gmail.com
I’m interested