Freedomland U.S.A.
Freedomland U.S.A. (usually called Freedomland) was a theme park in the Baychester section of the northeastern Bronx, New York City, dedicated to American history. Operating from 1960 to 1964, Freedomland was built on marshland owned by the Webb and Knapp company, of which William Zeckendorf Sr. was the major owner. Zeckendorf announced his plans for Freedomland in May 1959. The park layout was conceived and built by C. V. Wood, and consisted of over 40 attractions arranged in the shape of a large map of the contiguous United States. Groundbreaking ceremonies for Freedomland occurred in late 1959, and Freedomland opened on June 19, 1960, to large crowds. Due to Freedomland's $65 million cost, the park already faced financial issues at the time of its opening, and by the end of the 1961 season, Freedomland was $8 million in debt. To generate revenue, the park added more exhibits and conventional amusements. By 1963, further financial issues led the owners to sell off a portion of Freedomland's lot to a pension fund of the Teamsters Union, as well as close off a section of the park. Even though Freedomland's planners anticipated that the park would eventually be developed into a full-time amusement area, it closed for the last time at the end of the 1964 season. On September 14, 1964, Freedomland filed for bankruptcy. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the site of Freedomland was redeveloped as Co-op City, the world's largest housing cooperative. Also built on the site were the Bay Plaza Shopping Center and an indoor mall. Many Freedomland attractions and design features were auctioned or sold to other parks, and many of these rides no longer exist. While little physical evidence of Freedomland remains, several media works commemorate the former amusement park.
Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Freedomland U.S.A. (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).Freedomland U.S.A.
Adler Place, New York The Bronx
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Geographical coordinates (GPS)
Latitude | Longitude |
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N 40.871944444444 ° | E -73.8275 ° |
Address
Adler Place 9
10475 New York, The Bronx
New York, United States
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