Twenty Five years ago today, Idora Park, the Youngstown iconic amusement park burned to the ground ending it's glorious history. Park employee's working on The Lost River sparked a fire from welding equipment that quickly engulfed several major attractions and rides including the famed roller coaster, The Wild Cat and a good portion of the midway burned until the fire was brought under control.
Today I think of those greasy Idora french fries, from the french fry shack, served up in the white cone shaped paper container, grease forming on the bottom, shaking some salt from the dented beat up salt shakers on the counter, and eating them as fast as you can because the Wild Cat line is moving.
Rest In Peace Idora park, April 26th, 1984
LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
Idora was that long ago. That was a great park, the Wildcat and Jack Rabbit coasters were top notch.
ReplyDeleteI remember Idora Park when I was a little girl. Is everything completely gone? Not even the ballroom?
ReplyDeleteI remember Idoar Park. Such a great park. Is that sign still there after all these years.
ReplyDeleteOh no. The sign is long gone. The park is completely gone. Just weeds and brush encased inside a rusting broken down fence line. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteI was looking around the web tonight and found a number of places that have been abandoned including the Pacific Bell building in San Francisco ( still guarded ), a decaying mansion in Lebanon, and a link on wikipedia listing all of the amusement parks that have closed around the world. 2 I went to as a child were Glen Echo in Maryland and West View in Pittsburgh. I worked the last opened section of Playland At The Beach before it closed.
ReplyDeleteAs a note Barnes and Noble has the 2012 Nuns Having Fun Calendar with nuns in a log ride.
Check it out.
It's off topic, but where does one get a GOOD corned beef sandwich ? I had one the other day and it was this pre-pressed stuff and not one that is thin sliced on rye bread with all the trimmings. The traditional deli where one could get a decent one is getting harder to find.
Oh, Boudin's on Fisherman's Wharf has tolerable sandwiches, but most places to eat on the Wharf are tourist traps with barely edible " food ". Best to bring your own or wait until you go back to the hotel. The Safeway's here sell fresh sandwiches that are pretty good and they sell huge ones with beef, turkey, ham, lettuce, tomato, mayo, pickle for $ 8.99. Sometimes as low as $ 5 on Friday. They're literally over a foot long and one hell of a bargain on a giant loaf of bread.
Yes, we spent a few days in San Francisco last year and pier 39 and the Wharf were several places visited. The restaurants we ate at were not bad, and once I get my lazy ass in gear, I will have them all posted.
ReplyDelete