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Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Vintage Chicago Tribune: For your amusement — pleasure parks of bygone summers
As summer days get shorter and school supplies are added to the shopping list, we know Chicago prepares to enter a new season — fall. But before these hot, humid days are gone for good, let's step back and think about how previous generations spent their leisurely days or nights with friends or family. For many, it was a good excuse to get to an amusement park. Here's a look back at some of the parks, rides and attractions that brought visitors to the ticket stands. Remembering the Chicago amusement parks that filled summertime with thrills and spills and waterBoyton (whose last name is sometimes spelled as Boynton) was a strong swimmer who traveled the world performing feats of endurance and also organized in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a monumental lifesaving service — of which he served as captain — according to the International Swimming Hall of Fame. The imaginative Pennsylvania native also publicized the use of a rubber suit that kept him dry while he swam the English Channel in 1875, and floated down the Mississippi River in 1879. The showman's biggest contribution to pop culture, however, may be his 'shoot the chutes' ride. Originally produced for a London show, the concept was simple. With the purchase of a ticket, riders climbed aboard a flat-bottomed boat that was transported on a track to the top of a 60-foot ramp. The boat then descended down a 300-foot chute, which was essentially a water slide, before it splashed down into an artificial lake. An eight-person boat took on riders for the first time on July 3, 1894. Admission was 25 cents. Just a few years later — relocated to the West Side — about 20,000 people visited Boyton's chutes in one day to partake in or watch the slide ride. The park lost its lease in 1907, and everything within it was sold at auction. By then, competing Chicago amusement parks had their own versions of the ride. Billings Hospital opened on the park's original site in Boyton's chutes ended, Forest Park began. Operators of the new amusement park — claiming to be the biggest and brightest in the area — purchased the 'Chutes' ride at auction. Yet not everyone was happy about the park's placement next to cemeteries. Several Lutheran congregations opposed it with one local pastor calling it 'a sacrilege that such a thing should be attempted within the hearing of those mourning their dead,' the Tribune reported. Issues mounted before the park opened its doors to the public. A violent storm destroyed a chunk of the park in late May 1908. Temporary electrical lines that illuminated the park were mysteriously cut the night of its formal opening, leading then-president of the Chicago Sanitary District and future Tribune editor/publisher Col. Robert R. McCormick to offer a reward for information leading to the suspects. Just weeks later, visitors packed Forest Park to catch a ride on its pneumatic tube that supposedly 'shot (passengers) through a tunnel three-quarters of a mile long at the rate of a thousand miles or more a minute,' the Tribune reported. The Giant Safety Coaster and Grand Canyon rides followed, according to the Historical Society of Forest Park. The park closed in 1922, and many of its fixtures were sold off in 1929, Arthur Fritz lost his contracting business to the Depression. Putting together whatever money he could, he and his wife, Ann, bought six ponies for children to ride. Within two years they were able to open the County Fair Pony Track. Later they added some little cars, a merry-go-round, and a Ferris wheel, and Kiddieland was born. By the 1960s and 1970s, according to the village of Melrose Park, the ponies were gone and the park had added a Tilt-A-Whirl, The Whip, German carousel, log flume ride and swinging pirate ship. As many as 600,000 people visited Kiddieland by 2008. A dispute among descendants of the 17-acre park's founder, however, forced Kiddieland to close in September 2009. Four rides went to Santa's Village Amusement & Water Park in East Dundee while Great America in Gurnee got the Little Dipper, Kiddieland's old roller coaster. The old miniature steam engine train that would pull passengers around the park has found new life as well, at the Hesston Steam Museum in LaPorte, Indiana. Kiddieland rides: Where are they now?The longtime amusement park was demolished and replaced by a Costco, but its memorable sign is still displayed outside the Melrose Park Public Library, 801 N. Broadway Thompson used his experience managing exhibits at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition to build Luna Park with business partner Elmer 'Skip' Dundy at Coney Island in New York in 1903. He opened a park with the same name here in 1907. 'Nearly 800 willow shade trees will make Luna cool on hot midsummer days, while at night myriads of vari-colored electric lights will festoon and entwine the boughs,' the Tribune wrote in its roundup of 'summer gardens.' Among its attractions for the 10-cent cost of admission were 'a roller skating rink, an auto-ride coaster, the 'rube fire show,' the Razzle-Dazzle, the electric theater,' the Tribune reported just before the park's May 11, 1907, grand opening. Just one month later, Thompson brought his successful production of 'Brewster's Millions' — the story eventually became the 1985 film starring Richard Pryor and John Candy — to Chicago's Colonial Theatre. The Tribune loved its 'masterly stagecraft' and and called its 'dramatic flare' — 'light and frivolous and accordingly admirably suited to the requirements of the summer season.' James 'Big Jim' O'Leary — son of Catherine O'Leary of the Great Chicago Fire fame and owner of a gambling establishment near the Union Stockyards — bought Luna Park in 1908, and immediately slashed admission to five cents. 'I'm going to make it into a high-class amusement resort,' O'Leary said. 'Nothing disorderly will be permitted.' O'Leary shut the park down after the 1912 season with plans to transform the site into a marketplace for meat, vegetables and themed Old Chicago amusement park/shopping center — the first enclosed one in the United States — opened in Bolingbrook. It went bankrupt and closed in March 1980. Amazon purchased the site in early 2020, for $50 was something special. Tribune columnist Rick Kogan summed it up best in 2017: A great deal of life is about loss, of people and things. Most landmarks of our youth have vanished. So much of the city and the suburbs have been razed, paved over, obliterated. Still, some gone things remain so memorable that they stay with us, as if snuggled up with our DNA. Riverview is such a place, and I think the reason is that it disappeared without warning. After its 1967 summer season, it was bought by an investment firm and promptly demolished: a death without wake or funeral or proper goodbye. But, oh Riverview — a place like something from a colorful dream. It was a melding of heaven and hell, seedy and serene, glitzy and garish. But for all its blemishes and, indeed, because of many of them, it maintains a special place in the minds of Chicagoans. It always opened on the second Friday in May and so there you would be rushing through its tall gates and into the tasty terror of the Bobs, that massive wooden roller coaster, and the Pair-O-Chutes, that free-fall simulation on rickety seats; the wildly ornate, 70-horse carousel; the Tilt-a-Whirl; the Flying Turns; Aladdin's Castle, that walk-through fun house, and on and on and on. This crafty concoction was on the banks of the north branch of the Chicago River near the corner of Belmont and Western avenues. Its roots went back to a private skeet shooting club run by the William Schmidt family in the 1880s. Later, some swings and rides and a merry-go-round were added to entertain the wives and children of the shooters. Eventually, on July 2, 1904, it formally opened to the public, 76 acres along with Schmidt's promise of 'an avalanche of novelties, a whirlwind of surprises.' He came through and Riverview eventually could claim the title of the 'world's largest amusement park,' its area and number of rides far outnumbering those at the more famous and sprawling four-park setup at Coney Island, N.Y., and of such rival local playgrounds as White City or Joyland on the South Side. Its slogan was simple — 'Laugh Your Troubles Away' — and through world wars and a Great Depression, through divorces and deaths that's what people 'without worry' in French, Sans Souci Park was opened by operator W.H. Carter on May 27, 1899. Vaudeville entertainers appeared in the afternoons and evenings. The grounds included an electric fountain, Japanese tea garden, an illuminated arcade and drinks served inside the park's seven buildings. A large roller skating rink and beer garden were other features. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned in 1914 — the same year Sans Souci closed — to construct a half-million-dollar 'winter garden' on the site. Midway Gardens, as it became known, included a ballroom, restaurant and outdoor theater. But the fancy venue was never a financial success. It changed ownership several times before shutting down completely. The building — which was practically one giant block of concrete — was a beast to deconstruct when it was demolished in centerpiece of White City was a 300-foot tower, dubbed 'babylonic' by the Tribune. Lined with 20,000 light bulbs that gave the park its name, the tower could be seen from a distance of 15 miles. A ballroom accommodated 1,000 dancers, and the College Inn, a German restaurant, seated 2,500 diners. Dramatization of the Chicago Fire was staged by 2,000 performers. Real horse-drawn fire engines extinguished blazes set in model buildings. Flashback: White City, Chicago's first amusement park, mixed family-friendly joys with sensationalismThe Tribune's movie reviewer, writing under the pen name Mae Tinee, described White City's offerings on a summer evening in 1913. 'For a purely nominal price you may be whisked through the clouds; scooted down the chutes; tumbled through a woozy maelstrom; or skillfully 'canoed' amongst the Thousand Islands,' she wrote. 'There are constant lures to things which tip and things which go sideways and all around.' The critic didn't know what to make of the park's most widely advertised exhibit, a working model of the Panama Canal. The Great Depression hit White City's customers hard, causing revenues to tank. The park could no longer mount the elaborate spectacles that were its signature. Bankruptcy was declared in 1933, and the park was put up for sale. After a 1959 fire destroyed the roller skating rink and other remnants, the White City site became home to a Black residential development. A Tribune reporter offered a final tribute following its blazing end: 'White City in its heyday was like an unruly, impulsive movie queen who was often in trouble,' Jean Bond wrote. 'No one objected to her flings because, most of all, she was never dull.' Thanks for reading! Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
1News
27-06-2025
- Business
- 1News
From high school dropout to Māori Millionaire
A young overachiever who dropped out of high school and turned to drugs has rebounded in a few short years to become an author and passionate advocate for bridging the wealth gap. Te Kahukura Boynton, 21, wrote Māori Millionaire, the first personal finance book by a Māori author. Around 50 people, young and old, attended the book launch at at Terere Marae in Ōpōtiki where Boynton shared her story and read from her book on how to build better money habits. 'The rangatahi that came today," she reflected afterwards, "they're just so inspired to start their journeys and achieve their goals and that means the world to me, to be for them what I really wished I had at their age.' At their age, Boynton was deputy head girl and on her way to becoming dux. ADVERTISEMENT 'I was at high school and I was very depressed. I was a high achiever, always really loved studies and things like that, and I had really, really big goals but I was really struggling with my mental health.' She said her studies were going well but inside she felt 'like a mess' and a 'failure' and ended up dropping out of high school to enrol into university without a plan or a strategy. 'It was there where I hit my rock bottom, my kind of breaking point.' She struggled with drugs and her weight for a time before she came to a powerful realisation that would change her life for the better. 'Everything that I was navigating… I was the person who could change that, and I was the person who could get myself on track, and it wasn't going to be easy, but as long as I stuck at it and as long as I just showed up every day and just did my best, I would see progress.' Fast forward to now, it's a new era for Boynton who has ditched the drugs; lost more than 75kg; founded a business focusing on empowering Māori to achieve financial independence; and published a book. What's important for her, though, is bringing her people alongside. ADVERTISEMENT 'To be able to have this book launch, something so big, not only for my iwi, for my whānau, but for Māori, it's been so special to bring this kaupapa back [to Terere Marae] and to be surrounded by my whānau.' Book launch at Terere Marae in Ōpōtiki (Source: Seven Sharp) She said holding the event at the marae meant she could build on strengthening the link to her ancestral home, which was important for her whānau. 'My nan spent a lot of time at our marae and something I think growing up … I looked at kids who grew up at their marae and I felt like I was missing something in that way.' Being on the marae also reminds her of the work she has in front of her, which includes reviving her reo. Growing up fluent, she said she's been out of practice for several years and has 'lost so much' of her reo. 'For me, hei aha te pūtea (who cares about the money) if you've lost your reo, if you've lost your te ao Māori (Māori worldview). "It doesn't matter how much money you have or how much financial prosperity you build if you don't have your whānau, if you don't have your reo, if you don't have your tikanga, and so for me it's an opportunity for me to grow and to learn.' The full report can be found on TVNZ+
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Everyone with an Android phone put on red alert - check for update 'immediately'
Android phone owners must make sure their devices are fully up to date. If your chosen phone is powered by Android then you'd be wise to head to your settings and check for the latest update without delay. It's been confirmed that a new patch has been released and, although it's as not critical as last months upgrade, users are being urged to install it without delay. 'Although the latest Android security bulletin does not list any vulnerabilities currently known to be under exploitation, we still strongly recommend that Android users update their devices immediately,' said Adam Boynton, Senior Security Strategy Manager EMEIA at security firm Jamf. 'The majority of the fixes are within the Android framework, which provides the foundation for building Android applications and is therefore an attractive target for cybercriminals. Exploiting the most severe vulnerability could allow an attacker to gain elevated access and administrative rights.' The most urgent upgrades from Google are ones that have been given the dreaded "zero day" rating. These flaws mean cyber crooks are aware of the glitch and are actively exploring it. Luckily that's not the case this month but Android users should still be on high alert and make sure their phones are fully updated. That's because anyone running older Android software versions is technically open to attack. There are four vulnerabilities located within the Android system component, caused by improper input validation,' Jamf's Boynton said. 'CVE-2025-26453, CVE-2025-26445, and CVE-2025-26441 could allow a local application to gain access to sensitive information, while exploitation of CVE-2025-26443 could allow a local application to execute arbitrary code. 'The release provides a window of opportunity to get ahead of cybercriminals; it appears that none of the vulnerabilities addressed in the June security bulletin have yet to be exploited in the wild, making this the perfect time to patch all supported devices.' Pixel phones will almost certainly get this latest patch first with the manufactures such as Samsung, OnePlus, Sony, Xiaomi, Honor then following after. Android firms are getting better at supporting phones for longer, too. Samsung, Google and Honor all offer seven years of updates for many of their latest phones, though other companies are lagging behind. If you have quite an old Android phone, it may have stopped receiving free security updates - a reason for you to consider upgrading to a newer supported handset.
Daily Mirror
08-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Everyone with an Android phone put on red alert - check for update 'immediatley'
Android phone owners must make sure their devices are fully up to date. If your chosen phone is powered by Android then you'd be wise to head to your settings and check for the latest update without delay. It's been confirmed that a new patch has been released and, although it's as not critical as last months upgrade, users are being urged to install it without delay. 'Although the latest Android security bulletin does not list any vulnerabilities currently known to be under exploitation, we still strongly recommend that Android users update their devices immediately,' said Adam Boynton, Senior Security Strategy Manager EMEIA at security firm Jamf. 'The majority of the fixes are within the Android framework, which provides the foundation for building Android applications and is therefore an attractive target for cybercriminals. Exploiting the most severe vulnerability could allow an attacker to gain elevated access and administrative rights.' The most urgent upgrades from Google are ones that have been given the dreaded "zero day" rating. These flaws mean cyber crooks are aware of the glitch and are actively exploring it. Luckily that's not the case this month but Android users should still be on high alert and make sure their phones are fully updated. That's because anyone running older Android software versions is technically open to attack. There are four vulnerabilities located within the Android system component, caused by improper input validation,' Jamf's Boynton said. 'CVE-2025-26453, CVE-2025-26445, and CVE-2025-26441 could allow a local application to gain access to sensitive information, while exploitation of CVE-2025-26443 could allow a local application to execute arbitrary code. 'The release provides a window of opportunity to get ahead of cybercriminals; it appears that none of the vulnerabilities addressed in the June security bulletin have yet to be exploited in the wild, making this the perfect time to patch all supported devices.' Pixel phones will almost certainly get this latest patch first with the manufactures such as Samsung, OnePlus, Sony, Xiaomi, Honor then following after. Android firms are getting better at supporting phones for longer, too. Samsung, Google and Honor all offer seven years of updates for many of their latest phones, though other companies are lagging behind. If you have quite an old Android phone, it may have stopped receiving free security updates - a reason for you to consider upgrading to a newer supported handset.
Daily Record
04-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Android users urged to 'immediately' download new security update
As Android delivered an upgrade last month to help block hackers, it is important to keep on top of your phone's security. Google is urging everyone with an Android phone to make sure they have downloaded the latest software update to ensure their device is fully protected. This comes after the tech company released its monthly security bulletin. When it comes to updates for Android devices, Google Pixel phones generally get sent the alert first, meaning owners of these phones will be protected first if any glitches happen that could let hackers in. This happened last month as Google released security upgrades for their devices that fixed a major vulnerability in their software, reports the Express. This issue could have been easily exploited by hackers, which would have left many phone owners vulnerable to malicious attacks. While this is not the case this month, it is important to technology users to make sure that their devices are up to date with the latest upgrades to ward off any potential harm. Adam Boynton, senior security strategy manager EMEIA at security firm Jamf, said: "Although the latest Android security bulletin does not list any vulnerabilities currently known to be under exploitation, we still strongly recommend that Android users update their devices immediately. "The majority of the fixes are within the Android framework, which provides the foundation for building Android applications and is therefore an attractive target for cybercriminals. Exploiting the most severe vulnerability could allow an attacker to gain elevated access and administrative rights." While all the jargon around security updates for phones can be a bit confusing, essentially if you do not update your phone to the latest software and security, you will be more open to being attacked by cyber criminals. While Google releases the updates for free, it is up to the other Android manufacturers to inform their customers of the latest updates. Although it can sometimes take longer to push the updates to the latest devices, Samsung, OnePlus, Sony, Honor, Xiaomi and other brands all have the means to update your phone. Thankfully, Android firms are getting better at supporting their phones for longer, with Google, Honor and Samsung all offering seven years of updates for their latest phones. However, not every company is meeting this standard. For those with an older Android phone, it may have already stopped receiving free security updates. If this applies to you and you are worried about your device being hacked, this may be a good motivator to upgrade your smartphone to a newer, shinier model. Boynton added: "There are four vulnerabilities located within the Android system component, caused by improper input validation. "CVE-2025-26453, CVE-2025-26445, and CVE-2025-26441 could allow a local application to gain access to sensitive information, while exploitation of CVE-2025-26443 could allow a local application to execute arbitrary code. "The release provides a window of opportunity to get ahead of cybercriminals; it appears that none of the vulnerabilities addressed in the June security bulletin have yet to be exploited in the wild, making this the perfect time to patch all supported devices." This means that Google was able to get ahead of cyber crooks by providing the June update. However, this will only work if users update their device - if they don't they are leaving themselves vulnerable to future hacks. While it is easier to set your phone to automatically update, phone users can check if they have an update pending by going to the Settings app and checking for system updates. If this new update is not there, keep checking throughout the month to heighten the security of your beloved device. However, if the update doesn't appear, this would suggest that your device is no longer compatible with free upgrades. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
