My parents told me all about Riverview amusement park when I was little. Nestled on an island between a streetcar suburb and the Des Moines River on the northeast side, Riverview was the only place around to ride a roller coaster or a speed boat or a tiny train. Adventureland literally swallowed it up in the late 1970s, appropriating several of the rides, and ultimately closing the park to eliminate the competition. For those Des Moinians who grew up spending all their pocket money on ride tickets and skeeball, and those who had their prom, wedding reception, or sock hop at the Riviera Ballroom, no flashy suburban amusement park could ever take the place of the original family entertainment park.
Riverview Island was once again ravaged by flooding last year. The cement footings of the rides are slowly being washed away and covered with river silt. Before they’re gone though, I wanted to capture how the park looks now and give folks a glimpse back in time to the rides that used to cover the island.
So in this latest photo series I tried to put the rides back onto Riverview Island. I took photos from the Riverview Park memories website and did my best to recreate the position of the camera for each shot. Then I edited the two images together using the Gnu Image Manipulation Program (a.k.a. The GIMP.) This is my first attempt at a project like this, but I had so much fun doing it I can’t wait to do more.
To start with, here’s the main entrance to the park.
Shoot the Chutes was the predecessor to the Log Ride at Adventureland. Unlike the one at Adventureland, though, Shoot the Chutes was a “tunnel of love” style ride. You’d wind through the tunnel inside a building before coming out to go up the ramp at the end and splash down to end the ride.
(I’m actually not terribly satisfied with how this one came out. I plan on re-editing it. But here’s my first attempt for now.)
The “Umbrella.” This ride was moved to Adventureland. I have pictures of myself riding this one as a 3-year-old.
Back before family boat ownership was practically unheard of, kids could get a ride on a real speed boat at Riverview. This wooden hull Criss Craft boat would take kids on a ride all the way around the island, giving them a grand finale of squeezing between the pilings of the bridge.
The Himalaya was also moved to Adventureland. I hate this ride.
The Coaster from the 1940s was known as the Aeroplane. Trees now block what was the sidewalk leading up to it and the land once covered by the ride’s track structure is now sinking back into the riverbed as a cattail marsh. But if you peer through the trees, you can still see the 1940s Coaster in your imagination.
There are more of these to come as I edit them together.
That is really nice cuz can’t wait to see more. Since I am old enough to remember Riverview Park and remember going there a lot with great memories this is a nice project you are doing. Keep it up.
Great work
we need to look back to see what is ahead
Great job Kelli! I will have to show my mom and dad, my dad grew up around there and would love to see these. I wish we would have been fortunate enough to have this instead of Adventureland. I once again prove my point that I was born in the wrong era.
From what I understand, you could have access to the park for free, there was no admission fee. You just had to buy tickets to ride rides or pay money to play games and stuff. So theoretically, you could be totally broke and still go to Riverview and have a good time watching everything going on. Can you imagine just having open access to someplace like Adventureland? Man, those were the days.
Kelli,
This is great. I got chills looking at you pictures and reading your writings. You and I share a love for history. I am proud.
Your Dad
Little known fact. We shot an early $trick9 music video down here years ago during the dead of winter.
A. We were looking for a location that had some historic value to it.
B. We needed a spot that was just plain beat. And, Riverview in the dead of winter is just plain beat.
This was a cool location back in the day before most of that stuff got sent to Adventureland.
this is some spooky, digital witchcraft. i dig it.
I loved that place and remember it well. The shooting gallery was fascinating to a 10 year old fat kid. I had an Uncle that worked there way back and he said the speedboat crashed and kiiled someone then they discontinued it. There was the “Mouse Trap” that was the most dangerous mini coaster I have ever seen, the turns were sharp and fast, I believe that went to Adventureland but they did it in. The mouse trap was said to have flown off the track and sent a car in the river. Good times. The Des Moines Aquarium club was trying to get the Island in the late 80′s to turn it into a huge Des Moines Aquarium Park, but the city declined. If it was East Village or West gateway to downtown they would have broken the bank to create it but since it is in a lower income area it fell to the wayside. The Aquarium went to the fair grounds and then went broke. Too bad really, there are some dedicated afishyonados in Des Moines. I took care of the piranhas until it closed. Riverview was a great place and laid to waste by our wonderful city planners.
Simply amazing…just ran across this.
I see you took the pictures after the flood and after we started cleaning the island up-what I would like to see is even more current pictures. We have seeded the grounds and it looks amazing now, (I know you can’t tell now because of all the snow…) Too bad it will get torn up again when the new levee goes through it in a few months but the end result will be fantastic! I am President of the Board of Directors for what is now known as Kiwanis Riverview Nature Island. Stay tuned as this park will be the best thing in the next few years!
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What a trip! My dad worked at Bankers Life (now The Principal Financial Group)in the early 60s. One day every June the park was rented out by the company for family day. I couldn’t wait till that day arrived every year. A few years ago I was out there and found a chuck of the foundation that was the Tunnel of Love and stuck it in my pocket. I remember the climb up to the top and the terrific fall back into the water at the very end. I also remember the coaster, The Rock o Planes, Cuddle Up, Fun House, Ferris Wheel, Steam train, the Skyplanes the Wild Mouse and the Haunted House. I can smell the creosote, the oil from the train and the popcorn in the air. Snow cones and popcorn were a dime. When I visited the island a few years ago I was amazed at how I could place the location of every ride, especially with a few remaining foundations for reference points. Thanks for sharing your memories!