In this segment from NPT's MEMORIES OF NASHVILLE, the State Fair at Nashville's Fair Park (now the Tennessee State Fairgrounds) is revisited by those who remember it best.
We would take paper grocery bags full of RC bottle caps to get rid tickets. 6 caps for each ticket and we always had more than we could use. My mom and aunts would load the cars with us kids we numbered between 15 to as high as 25 and spend the afternoon riding all the rides multiple times. My favorite rides were the skyliner and the mad mouse. I wish families could spend time like that it makes for close relations with each other. Nashville needs a place like fair park so children can experience the fun while hanging out with friends and family instead of being indoors playing computer games.
I went in the 70's. This was always one of the highlights of my summer vacation. We were poor and we would go to local merchants and ask them for their RC cola caps. You could turn in 6 caps for 1 ticket. That was back when they had bottle openers on the coolers. We would go from store to store dumping all the caps out of the cap containers, go home and separate the RC caps. I remember standing in line with big sacks full of caps and riding rides all day.
Oh yea, I remember the RC Cola caps too, back then we had a Roofing Company, and we had a huge cooler in our shop for the boys. When they popped those colas open, we would empty the cap collector, take the caps down to Fair Park and get us tickets for rides. I wonder if you guys lived close by, maybe I even grew up with a bunch of ya'll. I just turned 60 this month, we lived on Carvell Avenue, off of Wedgewood.
@@captainamerica6182 I lived in Ashland City at that time. My granny and most of my extended family lived in Nashville. When we did live in Nashville, it was on Oneida Avenue.
I grew up going to Fair Park. We lived a couple blocks down from the Fairgrounds. There use to be an Elementary School right across the street from our house, it was called Fall Hamilton back then, this would be in the early 70's. It was a 5 minute walk from our house off of Wedgewood, to Fair Park. It seems like I remember there was an old High School or some type of building immediately next door to Fall Hamilton, it was vacant apparently for quiet sometime. You could go in there and find old file cabinets and old papers and other stuff every where. We use to go watch the Daryl Waltrip and other famous race car drivers at the Nashville Speedway, popcorn, hot dogs, peanuts etc. I'll never forget the rumbling and shaking when the cars would go by. It was exhilarating. I remember when the Tennessee State Fair would come to the the Fair Grounds, what a great time. I also remember there was a swimming pool there called Cascade Springs I believe. I use to go there during the summer to swim as a young kid. Oh, and I remember seeing wrestling matches at the Fair Grounds, Gorgeous George Jr. Tojo Yamamoto, George and Nick Gulas, NWA wrestling, Bob Armstrong, Rip Tyler, Leaping Lanny Pofo etc. And one of the all time greats "Creature Feature, starring SIr Cecil Creep."
I grew up in the woodbine area in the early 80’s and I have very fond memories of all the rides with the roller coaster obviously being the most memorable. I never actually got to attend the park, but remember passing it every other day and I remember being sad to see it all dwindle away eventually down to nothing.
I was a 70s kid. We had Rivergate and Opryland. Rarely went downtown unless it was to Farmers Market area. The fairgrounds were falling apart by then. I do remember the Madison Square Harveys and the Sears at Due West & Gallatin. Now the last Sears is closing, the last Kmart closed last year. Opry Mills is a joke and so is Rivergate Mall. I remember whenever we went somewhere to dinner, shop etc we would see dozens of people we knew. Nashville is overcrowded and going to shit now. I plan on working my last couple decades and retiring somewhere else.
if the Mayor or the Governor wanted to really do something for the people, and improve a poor childs life.....re create Fair Park!!!....we the people need an escape , and not at a shopping mall, or a theme park....just a simple little ....Fair Park!
@1800PLZWAKEUP The Cascade Plunge Pool was there. It didn't have waves, but it did have three separate pools to swim in. A kiddie pool a younger kids pool and then the big pool with the diving boards. The highest being 30 ft!
I'm 33 and I remember it. I would go over there on Saturday nights when we would go to the races. I remember the haunted house in the very back and I believe the other I remember was called Crazy Mouse or something. Miss this place along with Opryland.
@@DarrelDRailPharris just realized if u were 33 when u made that post we are the same age lol. Maybe we went to the park at the same time 😁 OK how sad am I tryn to make friends on the internet...ill c myself out now 🏃
Amen "HymoticSquirrel! I even wrote the fair commitee and advised them this is why nne wanted to come to the fair anmore, that is why we go to county fairs, they acted as if they had no idea what I was talking about.....same thing happen to Cascade pool too
Take away all the fun stuff to risk getting shot by some scumbag instead... speaking of the fairgrounds, and opryland. I dont recall the fairgrounds but I used to love Opry Land!
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We would take paper grocery bags full of RC bottle caps to get rid tickets. 6 caps for each ticket and we always had more than we could use. My mom and aunts would load the cars with us kids we numbered between 15 to as high as 25 and spend the afternoon riding all the rides multiple times. My favorite rides were the skyliner and the mad mouse. I wish families could spend time like that it makes for close relations with each other. Nashville needs a place like fair park so children can experience the fun while hanging out with friends and family instead of being indoors playing computer games.
I went in the 70's. This was always one of the highlights of my summer vacation. We were poor and we would go to local merchants and ask them for their RC cola caps. You could turn in 6 caps for 1 ticket. That was back when they had bottle openers on the coolers. We would go from store to store dumping all the caps out of the cap containers, go home and separate the RC caps. I remember standing in line with big sacks full of caps and riding rides all day.
I remember that so much!!!!
Me too!
Oh yea, I remember the RC Cola caps too, back then we had a Roofing Company, and we had a huge cooler in our shop for the boys. When they popped those colas open, we would empty the cap collector, take the caps down to Fair Park and get us tickets for rides. I wonder if you guys lived close by, maybe I even grew up with a bunch of ya'll. I just turned 60 this month, we lived on Carvell Avenue, off of Wedgewood.
@@captainamerica6182 I lived in Ashland City at that time. My granny and most of my extended family lived in Nashville. When we did live in Nashville, it was on Oneida Avenue.
I loved the RC bottle caps wow will sure miss the park...
I grew up going to Fair Park. We lived a couple blocks down from the Fairgrounds. There use to be an Elementary School right across the street from our house, it was called Fall Hamilton back then, this would be in the early 70's. It was a 5 minute walk from our house off of Wedgewood, to Fair Park. It seems like I remember there was an old High School or some type of building immediately next door to Fall Hamilton, it was vacant apparently for quiet sometime. You could go in there and find old file cabinets and old papers and other stuff every where. We use to go watch the Daryl Waltrip and other famous race car drivers at the Nashville Speedway, popcorn, hot dogs, peanuts etc. I'll never forget the rumbling and shaking when the cars would go by. It was exhilarating. I remember when the Tennessee State Fair would come to the the Fair Grounds, what a great time. I also remember there was a swimming pool there called Cascade Springs I believe. I use to go there during the summer to swim as a young kid. Oh, and I remember seeing wrestling matches at the Fair Grounds, Gorgeous George Jr. Tojo Yamamoto, George and Nick Gulas, NWA wrestling, Bob Armstrong, Rip Tyler, Leaping Lanny Pofo etc. And one of the all time greats "Creature Feature, starring SIr Cecil Creep."
I grew up in the woodbine area in the early 80’s and I have very fond memories of all the rides with the roller coaster obviously being the most memorable. I never actually got to attend the park, but remember passing it every other day and I remember being sad to see it all dwindle away eventually down to nothing.
i remember in the 1970s my and i go to fair park on Saturdays and spend the whole there thanks for the great memories of my childhood.
The old "Skyliner" roller coaster. Awesome!
Love this!!! I have many memories at Fair Park growing up! Good Times : )
My parents are from Nashville. They move to ohio. And in the summer we would visit family. Had a good time at fair park when we was there.
I was a 70s kid. We had Rivergate and Opryland. Rarely went downtown unless it was to Farmers Market area. The fairgrounds were falling apart by then. I do remember the Madison Square Harveys and the Sears at Due West & Gallatin. Now the last Sears is closing, the last Kmart closed last year. Opry Mills is a joke and so is Rivergate Mall. I remember whenever we went somewhere to dinner, shop etc we would see dozens of people we knew. Nashville is overcrowded and going to shit now. I plan on working my last couple decades and retiring somewhere else.
I lived right next to fair park the roller coaster literally was in our back yard such fun memories
I loved Fair Park, it was a place that even poor people like us could go to. I don't know of another place like it presently....and that's a shame!
if the Mayor or the Governor wanted to really do something for the people, and improve a poor childs life.....re create Fair Park!!!....we the people need an escape , and not at a shopping mall, or a theme park....just a simple little ....Fair Park!
I remeber getting free admission by savinv bottle caps 💕
@rebel62780 The ride you remeber at fair park is the Tilt-a-Whirl. It was one of my favorites.
The haunted house i remember most of all.
Yes I remember the haunted house
@1800PLZWAKEUP The Cascade Plunge Pool was there. It didn't have waves, but it did have three separate pools to swim in. A kiddie pool a younger kids pool and then the big pool with the diving boards. The highest being 30 ft!
I almost drowned there
I'm 33 and I remember it. I would go over there on Saturday nights when we would go to the races. I remember the haunted house in the very back and I believe the other I remember was called Crazy Mouse or something. Miss this place along with Opryland.
Commenting 13 years later 🤣🤣🤣 but wasn't it the mouse trap?
@@daiseylynns 😂 better late than never! I believe you are right.
@@DarrelDRailPharris spent 3 hours of my life today reminiscent of the "good ole days" 😁
@@DarrelDRailPharris just realized if u were 33 when u made that post we are the same age lol. Maybe we went to the park at the same time 😁 OK how sad am I tryn to make friends on the internet...ill c myself out now 🏃
@@daiseylynns The Mad Mouse
We went to fair park alot so much fun
The volunteer jam and the tic tac toe chicken
The mad mouse do u remember?
does anyone remember taking rc cola bottle tops to exchange for tickets? went there from 65 till ? sad to find out it is gone rip fair park ahhh
9
was there in '76 going to balls tech. in Gallatin, lived on n.e. 16th st. wonder were the train went to?
the skyliner came off track in curve 5 yr. earlier...killed some.
Amen "HymoticSquirrel! I even wrote the fair commitee and advised them this is why nne wanted to come to the fair anmore, that is why we go to county fairs, they acted as if they had no idea what I was talking about.....same thing happen to Cascade pool too
I use to live on south gate
Super Nashville
Take away all the fun stuff to risk getting shot by some scumbag instead... speaking of the fairgrounds, and opryland. I dont recall the fairgrounds but I used to love Opry Land!
CHAOS
RC bottle tops and the rat trap,, way to go Nashville is going backwards
When the rollercoaster stopped I was in the floorboard