It's Freedomland U.S.A. For The Holidays

Who has started shopping for the holidays?

Baby boomers shouldn't forget about Freedomland U.S.A.! It has a connection to Greenwich.

Freedomland U.S.A. – The Definitive History features the story about America's theme park that was located in The Bronx. The book can serve as a stocking stuffer for the 60+ generation, a last minute theme park history idea when you just don't know what to give, or even a gift that those whipper snappers actually will read, if they are interested in anything with a connection to Disney.

Freedomland U.S.A. (visit the Facebook group; it also can be found on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter) was celebrated as the "Disneyland of the East." While it survived only five seasons (1960-1964), to this day the park is recalled by many guests who experienced its unique American history-themed attractions. Contrary to what has become an urban legend in New York City, Freedomland's failure was not caused by the arrival of the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair.

Published by Theme Park Press, Freedomland U.S.A. – The Definitive History documents the entire story from conception to bankruptcy of one of the most innovative and beloved theme parks in America. It is available on Amazon, Goodreads and other online stores at the suggested retail price of $24.95.

Freedomland's attractions included the recreation of the Chicago Fire, a trip on a bull boat in America's untamed wilderness on the Northwest Fur Trapper adventure and several dark rides. Besides Earthquake in the San Francisco themed area and Buccaneer in the New Orleans area, Freedomland also featured the Tornado recreation dark ride in New Orleans section and a Mine Caverns ride deep into the earth in the Old Southwest themed area. The dark rides and several other attractions at the park were created by Arrow Development, which designed attractions for Disneyland and many other parks.

Another popular Freedomland attraction allowed guests to witness the early stages of audio-automatronics as they rode on a correspondents' wagon through the battle lines of rival Civil War armies. Guests also enjoyed Wild West shoot-outs at Fort Cavalry and staged robberies on vintage steam trains.

The park's two sternwheelers (“The American” and “The Canadian”) were relocated to Connecticut during the later half of the 1960s. For many years, “The American,” renamed “Mark Twain,” was featured at The Greenwich Inn. It later was sold and moved to the Port Chester side of the Byram River to operate as a private party boat. It was destroyed accidently two years ago.

What Happened To Freedomland?

Freedomland U.S.A. was conceived and built by C.V. Wood and his Marco Engineering Company. Known to many as Woody, he was Disneyland's first employee and he brought Walt Disney's imagination to life by leading the team that built that park. He then created Marco Engineering to build theme parks and other venues across the country. Several continue to prosper.

Unknown to Woody and the general public at the time, landowner William Zeckendorf, Sr., local politicians, city planners and construction unions considered the park a "placeholder" until property variances permitted significant development on marshland. The variances provided the green light for the construction of Co-op City, the largest cooperative housing community in the world. A shopping center was added about a decade later and an indoor mall was constructed on the remaining undeveloped land during 2012.