Adventureland Amusement Park. (Gone.) Addison Illinois USA. 1961 - 1977.

Adventureland Amusement Park. (Gone.) Addison Illinois USA. 1961 - 1977., a photo by Eddie from Chicago on Flickr.

I found this photograph on the internet recently.

Prior to the late 1970's and early 1980's era, the greater Chicagoland area was once the home of several seasonal family owned amusement parks.

Adventureland in Addison Illinois was one of those. This park existed from 1961 to 1977, and was located at the intersection of Illinois Rt # 20 and Medinah Road.

Just recently, I began hosting multi media photo slideshow presentations about Chicago's historic amusement parks of the past, and have met these events with much excitement and new bookings from various Chicago area suburban libraries.

I have met many former patrons of Chicago's Riverview Park ( 1904-1967). When Riverview closed, some of these people began visiting Adventureland in Addison Illinois. Seen here is a ride on Adventure Land's midway, that was known as "The Caterpillar". Just recently, a now elderly former Riverview Park patron informed Me, that the Caterpillar was originally a ride on Riverview's midway.

Apparently, some of the smaller portable carnival style rides from Riverview, may have wound up at Adventure land.

When Marriott's Great America opened in Gurnee Illinois back in 1976, Adventure Land lost a lot of money and patronage.

Great America was a huge, collosal mega theme park...while Adventure Land was a quaint and very tiny "Carnival in a picnic grove" style of amusement park.

Not being able to compete with Great America, Adventure Land closed for good at the end of the 1977 season.

Thye Asdventure Land site was eventually redeveloped, and is now an office park.

Thanks.
Eddie K.