DO YOU REMEMBER????: ELDRIDGE PARK, ELMIRA NEW YORK
How many of you remember this one, Eldridge Park was one of those little small town Amusement Parks where, like "Cheers", everyone knew your name. They didn't even have a fence around it, and every night the benches were full of people watching the movie & then the acts, friendly people who every once in a while would bring you an apple pie, or chocolate cake, to show their appreciation.
How many times can you say,"Those were the days" 
posted by 24-HOUR-MAN | 5:11 PM
8 Comments:
Though on city-owned land, this Elmira park was run by Robert Long who was related (either younger brother or cousin) to George Long of Seabreeze Park in Rochester. The circus acts were booked by Jay Parker from 1952 until his 1976 retirement, after which such acts were suspended.
Dick Flint
Baltimore
I first worked the park as part of the LaBlonde Aerial Bar Act ib the '50's, then Trudy & I worked it with our Cradle Act, The Pharoahs,but I don't remember the year.
In the '70's we worked the fair in Elmira with the Kimris Act, so went out to the park, it was very sad to see them tearing down the last of the rides.
It was really a shame none of the younger Longs were interested in carving horses.
Seabreeze is another park I played with LaBlondes, then later with the Kimris Act. During the latter was their 100th year, & they had the carving machine on exhibit in the Merry-Go-Round bldg. I was taken to the basement & shown a great number of horses, finished except for painting. I tried to make a deal for one, I offered $1000, I offered to do the act for a week free, but could not get them to part with one.
My Dad grew up in Horseheads in the 20's and 30's and remembered a time when the park had a kind of a zoo attached, as well as the arcade, the rides, and the stage shows. I'm sure Eldridge Park would have been the first place that I rode a wooden coaster, probably while we were working the Chemung County Fair. I remember when I was high school we bought a skee ball from there and mounted it on a trailer for firemen's carnivals. My Dad said there had been an earlier amusement venue around Elmira along the river at a place called Roark's Glen that closed around the end of the First World War. And there was another smaller kiddie park in Elmira on Harris Hill. Southeast of Elmira I think we did a bit of back and forth trading with Fraley's Amusement Park in Waverly.
I vaguely remember hearing about the auction that sold off the Elderidge Park carousel, I don't think the park stayed open for long after that. Like so many places in that area, of the terrible flooding following Hurricane Agnes in 1972, the life was just gone and area never really recovered.
I dont know if you know of a "mechanic-electrician", by the name of "kilowatt" who has worked around shows for years, I think someone mentioned him on Buckles Blog, he is from Elmira, & I believe his father ran the Ferris Wheel.
Some where I have some snapshots of Eldridge with water up to the counters on the joints.
I know who you mean. I believe his father was on the Strates original Chemung Amusement Show too.
I am 59 yrs. old now, and I grew up in Montour Falls. My cousin lived in Elmira, which I stayed with 2 wks, every year. We had so much fun going to Eldrige Park, I remember. The things I enjoyed the most were the SPOOK HOUSE, the shaky roller coaster, the whip, and the french fries with vinegar to put on them. I also enjoyed putting a penny in the machine to see it pressed... oh what fun I always had visiting. I moved out of NY just before the flood to FLorida,,, but live in NC now, and wish all kids could enjoy all the fun we had growing up in that area.
My wife & I worked many places, including the "Ed Sullivan Show", & six yuears on the largest circus in Europe, but some of my fondest memories are of Eldridge Park. It really hurt to see them demolish it.
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