6 Illinois’ Forgotten Theme Parks Left To Decay

Hidden beneath the overgrown weeds and crumbling concrete of Illinois lie the ghosts of once-thriving amusement parks. These magical places once echoed with laughter and screams of delight, but now stand silent, slowly being reclaimed by nature or transformed into shopping centers. From Chicago’s famous Riverview to the short-lived indoor wonderland of Old Chicago, these forgotten playgrounds tell stories of a bygone era when families gathered for thrilling rides and cotton candy dreams.

1. Kiddieland Amusement Park: Where Childhood Dreams Faded

Generations of Chicago families treasured summer days at Melrose Park’s Kiddieland from 1929 until its heartbreaking 2009 closure. What began as a simple pony ride operation during the Great Depression evolved into a beloved family institution featuring the Little Dipper wooden coaster and a miniature steam train.

Children squealed with delight on the hand-carved carousel horses while parents watched, reliving their own childhood visits. The park’s original 1950s neon sign became an iconic roadside landmark for decades.

Now a Costco warehouse stands where carousel music once played. The Little Dipper found salvation at Six Flags Great America, but the magic of this family-owned wonderland lives on only in cherished home videos and weathered photo albums.

2. Riverview Park: Chicago’s Lost Wonderland

The screams from “The Bobs” roller coaster no longer pierce the Chicago air. Riverview Park, once the city’s crown jewel of entertainment from 1904 to 1967, now exists only in fading photographs and aging memories.

The 74-acre playground hosted legendary attractions like the Pair-O-Chutes tower and the notorious Aladdin’s Castle funhouse with its spinning barrels and air jets that blew ladies’ skirts upward. Local gangs occasionally clashed here, adding a touch of danger to the excitement.

Today, a shopping center and police station stand where millions once sought thrills. Yet elderly Chicagoans still smile at the mere mention of Riverview, their eyes distant with memories of summer evenings beneath the neon lights.

3. Old Chicago: The Indoor Wonderland That Couldn’t Last

Imagine a massive dome in Bolingbrook housing both a shopping mall and amusement park – that was the ambitious vision of Old Chicago. Opening in 1975 with Chicago street scenes and a functioning indoor roller coaster, it promised year-round fun regardless of Illinois’ brutal weather.

Families flocked to ride the towering Ferris wheel and browse shops in this climate-controlled wonderland. The novelty factor created initial buzz, but operational costs proved astronomical. Financial troubles mounted quickly.

By 1980, the park closed its doors forever. Demolition crews erased this short-lived dream in 1986. The site remained vacant for decades before Amazon purchased it in 2020, erasing nearly all traces of this bold experiment in indoor entertainment.

4. Adventureland: Addison’s Forgotten Thrill Center

Tucked away in Addison’s industrial corridor, Adventureland once rivaled the biggest parks in the Midwest. From 1961 to 1977, visitors screamed on the Super Italian Bobs coaster and spun themselves dizzy in the Scrambler while munching on foot-long hot dogs.

The park’s western section featured a miniature steam train winding through artificial mountains and past staged cowboy gunfights. Teenagers often secured their first summer jobs operating rides or running carnival games, earning minimum wage and invaluable memories.

Urban explorers occasionally discover concrete foundations and rusted metal fragments hidden in the underbrush. The property has resisted complete redevelopment, as if the ghosts of carousels and roller coasters still claim ownership of this once-magical plot of suburban land.

5. Ebenezer Floppen Slopper’s: The Water Park Built on Trash

Only in the 1980s would someone name a water park after a fictional garbage man! Ebenezer Floppen Slopper’s Wonderful Water Slides in Oakbrook Terrace was literally built atop an old landfill, with methane vents incorporated into the quirky design.

Daredevil teenagers lined up for the notorious “Toilet Bowl” slide – a spinning vortex that unceremoniously dumped riders into a shallow pool. Park management embraced the trashy theme with garbage-themed concessions and employees in mock sanitation uniforms.

Health department citations and structural concerns forced closure in 1987 after just a few seasons of operation. The land returned to disuse before commercial development decades later. Few photographs exist of this bizarre attraction, making it nearly mythical among those who once braved its questionable waters.

6. Fairyland Park: Where Fantasy Surrendered to Reality

Fairyland Park in Lyons captured the post-war optimism of America from 1938 until 1977. Storybook characters came to life throughout the grounds – from the Three Little Pigs’ houses to Cinderella’s pumpkin coach that doubled as a photo opportunity for visiting families.

Weekend fireworks illuminated the Fairy Castle centerpiece while the smell of caramel apples wafted through the midway. The park’s wooden roller coaster, affectionately nicknamed “The Rattler” for its shaky construction, somehow passed safety inspections year after year.

Rising insurance costs and several unfortunate accidents tarnished the park’s whimsical image. Today, a public library and housing development occupy the former fairytale land. Occasionally, construction workers unearth strange concrete formations – the last physical remnants of rides that once transported visitors to worlds of imagination.