Friday, January 17, 2014

Green Oaks Kiddieland on West 95th Street and South Pulaski Road. Oak Lawn Illinois. (Gone.) In business from 1946 until 1971.



I found this historic photograph from southwest suburban Oak Lawn Illinois, on the Playland
Park Facebook page, which is located to the right of your computer screen at my Link page
listings.

In the immediate post World War 2 years, several seasonal little roadside Mom and Pop owned Amusement Parks, would spring up across the greater Chicagoland area.

These little family entertainment venues, featured portable carnival rides, a midway, game booths,
arcades, refreshment stands, and hopefully...ample parking.

Tom Kap sent this old 1960's era photograph taken at one of the entrance gates to the tiny and
quaint "Green Oaks Kiddieland Amusement Park, which was located at the southwest corner of
West 95th Street and South Pulaski Road in the village of southwest suburban Oak Lawn Illinois.

This photograph appears to have been taken during the winter "Off Season", as the park is closed,
and the carnival rides have been disassembled.

Being a seasonal business...losses outweighed any gains financially. Toward the end of it all, this little family owned amusement park had become expensive to operate and maintain, and was said
by some to have started to look rather shabby, and in poor maintenance.

The family who had owned this, decided to "Hang it up", and close the park for good in 1971.
Commercial real estate property on a corner location like this, was worth huge money.

After the park had closed, the property was redeveloped in to an outdoor retail strip mall.

Today, this is the site of a large K Mart (Formerly Venture) store, and a Chucky Cheese childrens pizzeria restaurant and arcade.

Thanks.
Eddie K.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

We use to go here back then we lived in willow springs and my grandma lived in hometown/chicago

Anonymous said...

great train and hand propelled scooters on tracks.FUN place!