Whereas Disneyland opened in July of 1955, at a cost of about 17 million dollars, Freedomland opened in June of 1960, at a reputed cost of about 60 million dollars. Therefore, Freedomland was the 2nd great theme park, followed by Six Flags Over Texas, which was a somewhat smaller venue that came along in August of 1961. What made Freedomland unique was that it was – and still remains – the only theme park in the United States which paid tribute to our country’s storied history. The park itself was located on about 210 acres, in the Bronx, and when viewed from the air, one could see that the layout was in the shape of the United States. It had a Little Ole New York Section, Chicago, New Orleans, Santa Fe and San Francisco, including China Town, as well as the Northwest Region. It also had a unique and a very futuristic area for its time, called Satellite City. That was where the big name entertainers would perform in an area known as “The Moon Bowl”. There were many other themed areas including Ft. Cavalry and even The Great Lakes, with two large sternwheelers – The American and The Canadian.
Continue reading the rest of my interview with Freedomland performer Ben Rossi.
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