Special Events
| PICNICS | CONCERTS | SHOWS | MARDI GRAS |
| POLITICIANS | MISCELLANEOUS |
Special Events
Riverview was good at promoting itself to drum up business. The management always had a stunt up its sleeve to hype attendance. For example, various outrageous contests were held in the park; a wedding was performed on the Pair-o-Chutes ride in 1939; there were Loony Nights, Colonial Nights, and High Cost of Living Nights. Also, motorcycle races, variety shows, side shows, bands, and more were held.
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Free season entrance passes -- good for four people -- were mailed to select households, which made the homeowners flashing those VIP passes feel pretty important and special. What they didn't know was that over three million of these special, free passes were sent out each year! Since most visitors spent money on food, drink, arcade games, shooting galleries, the famous Skee Ball alleys, and additional rides after using up the free coupons, the free passes were "good business."
Many rides were marked down in price on Tuesdays and Thursdays, probably the days of lowest attendance. Visitors then had to pay for their favorite, non-discounted rides and other attractions and pay for refreshments.
A lot of rides had another gimmick to draw customers. Who could forget the large signs on The Whip, or the voice on the loud speaker urging you to "ride again for a nickel." After the ride stopped, the ticket-taker walked around as you remained in your seat and got another ride for only five cents.
Riverview’s major advertising campaign in later years featured Dick “Two Ton” Baker whose infectious laugh exemplified their slogan “Laugh your troubles away at Riverview.”
Riverview began as a private picnic area, under private ownership, called Old Sharpshooters’ Park. It included the popular Chicago picnic grounds. After some years, the owners organized themselves into a corporation known as the North Chicago Sharpshooters Association, and agreed to rent it to other groups for picnics.
Various nationalities held picnics in Riverview's three groves. The Irish had an outing complete with an Irish jig contest. The Polish National Alliance sponsored an annual event for the children of St. Hedwig's Orphanage. Polish Day usually attracted about 50,000 people with parades and folk dancing. There was plenty of kielbasa and rye bread for all, and you didn't even have to be a Pole to enjoy it.
On the dissolution of this corporation Mr. William Schmidt and Mr. George S. Goldman became the owners of the middle section of the Park -- running from the entrance on Western Avenue west to the River -- and continued to rent it out for picnics. The east six acres next to Western Avenue was practically cleared of trees with the idea of ultimately devoting it to amusements. The old grove, as it was called, was used for the picnics.
The new Park was a success, and the combination of amusement features in connection with the picnic grounds met with the approval and generous patronage of the public. From a start of six acres with a very limited capital, it grew to over one hundred acres devoted to amusements and a thirty-acre picnic ground.
On August 7, 1905, the 31st Annual Old Settlers picnic
was held at Riverview park.
Geneology Trails Photo
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The crowd at the Crane Co. picnic at Riverview Park in 1927.
Chicago Tribune Archives
Riverview Park Picnic Area, 1960s
chuckmanschicagonostalgia.WordPress.com
Chicago's high society smiled favorably upon Riverview. A Riverview Ramble was held every year for the benefit of the United Charities of Chicago. Debutante parties were also held at this time. For a price of admission, one bought unlimited access to the rides People ate their picnic suppers under Riverview's trees, and cocktails were eagerly consumed. For one day a year the park was filled with the cream of Chicago.
The annual Riverview Ramble benefit for United Charities drew 10,000 fun lovers
to Riverview Park in June, 1962.
Chicago Tribune Archives
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DAILY PERFORMANCES BY GERMAN BANDS were very popular during the early days of Riverview, especially among the northwest side's sizable German-American population. The stage of old beer garden also featured Ms. Tetrazzini, an Italian coloratura soprano of great international fame, and Mr. Liberati, a noted cornet player and virtuoso; both appeared there in operas. Arthur Pryor's band played George Schmidt's favorite melodies there too.
The biggest crowd puller to the garden, however, was not a theatrical personality. On the day of the appearance of Illinois Senator J. Hamilton Lewis, 127,000 people passed through Riverview's gates. He was a colorful and popular member of Congress with the nickname of "Ham."
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| Concert Resembles a Renoir Painting Souvenir Postcard |
Bandshell Souvenir Postcard |
Musical Review
Souvenir Postcard
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DURING THE PRE-MOVIE ERA, Riverview presented elaborate, panoramic productions of historical topics for the public. These spectacles were held in the largest, most ornate building ever constructed in any park, exposition, or World's Fair for this purpose. "The Sinking of the Titanic," "The Fall of Pompeii," and "The Battle of Port Arthur" are only a sampling of the topics covered.
John Mallin & Co., 1906
John Mallin.com
In 1906 "Pains Pompeii" or "The Last Days of Pompeii" premiered at Riverview. First shown at White City, the extravaganza included an eruption of Mt. Vesuvious and fireworks. John Mallin, a noted mural and fresco painter from the Czech Republic, worked on Riverview's building facades as one of his first jobs in America. An unheard of $550,000 was spent that year which included the hiring of Mallin and others to create new facades for the show and also for enhancements of several rides and attractions.
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| Battle of the Monitor & Merrimac, 1908 Riverview Sharpshooter's Park |
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| Principal Scene in the Great Naval Battle | Marine Causway Scene |
One of Riverview's biggest attractions of the 1908 season was the "Battle of the Monitor and Merrimac," which was a recreation of the Civil War naval battle--a fight between the first Ironclads ever built. It was produced at a cost $240,000 and played to nearly 1,500,000 customers.
"The Creation" Show and Grand Lagoon, 1909
Chuckman Photo on WordPress
The photo above shows Riverviews creation exhibit which was advertised as "an amazing illustration of the birth of the Universe.” In order to attract attention of the crowd, huge scantily clad sculptures of biblical characters appeared outside the entrance. Cony Island parks had similar attractions.
A large, beautiful lagoon was added to the front of the building in time for the production of "The Creation." It was as large as a number of so-called amusement parks and represented a larger investment than most of them.
War of the Worlds, 1910
Pinterest
The Sinking of the Titanic, 1916
Getty Images
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MARDI GRAS WAS HELD the last three weeks of each season at Riverview and included parades with floats, high school bands from Illinois and surrounding states, clowns, Chinese dragons, and sometimes elephants.
Carol Stone, top, and Marianne Hunt with a giant Chinese dragon, just one
of the many colorful floats in the Star Time Frolics Mardi Gras
parade at Riverview Park in 1967.
Chicago Tribune Archive Photo
Three elephants build a pyramid before participating in the African Safari Parade, a nightly
feature of the Mardi Gras festivities at Riverview Park in August 1957.
The parade features live animals, floats and costumed entertainers.
Chicago Tribune Archive Photo
Roller skating stars Bill Ellias and Karin Byrne, left, and Nanci and Ron Marak display their skills in the World of Dreams Mardi Gras parade at Riverview Park on Aug. 12, 1963.
Chicago Tribune Archive Photo
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CHICAGO POLITICAL MACHINES MADE GOOD USE of the popularity of Riverview. During the 1920’s, Mayor "Big Bill" Thompson sponsored free childrens’ days at Riverview and paid the Western Avenue streetcar fare for those wishing to go to the park. Although he was criticized by many for contributing to the moral laxity of youth by inviting them to a tawdry place like Riverview, he got the park and himself a lot of good publicity.
Ald. Charles Weber, 45th, tosses candy from a truck to the stretched arms of youngsters
attending his fourth annual Charlie Weber Kids Day at Riverview Park
Chicago Tribune Archives
Kids who participated in Alderman Charlie Weber’s neighborhood cleanup campaign were rewarded with a “Riverview Courtesy Ticket.” It had tear-off coupons for free rides on the Flash, Fireball, Comet, Tunnel of Love, Chutes, etc. All they had to do to claim one was fill large manila bags with trash from the streets and alleys. They'd then swap coupons with friends, go to the park, and still end up spending some of their own money.
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Mayor Daley (the first) dedicating the Belmont and Western overpass, which was built to help reduce congestion in the area caused by the Riverview Amusement Park in 1961.
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As Riverview "Goes," the Overpass Goes, 1967. |
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IN 1934 RIVERVIEW PARK WAS THE SCENE OF CHICAGO'S ONLY BULLFIGHT, complete with imported Spanish toreadors. Though it was a bloodless event -- the toreadors were to stun the bulls with dull swords electrified by flashlight batteries -- the practice was halted by a judge who accused the Spaniards who ran the show of “bull baiting.”
Other curiosities included a wedding ceremony on roller skates during a roller skating craze and the controversial appearance of Amazonia, a reportedly former jungle woman who would “shimmy” before spectators for a nickel.
Clowns from Riverview Amusement Park terrorize the streets
of Chicago, 1928, Belmont and Western.
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Chicago American news carrier boys wave their tickets for their free rides as they gather
at the entrance to Riverview Park on Aug. 15, 1955.
Al Phillips, Chicago Tribune
Babe the Elephant and Group of Children, 1959
Chicago Tribune Archive Photo
The famous Gryphon Bird, escorted by Judy and Trudy Casey
was one of the many Alice in Wonderland characters
in Winter Wonderland at Riverview Park in 1960.
Tribune Archive Photo
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