Idora Park, Youngstown
Encyclopedia
Idora Park was a northeastern Ohio
amusement park popularly known as "Youngstown
's Million Dollar Playground."
Built by the Youngstown Park and Falls Street Railway Company, the park's expansion coincided with the growth of the South Side of Youngstown, Ohio, in the Fosterville
neighborhood. Prior to its closure in the wake of a devastating fire, Idora Park was one of the nation's few remaining urban amusement parks.
The park opened as Terminal Park on May 30, 1899 which was Decoration Day
. At that point in American history, it was common for trolley park
s, or amusement parks, to sprout up at the end of trolley lines to generate weekend revenue. Without an admission fee, anyone who had the money for the trolley fare could go. The park's first season presented its guests a bandstand
, theater, dance pavilion, a roller coaster
, a circle swing, and concession stands. By the end of 1899, it was renamed "Idora Park" as a result of a contest.
When a bridge spanning the Mahoning River
opened on Youngstown's Market Street on May 23, 1899, the entire South Side was unrolled for development. The trolley line linking the downtown to Idora Park ran south on Market, west on Warren, south on Hillman Street, Sherwood west to Glenwood Avenue, then cruised through Parkview Avenue (west) into the Idora terminal.
connoisseurs across the country. The Wild Cat was designed by Herbert Paul Schmeck
, who held 100 patents for roller coaster innovations. In 1984, the Wild Cat was still ranked among the top ten roller coasters in the world.
Another famous attraction to the park was the Jack Rabbit, a wooden roller coaster built in 1910 by TM Harden. It was 70 feet (21.3 m) tall and 2200 feet (670.6 m) long, had a ride time of two minutes and thirty seconds, and was lengthened and recountered in the 1930s. In an attempt to bring people back to the park for the 1984–1985 season, park owners reversed the trains of the Jack Rabbit and renamed it the "Back Wabbit."
, New York, and was billed as the largest dance floor between New York and Chicago. The hardwood-floored ballroom eventually became enclosed to allow for year-round use.
Idora Park's house band played in the Ballroom until the advent of radio in the 1930s. Radio increased the level of listener sophistication, and Idora Park soon began to hire to big-name bands. The future decades brought glorious entertainment to the ballroom: dances, concerts, New Year's parties, and Presidential campaign visits from John F. Kennedy
. Famous musical acts that played the Ballroom included: the Glenn Miller Orchestra
, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, the Eagles, Ray Charles
, Maynard Ferguson
, Blue Öyster Cult
and The Monkees
.
s closed, Youngstown had one of the highest rates of home ownership in the country.
Youngstown Sheet and Tube
, one of the largest employers in the Mahoning Valley
, announced the closure of one of its largest mills. The overnight loss of nearly 5,000 jobs impacted Idora Park directly. Sheet and Tube's annual picnic was the largest at Idora.
During the hardship the community was suffering, Idora Park still boasted existing rides. The Idora Park Merry-Go-Round
was named to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1975. In 1976, Idora Park was named one of the nation's 100 best amusement parks in Gary Kyriazi's book, Great American Amusement Parks. By 1980, the Wild Cat and Jack Rabbit were recognized as some of the best coasters in the country.
Nonetheless, by the early 1980s, the park was a relic that also housed relics: it now housed rides from other parks that met their end in the 1960s, such as Euclid Beach Park
in Cleveland and West View Park
outside of Pittsburgh.
Twelve fire companies responded to the fire, which spread quickly as winds carried it across concession stands and on to the midway. Many off-duty firefighters also responded to the call to help contain flames that spread along the Wild Cat's wooden tracks and threatened the merry-go-round, which was scorched but ultimately saved from destruction. Firefighters found themselves at a disadvantage with a lack of in-park hydrants, poor water pressure, and aged wooden rides and buildings. They finally tamed the blaze by running lines to hydrants outside the park.
Final damage was estimated in millions of dollars; the replacement of the Wild Cat was estimated at $1.5 million. Intense heat melted paint in various areas of the gazebo. The south horseshoe of the Wild Cat was destroyed, but repair cost was prohibitive. Park owners acknowledged that the loss of the Wild Cat was disastrous.
The Wild Cat was Idora's biggest attraction. The park operated through the summer of 1984, but with the premier ride gone, a decision was made to close permanently. Idora Park welcomed its last visitors on September 16, 1984.
On October 20–21, 1984 an auction was conducted by Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater, Michigan
to dispose of the rides and equipment. While a couple from New York bought the merry-go-round, the remaining coasters (Wild Cat, Jack Rabbit, Baby Wild Cat), and many other buildings (Ballroom, Kiddieland complex, French Fry stand) were left as crumbling reminders of the park that once was. Very little had been torn down, people could sneak into the park, walk across the midway and trample over the weeds poking through the concrete. With the park still in sight, it was still in many people’s minds.
), Laffin Lena's (fun house), and the Helter Skelter bumper car
buildings. But until this fire, there was always a tangible reminder of Idora Park.
Over time, Mt. Calvary failed to build their religious complex, the property decayed, and it was not secured from trespassers. The former Idora Park's remaining structures were eventually vandalized, destroyed by natural elements, or succumbed to arson.
in 1993, and put together a bid to buy the property and restore it, but—at the eleventh hour—the church got the property back for a reported $300,000 mortgage.
By 1999, a local group, Conneaut Lake Park Management Group (which had taken over Conneaut Lake Park
in Pennsylvania
), attempted to negotiate the purchase of either the Jack Rabbit or Wild Cat from the property owners. Blueprints for both rides were still available, so they could be refurbished at Conneaut. The group also planned to purchase the complete merry-go-round from the owners in New York. These plans never came to light. The Idora Ballroom, Jack Rabbit coaster, and Wildcat coaster would remain unpreserved on the property.
(ACE) preservation list. Inaction by the park property owners to preserve these remaining Idora Park historic structures ultimately led to their destruction. In a 2001 news conference following the Ballroom's messy asbestos cleanup, Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church restated that: "This future complex (City of God) will only help the entire community but especially youth... hopes to break ground no later than next spring (2002). The entire project should take at least two years to complete." As of July 16, 2009, Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church has yet to break ground on the "City of God" project.
, Inc. of Merritt Island, Fla., paid the delinquent taxes on behalf of Mt. Calvary Church. Teen Missions International helps churches and other religious organizations with financing different projects. Teen Missions has loaned nearly $1.2 million to Mount Calvary over a period of time to help develop the Idora property. Teen Missions has recently filed a new court case asking for over $1.5 million they say the Mt. Calvary Church owes them, said their attorney Charles Wilburn."
The "Youngstown 2010" redevelopment and city revitalization plans have also stated their interest in acquiring the property to utilize it as a "green-space" extension of nearby Mill Creek Park
. These plans are on hold until the city can obtain the property from the Church (possibly through eminent domain
), or alternative ownership acquires the property from the Church's outstanding $1.5 million lawsuit.
in 1922, and featured forty-eight carved horses attributed to Frank Carretta.
"There was an auction at Idora Park October 20-21. Mickey Rindin was running a refreshment stand at the auction, which he said was very crowded. Near the end of the auction, the auctioneers and the crowd came over to the refreshment stand and started taking bids on the equipment inside. The most poignant moment came with the auctioning of the carousel. First, bids were taken on each individual horse. Then, when each individual horse had a sale price, bids were taken for the whole carousel. The opening bid was the sum of the price for all the horses plus ten percent, which came to $385,000. A buyer was found, and a great cry went up from the crowd because the horses would stay together. "They didn't want it to leave one horse at a time," Rindin said."
At Idora's 1984 auction, the carousel was sold to Brooklyn, New York, residents David and Jane Walentas, who purchased the thirty "jumpers," eighteen "standers," two chariots, and the band organ facade.
Walentas restored the merry-go-round over the ensuing 22 years, the culmination of which was revealed on October 13, 2006, when it was rechristened "Jane's Carousel." Mrs. Walentas made it known that she wanted the carousel to be given a permanent place in Brooklyn Bridge
Park, going so far as to pay a $500,000 fee for a pavilion to house it designed by Pritzker Prize
-winning architect Jean Nouvel
. Opinions differ on whether the master plan for Brooklyn Bridge Park (which abuts Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park
and borders the East River
) can—or was ever designed to—accommodate the carousel.
On June 20, 2009, New York Governor David Paterson announced that "Jane Walentas has agreed to donate her restored 1920s carousel, along with a pavilion and $3.45 million toward landscaping and improvements to [Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation]. The Carousel will be located on the western edge of the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park inside the pavilion designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel. Ms. Walentas will also establish a non-profit entity, 'Friends of Jane’s Carousel,' responsible for carousel operations, expenses and revenue collection."
Once the carousel was fully operational, visitors could view, and sometimes ride it in a gallery space at 65 Water Street in Brooklyn.
On September 16, 2011, after 27 years of extensive renovation, Jane's Carousel opened in its new home in Brooklyn Bridge Park. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg led the ribbon cutting ceremony. The carousel is housed in Nouvel's plexiglass "jewel box" structure.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
amusement park popularly known as "Youngstown
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
's Million Dollar Playground."
Built by the Youngstown Park and Falls Street Railway Company, the park's expansion coincided with the growth of the South Side of Youngstown, Ohio, in the Fosterville
Fosterville
Fosterville is a neighborhood in Youngstown, Ohio, that is located on the south-southwestern side of the city. In the course of a recent revitalization effort, called "Youngstown 2010", the original Fosterville neighborhood has been subdivided into two distinct neighborhood areas: Idora and...
neighborhood. Prior to its closure in the wake of a devastating fire, Idora Park was one of the nation's few remaining urban amusement parks.
Opening and early development
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
. At that point in American history, it was common for trolley park
Trolley park
In the United States, trolley parks, which started in the 19th century, were picnic and recreation areas along or at the ends of streetcar lines in most of the larger cities. These were precursors to amusement parks. These trolley parks were created by the streetcar companies to give people a...
s, or amusement parks, to sprout up at the end of trolley lines to generate weekend revenue. Without an admission fee, anyone who had the money for the trolley fare could go. The park's first season presented its guests a bandstand
Bandstand
A bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
, theater, dance pavilion, a roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
, a circle swing, and concession stands. By the end of 1899, it was renamed "Idora Park" as a result of a contest.
When a bridge spanning the Mahoning River
Mahoning River
The Mahoning River is a river located in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. It joins the Shenango River to form the Beaver River and is part of the Ohio River watershed.- Physical properties :...
opened on Youngstown's Market Street on May 23, 1899, the entire South Side was unrolled for development. The trolley line linking the downtown to Idora Park ran south on Market, west on Warren, south on Hillman Street, Sherwood west to Glenwood Avenue, then cruised through Parkview Avenue (west) into the Idora terminal.
Primary rollercoasters: the Wild Cat and Jack Rabbit
One of the park's many attractions was a 3000 feet (914.4 m) wooden roller coaster called The Wild Cat, which was built in 1929. The state-of-the-art, three-minute ride was hailed by roller coasterRoller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
connoisseurs across the country. The Wild Cat was designed by Herbert Paul Schmeck
Herbert Paul Schmeck
Herbert Paul Schmeck was an American roller coaster designer. From 1923 to 1955, Schmeck designed 84 coasters for the Philadelphia Toboggan Company...
, who held 100 patents for roller coaster innovations. In 1984, the Wild Cat was still ranked among the top ten roller coasters in the world.
Another famous attraction to the park was the Jack Rabbit, a wooden roller coaster built in 1910 by TM Harden. It was 70 feet (21.3 m) tall and 2200 feet (670.6 m) long, had a ride time of two minutes and thirty seconds, and was lengthened and recountered in the 1930s. In an attempt to bring people back to the park for the 1984–1985 season, park owners reversed the trains of the Jack Rabbit and renamed it the "Back Wabbit."
Kiddieland
The Kiddieland area was originally a concrete swimming pool. When the park was built, it included a giant swimming pool and a large bath house. A large hole was drilled into the pool to connect to an underground salt-water spring, creating the only salt-water pool in the country. To address the park's space concerns, the pool was filled in during the 1950s and replaced with a children's rides section. The bath house remained a shelter and storage area.Ballroom
The Idora Park Ballroom opened June 30, 1910. The open-air ballroom was based on one in Coney IslandConey Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, New York, and was billed as the largest dance floor between New York and Chicago. The hardwood-floored ballroom eventually became enclosed to allow for year-round use.
Idora Park's house band played in the Ballroom until the advent of radio in the 1930s. Radio increased the level of listener sophistication, and Idora Park soon began to hire to big-name bands. The future decades brought glorious entertainment to the ballroom: dances, concerts, New Year's parties, and Presidential campaign visits from John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
. Famous musical acts that played the Ballroom included: the Glenn Miller Orchestra
Glenn Miller Orchestra
The Glenn Miller Orchestra was originally formed in 1938 by Glenn Miller. It was arranged around a clarinet and tenor saxophone playing melody, while three other saxophones played the harmony...
, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, the Eagles, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
, Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
and The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
.
Decline
Idora Park thrived through the decades, yet it also faced continual competition from larger state and national amusement parks. Landlocked on its 27 acres (109,265.2 m²), Idora had no options for expansion. As the automobile became the preferred mode of transportation, trolley lines died out, and so did many trolley parks. The primary reason Idora had survived was it had become the preferred location for ethnic, church, and company picnics. Until the steel millSteel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
s closed, Youngstown had one of the highest rates of home ownership in the country.
Youngstown Sheet and Tube
Youngstown Sheet and Tube
The Youngstown Iron Sheet and Tube Company, based in Youngstown, Ohio, was one of the largest steel manufacturers in the world. Officially, the company was created on November 23, 1900, when Articles of Incorporation of the Youngstown Iron Sheet and Tube Company were filed with the Ohio Secretary...
, one of the largest employers in the Mahoning Valley
Mahoning Valley
The Mahoning Valley is a geographic valley encompassing the area of northeast Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania that drains into the Mahoning River. The Mahoning River empties into the Beaver River, which empties into the Ohio River. The Mahoning River flows through Lawrence and Mercer counties in...
, announced the closure of one of its largest mills. The overnight loss of nearly 5,000 jobs impacted Idora Park directly. Sheet and Tube's annual picnic was the largest at Idora.
During the hardship the community was suffering, Idora Park still boasted existing rides. The Idora Park Merry-Go-Round
Idora Park Merry-Go-Round
Idora Park Merry-Go-Round is a wooden carousel that was built in 1899 for the Idora Park amusement park in Youngstown, Ohio. It was designed by Daniel C. Muller, a lead carver of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, who was also credited with its manufacture...
was named to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975. In 1976, Idora Park was named one of the nation's 100 best amusement parks in Gary Kyriazi's book, Great American Amusement Parks. By 1980, the Wild Cat and Jack Rabbit were recognized as some of the best coasters in the country.
Nonetheless, by the early 1980s, the park was a relic that also housed relics: it now housed rides from other parks that met their end in the 1960s, such as Euclid Beach Park
Euclid Beach Park
Euclid Beach Park was a popular amusement park located on the shores of Lake Erie in the Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio....
in Cleveland and West View Park
West View Park
West View Park was an amusement park that was located in West View, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. It was founded by Theodore M. Harton in 1906.- Overview :...
outside of Pittsburgh.
1984 fire
A devastating fire on April 26, 1984 destroyed the Wild Cat coaster, the Lost River ride, eleven concession stands, and the park office. Employees scrambled to save park records, but only some of the most current files were pulled to safety, while older files and historical records were lost. Investigation later determined that a welding torch's heat or sparks may have ignited leaves or roofing material on the Lost River, which stood next to the Wild Cat. Employees tried to extinguish the growing flames with hand extinguishers, but soon realized that the fire was out of control.Twelve fire companies responded to the fire, which spread quickly as winds carried it across concession stands and on to the midway. Many off-duty firefighters also responded to the call to help contain flames that spread along the Wild Cat's wooden tracks and threatened the merry-go-round, which was scorched but ultimately saved from destruction. Firefighters found themselves at a disadvantage with a lack of in-park hydrants, poor water pressure, and aged wooden rides and buildings. They finally tamed the blaze by running lines to hydrants outside the park.
Final damage was estimated in millions of dollars; the replacement of the Wild Cat was estimated at $1.5 million. Intense heat melted paint in various areas of the gazebo. The south horseshoe of the Wild Cat was destroyed, but repair cost was prohibitive. Park owners acknowledged that the loss of the Wild Cat was disastrous.
The Wild Cat was Idora's biggest attraction. The park operated through the summer of 1984, but with the premier ride gone, a decision was made to close permanently. Idora Park welcomed its last visitors on September 16, 1984.
On October 20–21, 1984 an auction was conducted by Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater, Michigan
Coldwater, Michigan
Coldwater is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,945. It is the county seat of Branch County....
to dispose of the rides and equipment. While a couple from New York bought the merry-go-round, the remaining coasters (Wild Cat, Jack Rabbit, Baby Wild Cat), and many other buildings (Ballroom, Kiddieland complex, French Fry stand) were left as crumbling reminders of the park that once was. Very little had been torn down, people could sneak into the park, walk across the midway and trample over the weeds poking through the concrete. With the park still in sight, it was still in many people’s minds.
New ownership
In 1985, Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church in Youngstown bought the Idora property and announced plans for a religious complex, to be named the "City of God". The Ballroom remained open for various events until Memorial Day 1986. The church lost the property in 1989 after accumulating more than $500,000 in debt on the land.Deterioration
In an interview with the Youngstown Vindicator on October 16, 1984, former Idora Park owner Max Rindin was asked what would happen to the Park after it closed. “In time,” he said. “It’ll all be torched.” Gradually, his prophecy came true. Another fire at the abandoned park on May 3, 1986 destroyed the Heidelberg Gardens, Kooky Castle (haunted houseHaunted house
A haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property...
), Laffin Lena's (fun house), and the Helter Skelter bumper car
Bumper car
Bumper car is the generic name for a type of flat ride consisting of several small electric cars which draw power from the floor and/or ceiling, and which are turned on and off remotely by an operator...
buildings. But until this fire, there was always a tangible reminder of Idora Park.
Over time, Mt. Calvary failed to build their religious complex, the property decayed, and it was not secured from trespassers. The former Idora Park's remaining structures were eventually vandalized, destroyed by natural elements, or succumbed to arson.
Calls for preservation
A group of preservationists got Idora Park listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1993, and put together a bid to buy the property and restore it, but—at the eleventh hour—the church got the property back for a reported $300,000 mortgage.
By 1999, a local group, Conneaut Lake Park Management Group (which had taken over Conneaut Lake Park
Conneaut Lake Park
Conneaut Lake Park is a summer amusement resort, located in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania, USA. It has long served as a regional tourist destination, and is loved by roller coaster enthusiasts for its classic Blue Streak coaster, which was recently classified as "historic" by the group American...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
), attempted to negotiate the purchase of either the Jack Rabbit or Wild Cat from the property owners. Blueprints for both rides were still available, so they could be refurbished at Conneaut. The group also planned to purchase the complete merry-go-round from the owners in New York. These plans never came to light. The Idora Ballroom, Jack Rabbit coaster, and Wildcat coaster would remain unpreserved on the property.
2001 fire
On March 5, 2001 the final chapter to Idora Park's history was written when the Ballroom burned down. The fire reportedly started in the basement and was suspicious in nature. The Jack Rabbit and other remaining wooden structures were not destroyed by this fire. Days after the fire, an interview with the property owners stated that they "offered to allow (preservation groups) to take the roller coasters down as long as they funded it and had proper insurance and bonding". However, on July 26, 2001 the Wild Cat, Jack Rabbit, and all other decaying structures (all unsalvageable) were demolished by bulldozers to prevent any future fires. City officials had asked that the coasters be removed since they were hazardous to the public. Both the Jack Rabbit and Wild Cat roller coasters were listed on the American Coaster EnthusiastsAmerican Coaster Enthusiasts
The American Coaster Enthusiasts is an organization dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of roller coasters. Membership is open to anyone with payment of yearly dues, and membership benefits may include discounted admission to certain amusement parks...
(ACE) preservation list. Inaction by the park property owners to preserve these remaining Idora Park historic structures ultimately led to their destruction. In a 2001 news conference following the Ballroom's messy asbestos cleanup, Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church restated that: "This future complex (City of God) will only help the entire community but especially youth... hopes to break ground no later than next spring (2002). The entire project should take at least two years to complete." As of July 16, 2009, Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church has yet to break ground on the "City of God" project.
Future development possibilities
The property still belongs to Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church. The land is now vacant of buildings and City of God project was never realized. By 2006, Mt. Calvary Church had accumulated delinquent taxes on the twelve parcels of Idora Park land totaling over $25,000. The City of Youngstown filed for foreclosure on the property September 13, 2006. Yet, according to the Warren Tribune Chronicle (Jan 8, 2007), "The Mahoning County Common Pleas Court dismissed the delinquent tax case against the owners of the former Idora Park...The case was dismissed because one of the parties named in the suit, Teen Missions InternationalTeen Missions International
Teen Missions International, or TMI, is an interdenominational Christian mission organization specializing in running short-term mission trips for youth, teenager, and adult participation. The organization was started in 1970 in Ohio and was later moved to Florida.-The Lord's Boot Camp:TMI's main,...
, Inc. of Merritt Island, Fla., paid the delinquent taxes on behalf of Mt. Calvary Church. Teen Missions International helps churches and other religious organizations with financing different projects. Teen Missions has loaned nearly $1.2 million to Mount Calvary over a period of time to help develop the Idora property. Teen Missions has recently filed a new court case asking for over $1.5 million they say the Mt. Calvary Church owes them, said their attorney Charles Wilburn."
The "Youngstown 2010" redevelopment and city revitalization plans have also stated their interest in acquiring the property to utilize it as a "green-space" extension of nearby Mill Creek Park
Mill Creek Park
Mill Creek Park is a metropolitan park located in Youngstown, Ohio. It is the second largest metropolitan park in the United States after Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, and the 140th largest park located within the limits of a U.S. city.- History :...
. These plans are on hold until the city can obtain the property from the Church (possibly through eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
), or alternative ownership acquires the property from the Church's outstanding $1.5 million lawsuit.
A coda for the carousel
An enduring glory of Idora Park remains in its wooden merry-go-round (or "carousel," PTC #61), which was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan CompanyPhiladelphia Toboggan Company
The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world.Mack Rides of Germany dates back to 1781, but it did not start building coasters until 1921 Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B...
in 1922, and featured forty-eight carved horses attributed to Frank Carretta.
"There was an auction at Idora Park October 20-21. Mickey Rindin was running a refreshment stand at the auction, which he said was very crowded. Near the end of the auction, the auctioneers and the crowd came over to the refreshment stand and started taking bids on the equipment inside. The most poignant moment came with the auctioning of the carousel. First, bids were taken on each individual horse. Then, when each individual horse had a sale price, bids were taken for the whole carousel. The opening bid was the sum of the price for all the horses plus ten percent, which came to $385,000. A buyer was found, and a great cry went up from the crowd because the horses would stay together. "They didn't want it to leave one horse at a time," Rindin said."
At Idora's 1984 auction, the carousel was sold to Brooklyn, New York, residents David and Jane Walentas, who purchased the thirty "jumpers," eighteen "standers," two chariots, and the band organ facade.
Walentas restored the merry-go-round over the ensuing 22 years, the culmination of which was revealed on October 13, 2006, when it was rechristened "Jane's Carousel." Mrs. Walentas made it known that she wanted the carousel to be given a permanent place in Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
Park, going so far as to pay a $500,000 fee for a pavilion to house it designed by Pritzker Prize
Pritzker Prize
The Pritzker Architecture Prize is awarded annually by the Hyatt Foundation to honour "a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built...
-winning architect Jean Nouvel
Jean Nouvel
Jean Nouvel is a French architect. Nouvel studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was a founding member of Mars 1976 and Syndicat de l'Architecture...
. Opinions differ on whether the master plan for Brooklyn Bridge Park (which abuts Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park
Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park
Empire–Fulton Ferry Park, formerly Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, is a park in Brooklyn, New York, United States. The park is located next to the East River, extending north and south of the Brooklyn Bridge...
and borders the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
) can—or was ever designed to—accommodate the carousel.
On June 20, 2009, New York Governor David Paterson announced that "Jane Walentas has agreed to donate her restored 1920s carousel, along with a pavilion and $3.45 million toward landscaping and improvements to [Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation]. The Carousel will be located on the western edge of the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park inside the pavilion designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel. Ms. Walentas will also establish a non-profit entity, 'Friends of Jane’s Carousel,' responsible for carousel operations, expenses and revenue collection."
Once the carousel was fully operational, visitors could view, and sometimes ride it in a gallery space at 65 Water Street in Brooklyn.
On September 16, 2011, after 27 years of extensive renovation, Jane's Carousel opened in its new home in Brooklyn Bridge Park. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg led the ribbon cutting ceremony. The carousel is housed in Nouvel's plexiglass "jewel box" structure.
Recommended reading
- Guerrieri, Vince. "Youngstown's Million Dollar Playground", The New Colonist, September 10, 2004.
- Shale, Rick. "Idora Park: Last Ride of the Summer", Amusement Park Journal publishing, May 1999.
External links
- History of Idora Park
- IdoraPark.org
- Whatever Happened to Idora Park?
- Idora Fact File
- Idora Park Photo Tour, Late 1990s
- Youngstown 2010- A citywide revitalization effort
- Carousel photos
- Carousel on display, September 2006
- The lit carousel at night, October 2006
- Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church - Current property owners
