This nicely produced piece by Tom Salinardo, shot back in 1981, is of Bertrand Island Amusement Park in Lake Hopatcong. Who are those two people with the balloons at the end?
I went here as a child my mom and dad or we would get her friend to drop us off on Mondays or Thursdays it was Dime and Nickel night all the rides my favorite ride that was there was called the Speed-Bob I remembered so well to the back part of the park before you would get to the ride that went over the water which was really cool but I used to go there my friends as a Teenage I lived in Budd Lake New Jersey and it was incredible I love the roller coaster to believe me fourth grade memories as a teenager
wow brings back memories. I remember when I was little I went on the roller coaster with my mom. We almost fell out lol. Went there many times. Grew up in Secaucus, but always made the drive out at least a few times during the summer every year.
Progress isn't always a good thing, I guess. Parks like this may be gone, but at least there are videos like this one to remind us of uncomplicated days in simpler times.
I went there in 1978 or 79 and it rocked. The only water slide I ever went on where I got totally and completely soaked, which was great in the summer heat. Some of the rides were actually pretty dangerous, like that specific roller coaster they showed in the video, which made it REALLY fun! Action Park was pretty good too. Seems like back then NJ had a lot of fun places like that.
Great fun watching these clips from an era now past. Glad to have lived it though. Grew up 20 mi from here. Visited only a few times, but boated later on the lake. Interesting that the park closed only 2 years after this but the coaster operator mused it would be running until 2000.
I was fortunate to have gone to Bertrand Island in 1882 on my first large coast-to-coast coaster trip. We rode Wildcat maybe a dozen times and Boomerang twice. Since the 3 people I was travelling with were in a hurry that was the extent of our Bertrand Island experience, but the Wildcat was a wonderful & fun coaster. I have POV start to finish and also on-ride video of an entire Boomerang ride. Wonderful, missed park & coaster!
I loved that park, especially that coaster. I went there in 1978 at the age of 12, for the first time, and that roller coaster scared me so much the first time I just had to ride it again. Hard to imagine these days that an 80 or 100 foot drop was so massive back then, compared to the rides now! Of course the Sooper Dooper Looper at Hersheypark was a major advance in thrill rides at the time as well! Ah the good old days...
+snakelady1066 I never made it to Bertrand Island, unfortunately. I never knew the place existed until my college buddy came back with this video. Wish I had gone just to say I was there. Seems like it was a fun place!
Wow, love the GROOVY 70's music pieced in; great memories from that time; thanks for posting this - sad to know this place is long gone for the sake of residential construction...
I've actually never been to Bertrand Island. I've been to Lake Hopatcong, but not to the amusement park itself. I see that it closed in 1983 due to competition from larger theme parks. Sad 'cause it's the small parks like this one that had that special magic the larger parks lacked. Anyway, glad you enjoyed the video!
The park also went down hill during the last 5 or so years that it was open. It was let go. The last owner didnt do anything to fix it up. People were coming less and less. Sad. That place has a lot of childhood and teenage memories for many of us.
Being a poor inner city kid, I didn't have access to cool places like this. I didn't know this place existed until the creators of this video brought it back. Seemed like a fun place to be during the summer months, as I'm sure you'll attest to. Good times I'm sure!
certainly hard hitting reporting on the coaster facts - "still be runnin' by the turn of the century" - If only. Can't seem to find any pictures of the place other than the view of the "fun in the dark" with the woodie. As I recall, there were a few rides to the left of that view and then very little else of interest in other areas.
I went here as a child my mom and dad or we would get her friend to drop us off on Mondays or Thursdays it was Dime and Nickel night all the rides my favorite ride that was there was called the Speed-Bob I remembered so well to the back part of the park before you would get to the ride that went over the water which was really cool but I used to go there my friends as a Teenage I lived in Budd Lake New Jersey and it was incredible I love the roller coaster to believe me fourth grade memories as a teenager
Excellent memories, Rocky! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and that it brought back fond memories of Bertrand Island and your childhood.
Had many great times there as a child.
I never took the opportunity to go there when I had the chance. Wish I had!
Its final owner really let that place go! It was used for amusement park scenes for the movie The Purple Rose of Cario.
It's a shame. The world needs more places like Bertrand Island Amusement Park...
wow brings back memories. I remember when I was little I went on the roller coaster with my mom. We almost fell out lol. Went there many times. Grew up in Secaucus, but always made the drive out at least a few times during the summer every year.
my uncle used to take us there on nickel night oh the fun we had so sad to see its gone
"Nickle Night"?! What did you pay a nickle for? Rides? Games? Foods? Sounds like you had a good time on your visits there.
Great memories. Went every summer with Camp Don Bosco in Newton,NY from 1967-71.
I must be the only person in the northeast who never went there. Looked like fun!
I went there with CYO (Catholic Youth Organisation) Day Camp run out of Paramus Catholic HS every summer back in the late 70s.
Progress isn't always a good thing, I guess. Parks like this may be gone, but at least there are videos like this one to remind us of uncomplicated days in simpler times.
I went there in 1978 or 79 and it rocked. The only water slide I ever went on where I got totally and completely soaked, which was great in the summer heat. Some of the rides were actually pretty dangerous, like that specific roller coaster they showed in the video, which made it REALLY fun! Action Park was pretty good too. Seems like back then NJ had a lot of fun places like that.
Great fun watching these clips from an era now past. Glad to have lived it though. Grew up 20 mi from here. Visited only a few times, but boated later on the lake. Interesting that the park closed only 2 years after this but the coaster operator mused it would be running until 2000.
I never went to this park, looks like I missed out! Glad you enjoyed it!
I remember going there as a kid from Staten island. Great memories.
I was fortunate to have gone to Bertrand Island in 1882 on my first large coast-to-coast coaster trip. We rode Wildcat maybe a dozen times and Boomerang twice. Since the 3 people I was travelling with were in a hurry that was the extent of our Bertrand Island experience, but the Wildcat was a wonderful & fun coaster. I have POV start to finish and also on-ride video of an entire Boomerang ride. Wonderful, missed park & coaster!
Remember riding that roller coaster many times in the 70's, very rickety but fun...had no idea it was so old, 1925!
I Hope the Amusement Park makes a Comeback!
I loved that park, especially that coaster. I went there in 1978 at the age of 12, for the first time, and that roller coaster scared me so much the first time I just had to ride it again. Hard to imagine these days that an 80 or 100 foot drop was so massive back then, compared to the rides now! Of course the Sooper Dooper Looper at Hersheypark was a major advance in thrill rides at the time as well! Ah the good old days...
+snakelady1066 I never made it to Bertrand Island, unfortunately. I never knew the place existed until my college buddy came back with this video. Wish I had gone just to say I was there. Seems like it was a fun place!
Wow, love the GROOVY 70's music pieced in; great memories from that time; thanks for posting this - sad to know this place is long gone for the sake of residential construction...
I've actually never been to Bertrand Island. I've been to Lake Hopatcong, but not to the amusement park itself. I see that it closed in 1983 due to competition from larger theme parks. Sad 'cause it's the small parks like this one that had that special magic the larger parks lacked. Anyway, glad you enjoyed the video!
The park also went down hill during the last 5 or so years that it was open. It was let go. The last owner didnt do anything to fix it up. People were coming less and less. Sad. That place has a lot of childhood and teenage memories for many of us.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and that it brought back some fond memories of your youth!
Growing up in Stanhope during the 60's & 70's, we would be there a few times each month. Great memories of my childhood.
Being a poor inner city kid, I didn't have access to cool places like this. I didn't know this place existed until the creators of this video brought it back. Seemed like a fun place to be during the summer months, as I'm sure you'll attest to. Good times I'm sure!
Glad you enjoyed the video. Parks like this one were fun on so many levels, and it's a shame they've gone the way of the dodo bird.
certainly hard hitting reporting on the coaster facts - "still be runnin' by the turn of the century" - If only. Can't seem to find any pictures of the place other than the view of the "fun in the dark" with the woodie. As I recall, there were a few rides to the left of that view and then very little else of interest in other areas.
There's a book on the park with the title, "Greetings from Bertrand Island Amusement Park".
It was called "The sound cube"
+paul winters For Allen Chapman...no...it was the "Eletcricube"...one of my good friends was the "DJ" there.
I was lucky I got there before it closed
All my kids were there
"The Electric Cube"
My old next door neighbor as Eddie (Eddy) James who built the roller coaster AND the "Ferris" wheel...jst sayin"