Loved this park for lots of reasons. Whereas Marriotts Great America had all the big kid rides , it also was brand new and had no shade. The trees were newly planted. Frontier Village was almost completely surrounded w large shade trees. Very cool (literally) place to spend a hot summer day
What a fantastic video. It sure brings back memories. I was a ride operator back in 1975 and 1976. My specific job was "ride relief". I would give the other ride operators their breaks and lunches and I'd run the rides while they were gone. I learned to run a large number of rides in the park including the train and the Ferris Wheel (the hardest ride in the park to operate). It sure is sad that FV is gone. I wish I was able to take my kids to it. Thanks again for letting us experience "the fastest fun in the West" again!
What great memories! My next door neighbor was a manager at the park and we used to get the all ride day passes from him quite a few times each summer. A little piece of magic that gone, but not forgotten.
Thank you for sharing this nostalgic video with us. It brought back really fond memories of my youth. My favorite parts of Frontier Village were the street gun fights and panning for gold. They need to bring a New and Improved Frontier Village BACK to San Jose, CA
The last time I was at Frontier Village was in the summer of 1978. My parents took us there on occasion since the late 1960's. I forgot about that stage coach ride! No way would any amusement park have that today because of all the silly safety regulations, lawsuits, insurance etc. If they did, all the people would require seat belts and the kids helmets! The good old days when you could enjoy yourselves without the safety "overkill"!
I have quite a few FV memories, including one that involved the 'Roundup' ride. About halfway through the ride I felt queezy and turned my head to the side, since I knew that I was gonna hurl, and as I blew my chunks...the last image I saw was the 'goods' heading directly toward the face of a woman who was standing next to the railing. I tried the 'Roundup' one last time the next year...boy, was that a mistake! Rode it twice, got sick twice. Enuff said!!!
I was a month shy of 7 years old when this park closed. It really is heartwarming to go down memory lane over 40 years later. Thank you O so much for posting.
Thank you for sharing your vintage Frontier Village footage. In my youth I would spend most of my summers there and run from one ride to the other. I particularly enjoyed the gunslingers. Those were the days of simpler times. My name is Jerry Cornell, owner of Theme Parkology, of which I produce documentaries on theme parks, attractions, characters, legends, and animators. About 10 years ago when I started producing these films, I did a documentary on Frontier Village. It shares an amateurish quality to it, but the interviews were amazing. So, I have decided to redo this documentary and I was wondering if I could use your video footage? I will of course credit you and send you a free copy of the finished DVD. This documentary will focus on the history of the attraction, have plenty of photos and video footage, and share an interview with Doug Hagdaul, Shaughnessy McGehee, Wild Bill Kelsey, Randy Mitchell, Ed Hutton, Allen Weitzel, and Warren Weitzel. This is going to be a fantastic DVD.
I am 56 years old, I did the same thing that you did, I live in Mountain View California, are used to go to frontier Village, and just hang out there the whole day. Those were simple times, not like they are today. I hope for the best on your project.
This was a great park and it should have never left us. I was just a little kid at the time but love driving the cars and going in the mine cave. Thanks for posting I found this by mistake.
Timestamp 6:45 I'm the guy in the white pants and orange shirt that jumps off the train after the other guy whose name was Jackie lived around the corner from your tours Court in San Jose.
Thank you to you tube for allowing people to relive memories and share it...this place was a cut above Santa Cruz boardwalk but not qu para pints great America
Great America didn't put FV out of business. FV was only using 39 of it's 101 acres and wanted to expand, however the residents of the newly built housing around the perimeter put up such a stink that the city wouldn't permit the expansion so the owners of FV at the time (Rio Grande) decided to just cut their losses and sell the entire land to developers.
@Audioforge I went to Frontier Village for the first time in 1970 with numerous visits after that, but thankfully I didn't let the experience make me bitter as I grew older. Things change, but if you start your kids off early in life with an outdoors experience, they generally will continue that way of life, even these days. Problem is, most parents are either "too busy" or simply ignore their kids, so is it a surprise when kids gravitate to video games? On a side-note, "dear leader?" Really?
@chucke1963 It was called "The Lost Dutchman Mine Ride". And speaking of it, I'd love to see some video footage of it. When I went on it it with my uncle (he and my aunt took me to the park for a belated 8th birthday present), I was so scared, I kept my eyes closed for most of the ride.
I'm 9 years late but the reason there is little to no footage of dark/indoor rides from the 60's and 70's is because most cameras simply could not pick up anything in the dark lighting back then. Anything good enough to capture it would not fit in a ride vehicle for a video
Frontier Village had a rural air about it with all the trees. Now Santa Clara County is nothing but another Los Angeles. Congestion, traffic and over building.
Aw that looks fun. I would be there with my kids. Of course now there would be a bunch of wannabe gangster types skulking around ruining it for everyone.
Loved this park for lots of reasons. Whereas Marriotts Great America had all the big kid rides , it also was brand new and had no shade. The trees were newly planted. Frontier Village was almost completely surrounded w large shade trees. Very cool (literally) place to spend a hot summer day
Sad to know this existed before I was born..😞
My childhood!! Went to frontier village for the first time in 1980 when i was 3
What a fantastic video. It sure brings back memories. I was a ride operator back in 1975 and 1976. My specific job was "ride relief". I would give the other ride operators their breaks and lunches and I'd run the rides while they were gone. I learned to run a large number of rides in the park including the train and the Ferris Wheel (the hardest ride in the park to operate). It sure is sad that FV is gone. I wish I was able to take my kids to it. Thanks again for letting us experience "the fastest fun in the West" again!
What great memories! My next door neighbor was a manager at the park and we used to get the all ride day passes from him quite a few times each summer. A little piece of magic that gone, but not forgotten.
Frontier Village was great. I really miss it.
Thank you for sharing this nostalgic video with us. It brought back really fond memories of my youth. My favorite parts of Frontier Village were the street gun fights and panning for gold. They need to bring a New and Improved Frontier Village BACK to San Jose, CA
The last time I was at Frontier Village was in the summer of 1978. My parents took us there on occasion since the late 1960's. I forgot about that stage coach ride! No way would any amusement park have that today because of all the silly safety regulations, lawsuits, insurance etc. If they did, all the people would require seat belts and the kids helmets! The good old days when you could enjoy yourselves without the safety "overkill"!
I remember that rollercoaster well in 1979!
The train has been completely restored and can be seen on you tube: "The Story of Burke Junction Railroad" or "Burke Junction Train Inaugural 2010."
I have quite a few FV memories, including one that involved the 'Roundup' ride. About halfway through the ride I felt queezy and turned my head to the side, since I knew that I was gonna hurl, and as I blew my chunks...the last image I saw was the 'goods' heading directly toward the face of a woman who was standing next to the railing.
I tried the 'Roundup' one last time the next year...boy, was that a mistake! Rode it twice, got sick twice. Enuff said!!!
I live in Santa Clara County, through the 70s, attended frontier Village, with my family, awesome time, awesome footage.
I was a month shy of 7 years old when this park closed. It really is heartwarming to go down memory lane over 40 years later. Thank you O so much for posting.
the lost Dutchmen mine was a very well done dark ride.
That was my favourite ride as a child, I would ride it over and over lol
Wow...a color camera W/sound....you must have been rich
All was right with the world at Frontier Village.
Thank you for sharing your vintage Frontier Village footage. In my youth I would spend most of my summers there and run from one ride to the other. I particularly enjoyed the gunslingers. Those were the days of simpler times.
My name is Jerry Cornell, owner of Theme Parkology, of which I produce documentaries on theme parks, attractions, characters, legends, and animators. About 10 years ago when I started producing these films, I did a documentary on Frontier Village. It shares an amateurish quality to it, but the interviews were amazing. So, I have decided to redo this documentary and I was wondering if I could use your video footage? I will of course credit you and send you a free copy of the finished DVD.
This documentary will focus on the history of the attraction, have plenty of photos and video footage, and share an interview with Doug Hagdaul, Shaughnessy McGehee, Wild Bill Kelsey, Randy Mitchell, Ed Hutton, Allen Weitzel, and Warren Weitzel.
This is going to be a fantastic DVD.
I am 56 years old, I did the same thing that you did, I live in Mountain View California, are used to go to frontier Village, and just hang out there the whole day. Those were simple times, not like they are today.
I hope for the best on your project.
This was a great park and it should have never left us. I was just a little kid at the time but love driving the cars and going in the mine cave. Thanks for posting I found this by mistake.
Timestamp 6:45 I'm the guy in the white pants and orange shirt that jumps off the train after the other guy whose name was Jackie lived around the corner from your tours Court in San Jose.
Wow, I was six in79' and can barely remember frontier village... Thanks for this video tape... RUclips is my new memory bank.
Thank you to you tube for allowing people to relive memories and share it...this place was a cut above Santa Cruz boardwalk but not qu para pints great America
This was a fantastic western theme park. I sure do miss it
I agree.. what a fun time to be a kid.. I miss it !!
Great America didn't put FV out of business. FV was only using 39 of it's 101 acres and wanted to expand, however the residents of the newly built housing around the perimeter put up such a stink that the city wouldn't permit the expansion so the owners of FV at the time (Rio Grande) decided to just cut their losses and sell the entire land to developers.
@Audioforge
I went to Frontier Village for the first time in 1970 with numerous visits after that, but thankfully I didn't let the experience make me bitter as I grew older. Things change, but if you start your kids off early in life with an outdoors experience, they generally will continue that way of life, even these days. Problem is, most parents are either "too busy" or simply ignore their kids, so is it a surprise when kids gravitate to video games? On a side-note, "dear leader?" Really?
I remember that place! We used to go there all the time when I was a kid! It closed on my 9th birthday So Sad
My birthday too
I have 1979 frontier village t shirt.
All that footage and you didnt film the mine ride? WOW the best ride there
i use to go frontier villege i love it
My history teacher used to work there
@chucke1963 It was called "The Lost Dutchman Mine Ride". And speaking of it, I'd love to see some video footage of it. When I went on it it with my uncle (he and my aunt took me to the park for a belated 8th birthday present), I was so scared, I kept my eyes closed for most of the ride.
I'm 9 years late but the reason there is little to no footage of dark/indoor rides from the 60's and 70's is because most cameras simply could not pick up anything in the dark lighting back then. Anything good enough to capture it would not fit in a ride vehicle for a video
wow this is some great footage. thank you
I used to go there a lot when I was a kid. For some reason, I kept calling it "Frontier Chicken"!
it closed its doors a year later on September 28, 1980.
O_O!!!! i live 5 mins away from where the park used too stand o.o
Frontier Village had a rural air about it with all the trees. Now Santa Clara County is nothing but another Los Angeles. Congestion, traffic and over building.
I used to love this place!!! I remember when they closed it. Sad day. I was affraid of the big fuzzy bear.
I lost so many jackets at FV
Remember that "El Mysterio" house? Or something of that name?
Aw that looks fun. I would be there with my kids. Of course now there would be a bunch of wannabe gangster types skulking around ruining it for everyone.
Jackie's mom worked at the musement park we would sneak in under the fence by the schoolhouse stamp our hands with a Stampy stole and jump the train
really what was your neighbor's name?
@Audioforge
You can definately say the same from me!