Freedomland U.S.A. Theme Park Comes To Peekskill

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. The 300+-page tale includes first-time interviews with park employees and never before published photographs. Located in The Bronx, Freedomland U.S.A. was celebrated as the “Disneyland of the East.” While it survived only five seasons (1960-1964), to this day the park generates fond memories among boomers who enjoyed its American history-themed attractions.

A presentation about Freedomland with photos and a memorabilia display by author Mike Virgintino will be featured at Lincoln Depot Museum on Saturday, April 1, 2023, at 2 p.m. Location: 41 South Water Street in Peekskill, New York. Telephone 914-402-4318. Website: https://lincolndepotmuseum.org

Every attendee will receive an authentic Freedomland keepsake courtesy The Frank R. Adamo Freedomland U.S.A. Collection. Visit Freedomland U.S.A. on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. The book is available on Amazon and other online retailers. A second book is in development.

Unique Attractions

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. Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington and the community of Lake Havasu, Arizona, continue to prosper. The northeast Bronx marshland that featured Freedomland U.S.A. eventually became a housing development and a shopping center.

Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History features stories about the building of the park and background about the various attractions from the recreation of the Chicago Fire to a trip on a bull boat in America’s untamed wilderness on the Northwest Fur Trapper ride. Dark rides included the Earthquake of San Francisco, a Buccaneer attraction and the Tornado recreation in the New Orleans section of the park, and a Mine Caverns ride deep into the earth in the Old Southwest. The dark rides and several other attractions 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. Young children especially enjoyed a ride aboard Danny the Dragon, the fire-breathing mythical monster with a heart of gold.

The book is filled with documentation about the more than 150 celebrities of the day who appeared at the park. They included entertainers (Paul Anka, Louis Armstrong, The Four Seasons, Benny Goodman, The Lennon Sisters, The Three Stooges), New York’s radio disc jockeys (Herb Oscar Anderson, Scott Muni, Murray the K, Jack Sterling), hosts of local television shows for kids and teens (Officer Joe Bolton, Clay Cole, Sonny Fox, Claude Kirchner, Chuck McCann, Captain Jack McCarthy) and many other celebrities from movies, music, radio, stage and television.