Riverview Park Des Moines, Iowa

Movie from about 1974 at Riverview Park.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Des
• Moines
• Iowa
• Riverview
• Park
• Amusement

[patticak23]

I wish Riverview was still alive and kicking! I agree that it should be rebuilt...if for nothing more than historical significance.

[pazzensutra]

I've always been so nostalgic for Riverview, it's to the point of being ridiculous. Sometimes I walk around the old island and just ache for the place. It was the best! I was born in 1965, and had some great times there in the early 70's, before Adventureland destroyed it.

[GoGopinkGoGo]

my grandparents met here :)

[strotherc]

Used to go all of the time. Didn't they eventually shut down because the Mouse rollercoaster kept jumping the track and falling two stories. It had a wicked 90 degree turn and couldn't hold on to track.

[spokaneepic]

That place was awesome! I miss growing up in Des Moines.

[sjtom57]

I'll take an old family-run park like this any day over the modern warehouses they call theme parks. Nice vid of a part of Americana that's disappearing more and more every year.

[dotman2008]

Another great find! I'd love to see some footage of the old bumper cars - those were my favorite. They looked like 1954 Buicks with sparks shooting from the electrified ceiling - fantastic! Too bad it's gone and the old Highland Park neigborhood I lived in has fallen so far. But Gino's lives on, at least there's that!

[TeslaMe2]

I agree that this had to be around 1974ish. Looks at the cars in the parking lot. More than one has a big ugly bumper on it. Those of us alive in those days remember that they started that foolishness in 1973. Sure uglied up a lot of nice cars.

I too miss Riverview and have walked around the park looking at the remnants of the past. Sure wish the film had shots of the roller coaster I loved that thing. I will never forgive Adventureland for destroying Riverview.

[buttguy]

yep same park. the track is there and there is a car track too that is still faintly visible. wish i would have been alive when this park existed! unfortunately i was born 14 years after it closed.

[buttguy]

i'd have to confirm this is the same park, but a few years ago we found what was left of a lazy river type track in des moines. i'll have to research and make sure its the same park, but whatever park it was, that much of it remains.

[jkack53]

One of my best memories was that the train was powered by a REAL coal fired steam locomotive.

[jobboardguy]

Part of the agreement was that no one could ever put another type of amusement park there. The levee is a must for the neighborhood.