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 Rozz
 
Location: The Whales Vagina, CA
Gender: Female
I'm Reich and You're Wrong
 |  |  | The Wild Wild West
< on 2/21/2012 9:35 PM >
|  | | | This wild west themed amusement park opened in the Northeast the summer of 1952. The park featured cowboys and Indians, train robberies and rodeos. Except for a few years in the 1980's, when the park changed owners, it remained open until 1998.
These are several postcards from the 1950's of the theme park.
The park property and land was seized by the county for non-payment of taxes in 2004 and all the contents (trains, stagecoaches, buildings) and land were auctioned off. The park owners lost an appeal of the suit to have the sales tax nullified in 2007 and the winners of the auction were able to take possession of the land.
I've scoured several local forums and threads on this place and no one seems to know who really owns it now, some say private owners and some say the land is owned by the town and zoned as a municipal park. Nothing seems to be in the works for this property as of now and nature is quickly reclaiming everything.
This amusement park did bring A LOT of seasonal business to this rural area for over 40 years that is now long gone. Its apparent when driving around the local town and area, almost everything is in a deep state of disrepair and overall "sadness".
We had a pre planned parking spot we were going to use but when we pulled up there were 2 county public works trucks parked there (no one in them but we werent sure where the people were either). So we improvised and parked on another road, soon finding out a major downfall - We had to descend an extremely steep, icy slope a couple hundred feet to get to the park. Yep - just as much fun as it sounds, especially getting back up it.
Here are some pictures I took during our frigid visit. With a few photos of when it was still open, thrown in for fun.
1.
2.
Actually not quite sure what this building had to do with the park, it was across the road from the main entrance, up on top of the huge slope of death.
3.
4.
Vines taking over the main entrance
5.
6.
7.
What looks to be a main entrance area with cash registers and areas for lines of people.
8.
9.
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15.
16.
This structure was the entrance to the stagecoach ride
17.
18.
19.
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22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
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32.
I wish we had more time to explore but the sun was quickly setting and we still had to hike back up death slope before it got completely dark. It did take a good 20 mins to make our way back up the slope with several slips and falls and sliding on the ice which left my knees and shins so bruised the next morning it looked like I either had a REALLY bad or REALLY good night ;)
All in the eye of the beholder. Hope you like the pics.
Also not sure why 17, 19, 23, 24 & 25 are showing up super grainy, tried re-uploading and changing the image size on them several times but cant fix it.
[last edit 2/21/2012 9:39 PM by Rozz - edited 1 times]
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Radical_Ed
 
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
Gender: Male
"You work your life away and what do they give? You're only killing yourself to live!"
| | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 1 on 2/21/2012 9:57 PM >
| | | | What a killer set of something different! (for a change!)
Thanks for that, it was really cool.
"Are you happy now with all the choices you've made?" "Are there times in life when you know you should've stayed?"
"Will you compromise and then realize the price is too much to pay?" "Winners and losers... which one will you be today?"
***Social Distortion*** |
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Kurt
    
Location: Taxachusetts
Gender: Male
NEVER SAY DEVER!
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 2 on 2/21/2012 11:55 PM >
| | | | very nice! ive seen pics from here before, good shit
"What is your favorite thing about Belchertown?"
"...the history, man" |
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randomesquephoto
Don't be a Maxx
| | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 3 on 2/22/2012 12:09 AM >
| | | | This. Is awesome.
RIP Blackhawk |
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DjMalign
 
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Gender: Male
Sexy, sexy, sexy
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 4 on 2/22/2012 12:16 AM >
| | | | wasn't this place bought and supposed to be restored like 4 years ago?
I hate all of you |
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NotLost
Location: PA
Gender: Male
No sir, I'm not lost.
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 6 on 2/22/2012 3:22 AM >
| | | | Excellent, you found it! Glad you had a good time. Love your photos!
The place didn’t seem like much at first, but just kept going and going.
You can actually park right out front… people use it as a car pooling park – they’ll just think you’re at work (well, if you have the right tags  ).
Did you get a chance to get into the restaurant? Second floor is pretty scary! Only a few months ago that cash register was sitting up nice on a flat surface – looks like it’s rotting out from under it. The “town” isn’t going to survive many more snow falls I fear.
Posted by DjMalign
wasn't this place bought and supposed to be restored like 4 years ago?
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Actually, it was a few years ago that they auctioned off everything they could. It’s well beyond restoration (repair, anyway) now. Some of the stuff is in Glens Falls, and I think there’s some in your area.
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Rozz
Location: The Whales Vagina, CA
Gender: Female
I'm Reich and You're Wrong
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 7 on 2/22/2012 3:41 AM >
| | | | Posted by NotLost
Did you get a chance to get into the restaurant? Second floor is pretty scary! Only a few months ago that cash register was sitting up nice on a flat surface – looks like it’s rotting out from under it. The “town” isn’t going to survive many more snow falls I fear. |
No, thats the road we parked on with the restaurant, It looked awesome and we wanted to but we were out of sunlight. =( Next time Im in town Ill def make a trip because there was quite a few areas and buildings I still wanted to go into but it just wasnt feasible that day. Had already spent 3+ hours in the cold and that evening it got down to 3* - FUCKING COLD!!! Heading back to Cali tomm and those beaches are calling my name. =)
Yeah and went to that papermill too. IN-FUCKING-CREDIBLE.
Pictures to come in the next few weeks. NotLost <3 - thank you!
Glad you all like the set!
[last edit 2/22/2012 3:42 AM by Rozz - edited 1 times]
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heinrick
Location: Cascadia
Gender: Male
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 8 on 2/22/2012 7:13 AM >
| | | | This place is frighteningly like that of a place I have dreamed of in the past. I can't remember much of it, though.
Great find!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/heinrick05/ |
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randomesquephoto
Don't be a Maxx
| | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 9 on 2/22/2012 4:28 PM >
| | | | Awesome, awesome, awesome!
RIP Blackhawk |
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Jack Strathmore
Location: Adrian, MI
Gender: Male
Good friends bail you out of jail....true friends will be with you saying, "Damn, that was fun!
| |  | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 10 on 2/22/2012 5:10 PM >
| | | | Abso-fucking-lutely AMAZING! Love the story, old pics and new pics. I just love the way you put the set together. Thanks for sharing!
Jack Strathmore
http://www.flickr....os/jackstrathmore/ |
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'Dukes
Noble Donor
Gender: Male
At least someone llikes me
| |  | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 11 on 2/23/2012 1:43 AM >
| | | | I went to the auction in 2005. Prior to that the stuff was still in the buildings. Its in the DB.
I got your tour winner right here pussies, at least he'd crash out trying. |
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'Dukes
Noble Donor
Gender: Male
At least someone llikes me
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 12 on 2/23/2012 1:55 AM >
| | | | Our first visit was in 2003. Didn't make it back to thebbear habitat. The two bears still there the locals fed them..they are now in Florida.
I got your tour winner right here pussies, at least he'd crash out trying. |
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'Dukes
Noble Donor
Gender: Male
At least someone llikes me
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 13 on 2/23/2012 2:02 AM >
| | | | You missed the auctioned stuff like the horse treadmill. Place pre auction was fun!
I got your tour winner right here pussies, at least he'd crash out trying. |
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insanebuslady
Location: ?
Gender: Male
"You talkin' to me?"
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 14 on 2/23/2012 2:45 AM >
| | | | Have not seen pictures from here. And your threads always have awesome history
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Control
Location: NYC, All day every day.
Because it's expected
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 15 on 2/23/2012 3:19 AM >
| | | | I'm pretty sure I went here once while on family vacation in the area in the 80s. There was a dinky train ride around a loop with some small steam engine if I recall right, with a mock robbery. There was a bag of gold that people passed down the train because no one wanted to hand it to the robbers I guess... the bag just had like 3 bricks in it (of course I look). Then later the sheriff would catch the robber and they'd dunk him in some pond on the property. It was this whole performance/script they followed.
The Zoo York Goon Squad.
If it looks good, Loot it. |
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Samurai
Vehicular Lord Rick
Location: northeastern New York
No matter where you go, there you are...
| | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 16 on 2/23/2012 9:18 AM >
| | | | this place is 12 miles from my house.  In fact, my aunt and uncle live around the corner from it. As stated in another thread, the property is actually divvied into three parcels. One parcel nearest the road the guy will not sell. The other two were purchased (at the day of the auction) and never paid for. While the paperwork was clearing, the guy came in and scrapped what he could.
Also if you had continued west under the interstate you would've come to the remains of an ilmenite mine.
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Chris-Kicker
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male
no, I did not Kick Chris.
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 17 on 2/23/2012 10:03 AM >
| | | | I absolutely love how you have posted an old photo followed by a current photo of the structures. I have always liked things like that.
nice post.
http://ChurchofAtom.com/
"Signatures are still stupid" |
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shellyl
Location: Lenoir NC
Gender: Female
I have learned not sweat the petty things and not to pet the sweaty things.
| | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 18 on 2/23/2012 12:12 PM >
| | | | Posted by Chris-Kicker
I absolutely love how you have posted an old photo followed by a current photo of the structures. I have always liked things like that.
nice post.
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Ditto, very enjoyable.
A mirage is not an optical illusion. It is a real phenomenon, and one can take photographs of it. The interpretation of the image, however, is up to the fantasy of the human mind.
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Rozz
Location: The Whales Vagina, CA
Gender: Female
I'm Reich and You're Wrong
| | | Re: The Wild Wild West
<Reply # 19 on 2/23/2012 6:51 PM >
| | | | Thanks guys, glad you like 
Posted by Control
I'm pretty sure I went here once while on family vacation in the area in the 80s. There was a dinky train ride around a loop with some small steam engine if I recall right, with a mock robbery. There was a bag of gold that people passed down the train because no one wanted to hand it to the robbers I guess... the bag just had like 3 bricks in it (of course I look). Then later the sheriff would catch the robber and they'd dunk him in some pond on the property. It was this whole performance/script they followed.
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Theres a pretty cool website devoted to this place. Its where I got most of the old pictures used in the thread. Cool old photos and stuff. PM me if you want the link.
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