 | Disappearing PlacesAn archive and collective map of places that no longer exist, at least not as they once did. |
Old Timer
Posted On Tuesday November 13, 2007 By Jack PhillipsThe Central Park Casino was a real fabulous Landmark in Central Park. It was a great nightspot as well as a beautiful spot for icecream & cake, etc in the afternoons. It was where the elite meet, strictly for the rich during the Great Depretion. I believe Eddy Duchin and his band made it famous & vice versa. I don’t have any pictures but if you contact his son Peter Duchin he probably has some. Mayor Jimmy Walker, spent many evenings there; he was involvled in many scandals and eventually was not re-elected for that reason — and as a result the Casino was torn down.
See This Location: Central Park (Just South of the Bandshell in the Mall), New York, NYComment
Palisades Amusement Park
Posted On Thursday May 10, 2007 By Vince Gargiulo
High atop the New Jersey Palisades cliffs, located within the boroughs of Cliffside Park and Fort Lee, once stood the home of the famous Cyclone roller coaster, the Tunnel of Love and the world’s largest salt water pool. The place was called Palisades Amusement Park and even today, over thirty years after it closed its gates, the Park is still warmly remembered.
In 1898, a New Jersey picnic grove became the catalyst for one of the greatest amusement parks of the century. What would later be known as Palisades Amusement Park, started out as an attraction for the local trolley company, designed to increase weekend ridership. It grew to be one of the world’s most famous fun centers, achieving national prominence through the Freddy Cannon song, “Palisades Park”.
Originally, it had been a simple picnic ground, with tables and benches, refreshment concessions and a breathtaking view of Manhattan. By 1908, it had added a carousel, various rides, a wild west show and numerous other attractions. It soon became a popular oasis for the turn-of-the-century populace.
In 1910, the property was purchased by Nicholas and Joseph Schenck, two brothers that were a major influence in the developing motion picture industry. In 1913, they constructed the world’s largest outdoor salt water pool in the Park. The Schenck brothers built Palisades into an attraction which came to rival Coney Island. For nearly twenty-five years the Schencks transformed Palisades into a magical wonderland. In 1934 they sold their interests in the Park to two other enterprising brothers, Irving and Jack Rosenthal. The Rosenthals took the Park to new heights of popularity.
Palisades Amusement Park was host to Kings and Queens, rich and poor alike. At the famed open-air theater, top entertainers of the day performed for record crowds. During the Big Band era the talent included such classic performers as Benny Goodman’s Big Band, Cab Calloway, Les Brown & His Orchestra, Harry James and The Dorsey Brothers.
The names of performers from the world of Pop and Rock reads like a Who’s Who of musicians; Fabian, Chubby Checker, The Shirelles, The Chiffons, Leslie Gore, The Jackson Five, Tony Bennett, Vic Damone, The Four Seasons, Bill Haley & The Comets, Bobby Rydell, Dion, Jackie Wilson, Neil Sedaka, Tony Orlando, Frankie Avalon, Little Anthony, Freddy Cannon, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Young Rascals, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Fifth Dimension and many more. It was host to the Little Miss America Pageant, the Miss American TeenAger contest, the Diaper Derby and many other diverse and interesting competitions.
Palisades finally closed its doors on September 12, 1971 to make room for high rise condominiums but the memories live on.
Palisades Amusement Park Historical Society Official Web Site
Tags: amusement, balloon, carnival, carousel, circus, cliffs, cliffside, coaster, cyclone, ferris, fort, fun, funhouse, games, gargiulo, go, hudson, lee, merry, midway, music, n, palisades, park, pool, r, rides, rock, roller, rollercoaster, rosenthal, round, salt, saltwater, schenck, water, wheel
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Tuba City Truck Stop
Posted On Sunday April 29, 2007 By Paul V.
Tuba City is in northern Arizona, on the Navajo reservation, not far from the Grand Canyon, although most visitors to the Grand Canyon have probably never been there.
I probably wouldn’t have sought it out every time I was within a hundred miles, either, if not for the Tuba City Truck Stop, more like an old diner with a big parking lot, gas stations across the highway and the main street of Tuba City cutting across the other way. Truly the crossroads of Navajo and Hopi territory.
You could always find an interesting mix of people inside although, for the most part, it was Native Americans – or “First People,” as some of them now call themselves. “Indians” was what we called them when I was a kid, and the further back you go, the more derogatory the labels get. That’s not why I’m posting here, though.
I’m posting here because I miss the Tuba City Truck stop. One time, only a few years ago, I was heading down from Utah and on my way to Southern New Mexico. For about three hours, my mouth was watering over the thought of the Navajo Taco I was going to eat. The Truck Stop made a ton of great and unique dishes, but this was their most famous: real fry bread topped with beans – in the vegetarian version – lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cheese. Not comlex-sounding, but exquisite when done right, and they always did it right.
I would always get that and an iced tea. If I was feeling particularly gluttonous, I would get some jalapeno poppers, as well, then settle back in the seat of my truck, loosen my belt a little, and dazedly drive in whatever direction I was heading.
After I turned into the parking lot, I was horrified to see the whole structure gone. I went into the mini mart across the street and asked about it. They were a bit disinterested, but told me some story – not sure it was true or not, as is so often the case on the rez – about them not paying Hopi taxes or some such nonsense. They also told me that the same people were making the tacos at the trading post down the road in Cameron. I actually headed there, but my heart was broken. The Truck Stop had been perfect – it was small; it was a real social hub; it had a little outdoor desert garden with tables to eat at, shaded by canopies. It was old, but lovingly maintained.
When I got to Cameron, I just could not handle the tourist scene. I left.
One of the most treasured things I own is a t-shirt from the Tuba City Truck Stop.
Tags: american, arizona, hopi, native, stop, tacos, truck
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