Shireland, The Train Ride

[evinger79]

I live right by this and have always known it as the abandon amusement park but never imagined it looking like that

[allenhuffman]

Thanks for posting the videos. The Iowa amusement park doesn't even have flowers to look at or narration on it's small train that runs behind some rides,

[siemenstraffic]

Thomas Smrt FAIL park!

[PatrioticFront]

I lived in chicago my entire life and never heard of this place.

But as an active visitor of 6 flags.

I'd say for 1990? this place looks like an idea way behind its time. This looks like it would have been a good idea in 1960-1970 maybe, or in some small town.

But, In 1990 it would be a joke, and a way to waste a good day that you could of spent somewhere else.

[Mooncalf2012]

Walt Disney was the inspiration for Shireland, and I respected Tom's sense of ideals, whether it was "cheesy" or not. He taught me much about 'Ego'. To those who choose to make a joke out of him, due to his character, I would say, ask your self what you've accomplished, and how have you treated other people in this life? Tom Smrt, with all his flaws, was one of the most genuine human beings I have ever met in my lifetime. He was a mirror to those who had the guts to look at themselves honestly.

[stormyrider56]

I missed Shireland but had the pleasure of working with a Shire from his herd. A few years ago I wanted to volunteer just to work with these beautiful animals.

[Mooncalf2012]

I worked at the farm (years after Shireland). Despite the daily stress of dealing with Mr. Smrt, I got a lot out of it. I think of it now as the 'Boot Camp' I missed out on. (He was tougher than any drill Sergeant I would have had). I got to know him better than most. He had a really good side too, that would come out from time to time. On a good day, he was like a father to me. He struggled with Bi-Polar, and Diabetes, and most people were only willing to see his "abuse" and took it personally.

[SomeKidd777]

Wow, I think I understand why the park went out of bissness.

[jameala]

Shireland was a cheesy little amusement park, that is for sure, but at least it was home-grown. Like Santa's Village or Kiddyland in the chicagoland area, it was one man's dream to build it. It is just too bad that the man with the dream didn't have better people skills, or it might have actually worked.

[pitster]

People skills??? Hitler had better people skills.

[lindsaydaubers]

i was just wondering if anyone knows the current status of shireland? would it still be worth visiting? i have become very interested in this theme park since watching your videos and reading the website...i find it so fascinating how difficult it is to find out information about this location. thanks for posting this!

[jameala]

Unfortunaetly, there isn't much left of Shireland. For a long time, it was a "kid hangout". Kids loitered there and defaced the place with Smrt's own spray paint. Someone else bought the land and tore down a bunch of the buildings. After that, there was a fire and destroyed a bunch more. It, regrettably, is pretty much gone.

[cmbezln]

i have a hundred side stories which include (but aren't limited to); Herding horses, being left alone in a feild in 95 degree weather to learn how to use a hay bailer by myself, making movies about a girl that gives birth and throws her baby in the garbage, planting 1000 dollars worth of flowers around his dead horse's grave, gaining access into Tom's garden of eden (the gated area in which his gazeebo is located (he lives in a gazeebo, if you didnt already know))...etc etc

[cmbezln]

i worked for thomas smrt for a brief period in 2006 as a "graphic designer"....after you had created this website.....i had originally accepted the position on a whim (seemed like it could be an "adventure")....

[branestube]

man i laughed so hard at the greenhouse with the flowers

[damrakred]

I had a job interview with the crazy bastard that ran this park! He's creepy and mean as fuck!!! I Googled his name the night before the interview...and found the horror of a website that detailed horrible stories about the man...and also a story about a guy that had applied for the video job EXACTLY as I was about to do. My experience wasn't quite as bad as his...but it wasn't far off. :|

[damrakred]

I meant I interviewed with him...not just applied.

[jameala]

I am probably that guy. I did work there for about 2 days and determined that my mental health was worth more than the $42K he was going to pay me. He is the guy who owned the park, not just the guy who ran it. e mail me your experience j p mcdunn at a o l dot com. I would love to compare notes.

[jameala]

It is too bad. Shireland was a cheesy little place, but at least it was one man's attempt at "home-grown entertainment", rather than all of that institutionally manufacturered drivel we are fed every day. Oh, well, maybe somebody will swoop up the land and build another cheesy amusement park.

[css9450]

Wow, this is an eye opener. I work near there and drive by a lot, and have watched the place gradually get overgrown and vandalized, until a couple years ago when several of the buildings were torn down. Just this summer, the largest remaining building burned down too, and even the Shireland billboard visible in this video has deteriorated and is now just a skeleton.

[jameala]

Thanks for the comments. It really did make me laugh.

I am not quite sure what the point of that train ride was. Keep in mind, that tape was given to me by someone else, who shot the entire train ride, which was about 15 minutes long. Can you spell "Lobodomy"?

[NightAire]

Holy crud, that really does look mindless. The ony mildly interesting part, the animals, they shot you by like a rocket. That's crazy! I see now why it didn't survive... great concept, horrible execution.