Located in Cliffside Park, New Jersey , Palisades Amusement Park was a historic American amusement park in operation from 1898 through 1971, preserved today with a public park memorial and special event lecture series. Palisades Amusement Park was opened in 1898 by the Bergen County Traction Company as a trolley park offering evening and weekend entertainment rides, originally referred to as the “Park on the Palisades.”

  • What was Palisades Amusement Park?
    • The park operated on a 30-acre site atop the New Jersey Palisades in the cities of Cliffside Park and Fort Lee, overlooking the Hudson River and the northern end of Manhattan.
  • Who were the owners of Palisades Amusement Park?
    • In 1903, the park was sold to August Neumann and Frank Knox, who added a variety of amusement attractions, including a Ferris wheel and a baby parade. In 1908, the park was rebranded as Palisades Amusement Park, and in 1910, it was purchased by Nicholas and Joseph Schenck, who added a large number of amusement attractions throughout the following decades (Video), including a saltwater swimming pool pumped with water from the Hudson River, the largest in the nation of its kind.
  • How did Palisades Amusement Park grow in popularity?
    • The park’s reputation as a major entertainment destination in the New York City region grew throughout the mid-20th century following its purchase by former Coney Island concessionaires Jack and Irving Rosenthal in 1934.
  • What challenges did Palisades Amusement Park face?
    • Though the park was plagued by several fires in the 1930s and 1940s, it became one of the most popular youth tourist attractions in the New York-New Jersey region throughout the mid-20th century.
  • Why did Palisades Amusement Park close?
    • During the late 1960s, the park created local controversy due to high-congestion traffic, lack of adequate parking, and a number of high-profile ride accidents and deaths. Following action by local community groups, pressure to rezone the amusement park site for high-rise housing led to the park’s sale in 1971 to Texas real estate developer Winston-Centex Corporation. The park officially closed to the public on September 12, 1971.
  • Is there a memorial for Palisades Amusement Park?
    • A memorial park commemorating the park’s legacy was installed at the site of the former park in 1998 by Winston Towers’ management, entitled the Little Park of Memories. It is open to the public as a museum exhibit, with names of the park’s rides engraved on bricks throughout the memorial.
  • Are any original rides from the park preserved?
    • In 2014, five original cars from the park’s Cyclone roller coaster were returned to the region and are part of a planned restoration project which will display them publicly as a historical exhibit.
  • Is there a museum dedicated to Palisades Amusement Park?
    • Though no physical museum site exists apart from the public memorial park, the Palisades Amusement Park Historical Society offers public programming, including a weekly lecture series and multimedia presentations on the park’s history.
  • Where can I find historical materials related to Palisades Amusement Park?
    • A complete archive of materials related to the park’s history is available on the Historical Society’s website, including multimedia galleries, video and audio materials, and an employee memories archive.
  • Are there any educational materials available for purchase?
    • Several publications detailing the park’s legacy in popular culture and rock music history are available in the website’s gift shop and bookstore, along with limited-edition historic prints and photographs.

Winston Dr, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, Palisades Amusement Park Map

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