We lived off Rogers ave. and it took 3 minutes to get there. It was so cool to have a park near us . After we would drive over to Prices Dairy for ice cream and milkshakes . This was a hang-out for teens back then like Arnolds in Happy Days . We once met the 3 Stooges at Gwynn oak park and I shook hands with Larry , they were so funny . Yeah , and remember the civil right pickets you had to walk though. I was too young to ride the Wild Mouse but went to the haunted house ride . I also remember hurricane Agnes that washed the park away and seeing the damage . We lived in the area till 69'. Gwynn oak junction had the grand Ambassador , does anyone remember that place ? or Prices Dairy and of course the park .
@@karendicapua179 yes , you know my family Jimmy , Lynn and Shelly Bozentka we lived on Beleveu Ave down Willvan , you had a brother Brian and other sisters . I was quite young then .
It's so sad to see that the old amusement park is gone forever.............to see the park now, it is as though we dreamed the whole thing! Such great memories there of a time gone by!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because Baltimore is so racist that white people flee their black neighbors. When white patrons quit going to Gwynn Oak, black patrons didn't rush to take their place. I suspect they may have been too poor to afford the park.
When I was a teenager I lived right behind the Park. If you crossed the little bridge in the Park where the Picnic Tables were that would be Gwyndale Ave .If you cross that street and go to the back yard of one of those houses that would be where I lived which would be Pembroke Ave
Loved the place as a kid in the 50's, they had a dedicated clown who had his own small house. Caterpillar ride and the creaky old roller coaster. The shootin gallery had a million spent 22 short cases laying around.
Hi Karen! It's really great to hear from you. I was wondering if anything had happened because it's been so long since I heard from you or Kathy or Angel. The memories we all have are enough to write a book about. If you'd like, I'll send you the book, Historic Amusement Parks of Baltimore. It has a chapter in it about Gwynn Oak and I think you'd all really enjoy it. Let me know if you'd like to receive it and if you're all still at that East Avenue address. I'm not too well right now and I'm just taking it day to day. I'm feeling great today. Tomorrow, who can say!
This is in response to Carla Soledad. Hi Carla! Well, I was a park employee from 1960 until its demise at the end of the 1973 season. (They tried to get opened up in 1974 but it would have cost too much to fix the park from the damage that was done by Tropical Storm Agnes back in 1972 and without making the necessary repairs the county would not issue them a permit to operate. I was surprised they were able to open for one last gasp in 1973. The storm damage was extensive.) Well anyway, in answer to your question, Gwynn Oak Park fell victim to the triple curse of bad publicity, bad weather, and bad finances. Once the park discontinued its whites-only policy a lot of the white folks would not go there anymore. And not enough black folks patronized the park to be able to fill the void and so business slacked off due to the integration factor which made a lot of whites and blacks afraid of possible trouble in the park. But the situation was also made far worse than it would of been by the soaring crime rate and trouble caused in the park, requiring them to have to almost quadruple the park security police force. And when people watched TV news and read the newspapers about all the trouble the park was having, not by folks coming down there to enjoy themselves, but by troublemakers who just came down there to cause trouble, along with their gang fights and hostility toward the park and its employees and owners. (After all, they weren't just going to forgive and forget the fact that the park had a whites-only policy for all those years and they had gone through a hellish experience trying to have that changed.) When owner Dave Price was interviewed by a newspaper reporter when the park was about to be auctioned off, he stated, "When the public comes to think of you in terms of knifings and rapes, that's very difficult to overcome." And as we all know, that kind of negative publicity is certainly going to keep customers away. And with less patronage, and the park running in the red every year beginning in 1965, the logical fallout from that is that there's going to be less revenue coming in to be able to put money back into the park to keep things in good repair and to put in new rides, the life blood of any amusement park. The last new ride they put in was the Olympia Bob in 1966. But the biggest problem with that aspect was the fact that most of those rides were old and some of them began needing new motors costing thousands of dollars. Not being able to afford new rides was bad enough but they didn't even have the money to fix up the old ones. And the aging amusements were making it increasingly difficult for the park to turn a profit. And towards the end, they could no longer afford to have the maintenance crew that had always worked there all winter, painting, repairing and refurbishing all the rides and attractions so they'd be ready to go in the spring. So towards the end, everything was just running on a string and a prayer. Well anyway, fast forward to 1972 and enter from left field, Major Catastrophe. Yes, that's right, Hurricane Agnes which overflowed the banks of the Gwynns Falls and destroyed many of the rides at the lower end of the park, caved in the Dark Ride building and wiped out the picnic groves and ruined the landscape to a fair-thee-well. They had no flood insurance and could not make the necessary repairs required in order to restore it as a full-scale amusement park. Some of those rides actually got washed away in the flood, like the kiddie boats and helicopter ride. So, they took out a long-term loan from Yorkridge Federal to try and get the money they needed to make certain repairs and clear away the rubble and try to do damage control within the parameters they had to work within. But the repairs they were able to afford just weren't enough and 1973 turned out to be the park's swan song, its final year of operation. And after all of those formative years of my life I put into the park, from the age of 10 to 23, I felt such a deep sense of loss that I could not describe it in words. That park was my world, so to speak. And to me it was kind of like an arrow through the heart because it isn't just that Gwynn Oak Park is no more but part of me is no more. But anyway, I hope this answers your question concerning why the park had to close up. When you think about it, you realize what a sad end it was to a place that had given so much fun and enjoyment to the hordes and crowds, so many patrons who came down there to enjoy themselves over the years. It reminds me of the lyrics to that song, "Where Have All The Flowers Gone."
I worked at Gwynn Oak amusement park in the summer of 1968 when I was 16 years old. I worked at the boat lake. I remember the ticket booth very well in which I spent much of my time. A fellow by the name of Hunt was my boss. Do you remember Roy Crouse? He was the sign painter for the park. There was also a good friend of mine, Carlos Kibler, who is long dead. Old Man Halsey with his white hat and walking cane, getting peoples’ attention by waving the cane and calling out Yo ! Yo ! … The Price Brothers… Charlie Goat who worked with goats and horses… Ruby Neal from Georgia who worked in a ticket booth as a cashier on the midway…. Steve the cop who was white,and John the cop who was black… mrs. Anderson who worked in the front office near the entrance of the park who handed out our pay to us every week. The Price Brothers broke the law , I guess, because I worked 12 hours a day, six days a week. But it was my first job, and I did not mind, because what 16 year old kid would not love working in an amusement park?
AG Demo. You're better off going to E33rd street at Old Memorial Stadium and dig for treasure there. I finally dug up sod and put in jar to preserve it. I can show my friends this is where Brooks and Unitas played.
Every nickel that came into the household went in a jar. When the jar was full, Mom took us kids to Gywnn Oak for Nickel Day rides. In my childish innocence, I never realized the park was segregated.
Howdy! Next time you're in the area contact me. I've lived here for 62 years, can tell you anything you want to know about the place. Probably nothing much to find but junk, unless you got a REAL good metal detector that can tune in to specific metals. One of the locals swept the place 30 years ago with a detector, obviously not as good as they got now. You do got some interesting videos.
Hello I was in a minature train accident at the park on August 11, 1954. With many injuries, my mom was pinned under the train. Not for any reason just for information, I wish I could hear from someone who remembers, I have the newspaper articiles too. Would love to hear from you Patricia
there is a facebook page devoted to the park i believe the article may be on there or contact Robert Thorn on the page he is unofficial historian of the park.
Got your reply! I'm also on Face Book, don't see a way to respond privately on here. Sorry but I'm a private person, don't like to publicly post my contact info. Here is my Face Book page you can PM me from there, facebook.com/index.php?lh=60c2133c152e0f4906ab98fbbcfd5584&eu=OEzPGGjpbsqAPSkEoaCyrw So you did the demo on the old Laurel Lumber? Old Homer was a good friend of mine, great guy, a real character!
I guess they tore down the big Rollercoaster and the other rides. I remember they had report card day if u passed u got in for free with passing report card.
We lived off Rogers ave. and it took 3 minutes to get there. It was so cool to have a park near us . After we would drive over to Prices Dairy for ice cream and milkshakes . This was a hang-out for teens back then like Arnolds in Happy Days . We once met the 3 Stooges at Gwynn oak park and I shook hands with Larry , they were so funny . Yeah , and remember the civil right pickets you had to walk though. I was too young to ride the Wild Mouse but went to the haunted house ride . I also remember hurricane Agnes that washed the park away and seeing the damage . We lived in the area till 69'. Gwynn oak junction had the grand Ambassador , does anyone remember that place ? or Prices Dairy and of course the park .
Wow! Thanks for sharing! I love the 3 stooges they are my favorite!
Hi my name is Karen DiCapua I also lived on Rogers ave at the same time you did. Might you know me or my family?
@@karendicapua179 yes , you know my family Jimmy , Lynn and Shelly Bozentka we lived on Beleveu Ave down Willvan , you had a brother Brian and other sisters . I was quite young then .
It's so sad to see that the old amusement park is gone forever.............to see the park now, it is as though we dreamed the whole thing! Such great memories there of a time gone by!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
segration ended at the park in 1963 and then it closed? I’m curious to know why it closed if it was such a popular amusement park.
Because Baltimore is so racist that white people flee their black neighbors. When white patrons quit going to Gwynn Oak, black patrons didn't rush to take their place. I suspect they may have been too poor to afford the park.
The park closed in 1973 due to flood damage from Hurricane Agnes.
Went to see Bill Haley & The Comets at the Gwynn Oak Ballroom back in the 1960s.
When I was a teenager I lived right behind the Park. If you crossed the little bridge in the Park where the Picnic Tables were that would be Gwyndale Ave .If you cross that street and go to the back yard of one of those houses that would be where I lived which would be Pembroke Ave
Loved the place as a kid in the 50's, they had a dedicated clown who had his own small house. Caterpillar ride and the creaky old roller coaster. The shootin gallery had a million spent 22 short cases laying around.
What a beautiful place
Hi STEVE this is Karen DiCapua. This brought back memories. Just recieved your card
Hi Karen! It's really great to hear from you. I was wondering if anything had happened because it's been so long since I heard from you or Kathy or Angel. The memories we all have are enough to write a book about. If you'd like, I'll send you the book, Historic Amusement Parks of Baltimore. It has a chapter in it about Gwynn Oak and I think you'd all really enjoy it. Let me know if you'd like to receive it and if you're all still at that East Avenue address. I'm not too well right now and I'm just taking it day to day. I'm feeling great today. Tomorrow, who can say!
This is in response to Carla Soledad. Hi Carla! Well, I was a park employee from 1960 until its demise at the end of the 1973 season. (They tried to get opened up in 1974 but it would have cost too much to fix the park from the damage that was done by Tropical Storm Agnes back in 1972 and without making the necessary repairs the county would not issue them a permit to operate. I was surprised they were able to open for one last gasp in 1973. The storm damage was extensive.) Well anyway, in answer to your question, Gwynn Oak Park fell victim to the triple curse of bad publicity, bad weather, and bad finances. Once the park discontinued its whites-only policy a lot of the white folks would not go there anymore. And not enough black folks patronized the park to be able to fill the void and so business slacked off due to the integration factor which made a lot of whites and blacks afraid of possible trouble in the park. But the situation was also made far worse than it would of been by the soaring crime rate and trouble caused in the park, requiring them to have to almost quadruple the park security police force. And when people watched TV news and read the newspapers about all the trouble the park was having, not by folks coming down there to enjoy themselves, but by troublemakers who just came down there to cause trouble, along with their gang fights and hostility toward the park and its employees and owners. (After all, they weren't just going to forgive and forget the fact that the park had a whites-only policy for all those years and they had gone through a hellish experience trying to have that changed.) When owner Dave Price was interviewed by a newspaper reporter when the park was about to be auctioned off, he stated, "When the public comes to think of you in terms of knifings and rapes, that's very difficult to overcome." And as we all know, that kind of negative publicity is certainly going to keep customers away. And with less patronage, and the park running in the red every year beginning in 1965, the logical fallout from that is that there's going to be less revenue coming in to be able to put money back into the park to keep things in good repair and to put in new rides, the life blood of any amusement park. The last new ride they put in was the Olympia Bob in 1966. But the biggest problem with that aspect was the fact that most of those rides were old and some of them began needing new motors costing thousands of dollars. Not being able to afford new rides was bad enough but they didn't even have the money to fix up the old ones. And the aging amusements were making it increasingly difficult for the park to turn a profit. And towards the end, they could no longer afford to have the maintenance crew that had always worked there all winter, painting, repairing and refurbishing all the rides and attractions so they'd be ready to go in the spring. So towards the end, everything was just running on a string and a prayer. Well anyway, fast forward to 1972 and enter from left field, Major Catastrophe. Yes, that's right, Hurricane Agnes which overflowed the banks of the Gwynns Falls and destroyed many of the rides at the lower end of the park, caved in the Dark Ride building and wiped out the picnic groves and ruined the landscape to a fair-thee-well. They had no flood insurance and could not make the necessary repairs required in order to restore it as a full-scale amusement park. Some of those rides actually got washed away in the flood, like the kiddie boats and helicopter ride. So, they took out a long-term loan from Yorkridge Federal to try and get the money they needed to make certain repairs and clear away the rubble and try to do damage control within the parameters they had to work within. But the repairs they were able to afford just weren't enough and 1973 turned out to be the park's swan song, its final year of operation. And after all of those formative years of my life I put into the park, from the age of 10 to 23, I felt such a deep sense of loss that I could not describe it in words. That park was my world, so to speak. And to me it was kind of like an arrow through the heart because it isn't just that Gwynn Oak Park is no more but part of me is no more. But anyway, I hope this answers your question concerning why the park had to close up. When you think about it, you realize what a sad end it was to a place that had given so much fun and enjoyment to the hordes and crowds, so many patrons who came down there to enjoy themselves over the years. It reminds me of the lyrics to that song, "Where Have All The Flowers Gone."
I worked at Gwynn Oak amusement park in the summer of 1968 when I was 16 years old. I worked at the boat lake. I remember the ticket booth very well in which I spent much of my time. A fellow by the name of Hunt was my boss. Do you remember Roy Crouse? He was the sign painter for the park. There was also a good friend of mine, Carlos Kibler, who is long dead. Old Man Halsey with his white hat and walking cane, getting peoples’ attention by waving the cane and calling out Yo ! Yo ! … The Price Brothers… Charlie Goat who worked with goats and horses… Ruby Neal from Georgia who worked in a ticket booth as a cashier on the midway…. Steve the cop who was white,and John the cop who was black… mrs. Anderson who worked in the front office near the entrance of the park who handed out our pay to us every week. The Price Brothers broke the law , I guess, because I worked 12 hours a day, six days a week. But it was my first job, and I did not mind, because what 16 year old kid would not love working in an amusement park?
AG Demo. You're better off going to E33rd street at Old Memorial Stadium and dig for treasure there. I finally dug up sod and put in jar to preserve it. I can show my friends this is where Brooks and Unitas played.
Every nickel that came into the household went in a jar. When the jar was full, Mom took us kids to Gywnn Oak for Nickel Day rides. In my childish innocence, I never realized the park was segregated.
Howdy! Next time you're in the area contact me. I've lived here for 62 years, can tell you anything you want to know about the place. Probably nothing much to find but junk, unless you got a REAL good metal detector that can tune in to specific metals. One of the locals swept the place 30 years ago with a detector, obviously not as good as they got now. You do got some interesting videos.
Hello I was in a minature train accident at the park on August 11, 1954. With many injuries, my mom was pinned under the train. Not for any reason just for information, I wish I could hear from someone who remembers, I have the newspaper articiles too. Would love to hear from you Patricia
there is a facebook page devoted to the park i believe the article may be on there or contact Robert Thorn on the page he is unofficial historian of the park.
Got your reply! I'm also on Face Book, don't see a way to respond privately on here. Sorry but I'm a private person, don't like to publicly post my contact info. Here is my Face Book page you can PM me from there, facebook.com/index.php?lh=60c2133c152e0f4906ab98fbbcfd5584&eu=OEzPGGjpbsqAPSkEoaCyrw So you did the demo on the old Laurel Lumber? Old Homer was a good friend of mine, great guy, a real character!
as a kid was there and eventually ended up doing the hair of the owner
I guess they tore down the big Rollercoaster and the other rides. I remember they had report card day if u passed u got in for free with passing report card.
www.spicerpro.com/gwynn_oak_park.html look thru the list of videos to see the park as it was.
+Lone Survivor Neat thanks!
That music in that video is ominous .
I would always go on Report card day .The rides were free.
My Catholic school used to take us and my older brother used to get on the boats .