The Abandoned History of Libertyland: Elvis Favorite Theme Park: | Expedition Extinct
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 มิ.ย. 2024
- Join the Expedition Extinct as we head to Memphis and look at the once abandoned history of Libertyland. This park was a favorite of the King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley over it's nearly 30 years of existence.
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Thank you to Memphis Public Library.
Please check out the video credits below to see the full clips.
Credits -
Menachem Piekarksi - • zippin pippin libertyland
RockinRickHale - • Zippin' Pippin Memphis...
Loopyguy - • Revolution at Libertyl...
Louie D - • Great Balls of Fire - ...
Rebel Mommy - • Mid-South Fair late 1960s
Loopyguy - • Zippin Pippin at Liber...
Memphis Motocycle Club - • 1937 Memphis Motorcycl...
Marie Ruggirello - • It Happened at the Wor...
Mackenzie Rough - • Freedomland theme Park...
Menachem Piekarski - • old hickory log flume ...
Mark Elliott - • Libertyland, Memphis, ...
Hickman Jack - • Christmas, Libertyland...
Loopyguy - • Revolution at Libertyl...
RockinRickHale - • Revolution at LibertyL...
Louie D. • Great Balls of Fire - ...
Nolan Buchanan - • LibertyLand Theme Park...
Menachem Piekarski - • kamikaze libertyland
Aldren Suliman - • Glorias Fantasyland : ...
EntercomMemphis - • WRVR - Underground Mem...
Joe Spake - • End of the Zippin Pipp...
Fun fun videos - • Children's Museum Caro...
00:00 Elvis Favorite Theme Park
00:54 Take Me To The Fair
03:35 Follow That Dream
05:41 Can't Help Falling In Love
06:57 Something Bigger Than You and I
14:38 It's Now Or Never
17:54 Always On My Mind
19:35 A Little Less Conversation
22:49 It Feel's So Right
23:32 The Impossible Dream
24:34 Doin' The Best I Can
25:35 Return To Sender
32:44 Because of Love - บันเทิง
As someone who grew up in Memphis in the 90s with Libertyland and the fair being the only amusement park around,this was insanely nostalgic to watch. You must have spent so much damn time researching this. I know a lot of history with this park, and you taught me loads of things I didn’t know. Thanks for your time and research. Your Channel is excellent.
Same here! I loved going to Libertyland in the 80s and 90s. I moved away in 1997. I had no idea what happened to the rides nor the history of the park. Thanks so much for doing this episode. And I agree with Daniel above - the time and research you put into the episode is impressive. Watching this brought back so many great memories!
Thank you so much
Damnit, Sam...you made me cry. As a Memphis native, this was my home park. So many great memories. The words "thank you" are just not enough for this. Tons of love for you and Jackie too.
This❤
One of the things I’ve really loved about these “Extinct” videos is reading through the comments and the experiences people had, especially with places like this where it’s mostly good, nostalgic memories. Thank you for creating the space for people to share these memories and for you sharing the history.
Me too
@@ExpeditionThemeParknice
The rebuilt Zippin Pippin is a beloved local icon here in Green Bay now, so this was a cool look at its history. If you're ever in the area, Bay Beach has free parking and admission, and riding it only costs $1.00!
I love the parks that have free parking and admission. That way, you can take the family out for a picnic, and go buy a couple ride passes and have some fun. There's a couple parks like that "kind of" close to me. Waldameer, and Knobels.
Every summer we’d spend 2 weeks in Green Bay and spend many days at Bay Beach. Tickets were 10 cents each and most rides were 2 tickets. So glad to know that it’s still so inexpensive!
That ride is shit. Boring pippin more like it 😂😂😂😂😂😂. I'll go back to magic mountain where there's real rollercoasters
Thanks for this cause when that a rock museum bought it for that cheap I knew that wasn’t true ..I remember when it was moved to Wisconsin just didn’t know where.. thanks for this I’m from Memphis grew up riding this coaster
@@robertboyd9024Did the Zippin Pippin have a massive jolt of airtime on its last hill before the station in Memphis? It does now, the guy from the Airtime Thrills TH-cam channel nicknamed it the Ejector Death Hill.
I moved to Memphis in 1994 and loved Libertyland, great little park.
yeah!
Who would've thought a mere roller coaster could be historically fascinating, heartbreaking, and beautifully affirming all at once.
Your talent in getting me to feel emotional for a rollercoaster/theme park I have no history with is unmatched. 😢 Excellent video!
Thank you for making this video, but it made me so sad. I’ve been in Memphis my whole life, and watching this place rot, where so many of my childhood best memories were made, was so heart wrenching. Ive long looked for substantial footage of it to relive those good days, and it was nice to see some of that in this video.
My favorite memory there: in 2001, my 8th grade class took a field trip there on fall break, as did several other schools in our district. Libertyland had a recording booth where you could pay to record your own version of various pop songs. My mom paid for me to record “How Do I Live” by Leann Rhimes and as I was singing, several of my peers stood outside the booth watching and cheering me on. I was 13 at the time and I’m 35 now, but I’ll never forget!
I remember that studio!
I grew up going to this park all of the time. The zippin pippin was the best!!
These are the saddest stories, when the city really wants it to work but it doesn’t end up working out. Thank you for the video!
YERRRRRRR MEMPHIS MANE!!!!!! 🤟🏾💪🏾👊🏾 THANK YOI FOR TAKING ME DOWN MEMORY LANE!! RIP LIBERTY LAND
I've never expressed it, but I really really love this channel. It brings back the most random nostalgia at unexpected moments. Memories that I had once forgotten but the second a see a clip of lets say Knotts Berry Farm stuff, oh man I have a history with that park. I just miss the lack of people that you see in these videos the most. Damnit, I'm an old guy now :(
Welcome to the club😉 Also grew up at Disney, Knott's, Calico Ghost Town, Hadley's... in the '60s n 70s.
Old Knott's footage had me tripping down memories I had long forgotten.
Well, age is as age does, so go break some eggs! ... Then act your age and clean up the mess. 😁
I oddly have almost no connection to any of these places. Only cedar point and Kings Island just a bit. Also Geauga lake rip. But I feel this welling up feeling in my heart when I watch these videos. Especially this channel. I feel for these communities. For the children and people that won't ever get to experience these places that genuinely seemed to actually care about all walks of life. We all deserve somewhere to go where we can escape the ills of our broken society and it's a tragedy every time one of these places shutters their doors. Expedition is doing the lords work.
I agree this guy does a great job on his theme park content 🎉
My home park 😌. So happy to see the story of this place told, even if the ending is a sad one. At age 3, the Zippin Pippin was my first coaster, and I remember how sketchy the operations were as I grew up riding it lol. I’m so glad it has a new home and can continue to be enjoyed by others. I’ll ride it again someday! I even have own a small section of the track from before it was torn down!
Thanks for doing this! I used to go to libertyland as a kid in the 90s and I miss it so
Same. I was very excited to see this park covered. The pippin was my first coaster ride. As I got older and saw other parks, six flags, Disney, etc, it didn’t hold up the same way. But for a 9 year old living in Memphis it was awesome.
@@SierraRift right! As much as it wasn't as fancy as other parks in the country, it's extremely special to those of us from Memphis
Little bit of information.... There was a documentary on tv the other day about Elvis. Elvis could NOT play the guitar or write music at all. He admitted it in interviews. He never could play the guitar by his admission. He could not write music by his own admission. Any piece of music with his name on it he paid for the privilege. I was shocked actually. It makes sense now... Watch his movies when he has a guitar in his hands... His left hand rarely moves to form chords. (the guitar was just a prop). But I still luv him!!!
Wow! What an awesome park Libertyland was. I grew up in Memphis and had a season pass every year for Libertyland. The shows were as good as Opryland and I remember when the Revolution opened with all the excitement with so many visiting for the opening. The park was full of flowers and.gardens and had a real charm. Broke my heart when it closed. Thank you for the awesome documentary. You always do such a great job.
Wonderful video, I think this is one of my favorites! I had the joy of riding the 'new' Zippin Pippin this summer, and the location is perfect. For its small footprint, the ride still packs a punch and had me smiling the entire time. Miller really knew what he was doing in those early days before computer simulations and high-tech engineering.
Great video, if you're looking for more failed Memphis entertainment parks, check out Adventure River! As an 80s kid, the two things I remember most about the Zippin Pippin were (1) it was controlled by large wooden control paddles which seemed dangerously low-tech to me and (2) there was a tree branch sticking over part of the track that seemed like you could reach out and grab. We do not have a good history of keeping artifacts around here in Memphis, not only did the Pippin go away, but also the Memphis Belle B-17 was shipped off to Ohio in the early 2000s as well...
The Adventure River ad jingle instantly popped in my head. Wow! I forgot about that!
I still live in Memphis and have so many fond memories of going here and to the Fair. Another fantastic video as always, but this one is by far my favorite. ❤️
Wow, I grew up in Memphis and I remember going to the Mid South Fair and Libertyland! We even had a fair day at school where the school was closed and it was discounted for us to go to the fair. This was the late 90s, early 2000's. I am sad that they closed it down
Being able to rent an amusement park all to yourself at night, sounds amazing
Right?!
I got my first ride on Zippin Pippin in June 2021. At $1 per ride, it was a cheap and fun coaster to ride. Great video!
My Dad scared the sh*t out of me at 6 yrs old on the Pippin. But I grew to love it and everything at Libertyland, too. The Revolution and Log Flume ride. It’s sad it can’t be experienced today, but nice to hear the Pippin still lives on. Great video and can hardly believe it gets this attention. My grown son sent this to me and I’m so glad he did. You’ve got a new subscriber!!
Thank you so much for watching!
I didn't move here until late 94 but I got the chance to visit the park a handful of times thanks to the Mid South Fair. As a matter of fact, we were at the very last night of the fair before it moved to Southaven. I can still remember the gunshots ringing out when everyone was heading out to the parking lots. Ah yes, that's so Memphis, mane.
I moved from Memphis to DC yrs ago to take a high security level job at the us state department. Last month a new staffer introduced himself at a staff meeting & mentioned that he was originally from Memphis. Guy next to me leans over & says “betcha he has a brother or uncle called “mane”…..I laughed because I actually have a cousin that we call “mane”….
This was a FANTASTIC video! It's a shame that Libertyland had too much money struggles and had to close, but I'm glad that Zippin Pippin lives on. I'm hoping that you'll eventually cover Six Flags Astroworld, but please talk about Marvel Mcfey and His Enchanted Animals, as they had tons of personality, and were designed by Disney legend Rolly Crump based on Micki Mcclelland's concepts. Geauga Lake and Nara Dreamland would also make fantastic videos as well! Honestly, I think Geauga Lake had it really bad, as it was one of the oldest theme parks and both Six Flags and Cedar Fair mistreated it.
I have not been on the original Zippin' Pippin' but did roadtrip to Greenbay in 2011 to ride the new version... While it is not a very tall coaster it packs enough airtime to make it a fun ride. The city takes great care of it and the price to ride it is fairly cheap... it was $1.00 and to this day I think it is still $1.00 and the money generated paid off the bonds and also goes to the coasters upkeep. It is maintained very nicely, I would say the maintenance is on par with Knoebels and how they take care of the phoenix.
If you can I say it is worth the trip to get the ride credit, plus it sits right on the beach of the lake and has a beautiful surrounding, the park is open, geared towards kids mostly but is so relaxing.
I lived in Memphis from 1982 to 1985 and have wonderful memories of Libertyland and the Mid South Fair! I had no idea that the park had fallen on such hard times and stood abandoned and rotting. It was a nice little park when I lived there. Thanks for sharing all of this information.
I had fun there as a kid in the 80s.We went every year during the Fair. When you first walked in there was a stand that sold these big tissue paper flowers on a stick. I liked the Model T cars that ran on a track. The "Ozark Ridge Runner" was like the Music Express ride. "Twain's Twister" was a Scrambler type ride. "World's longest love seat" was a long wooden bench lol The "Pippin" coaster used to scare me because it was so rickety. I rode the "metal" coaster "The Revolution" as teen. It went upside down.
Living in Memphis the last 17 years and spending every other summer here many years before that this was such a shot of nostalgia. Thank you for this.
Thank you!
Interestingly, Bay Beach is a city park; these days the 1$ cost per Zippin Pippin ride is enough to ensure the city does not have to put any tax dollars into it- it paid for itself in a few seasons. A very different result than the city-county partnership at Liberty Land.
I miss Libertyland. Thank you for this video 🙏🏽 been watching your videos for years. Never thought Libertyland would get a video and it made me legit cry 😢 what an amazing video!
Thank you!
Great video, I love that you used Elvis songs as time stamps!
Brilliant video! As a resident of Green Bay and as someone who grew up visiting the historic Bay Beach Amusement Park, the addition of the Zippin Pippin was very exciting! This coaster has now been here for more than 10 years and I still can't believe I get to say "We have a rollercoaster in Green Bay!" I love it so much!
I never knew the history behind this ride when I visited the first time as a kid, but now I'm hoping i can visit my cousins again just so I can hop on the Zippin Pippin again just so I can really appreciate the history of it.
Love that picture of of Lawler and Jimmy Hart with the mascot...breaks kayfabe..but still.
I was a child when my family lived in Memphis in the ‘80s, and we LOVED Libertyland visits so, so much. I miss that and the (pre-hard times) Mall Of Memphis a ridiculous amount, all the way to this very day.
Thank you for doing this video! When we first moved to Memphis when I was 10, that was THE theme park for us!
Thank you so much for watching.
I've been anticipating a Libertyland documentary, and it absolutely shattered my expectations; this is a masterpiece and one of your best. Keep up the absolutely amazing work! (also, you should do one on Wonderland Sydney!)
Thank you so much and i hope to eventually!
I agree, a superb documentary. Although, having seen many of this channel's other videos and the thought that goes into them, not a surprise.
Sam, this is your best best best video EVER! As a lifelong Elvis fan I absolutely loved the Elvis tie ins such as Elvis melodies as background music, and the cheeky references to some of Elvis' songs.
Too bad Graceland didn't step up to save the Pippin, had Elvis been alive I bet he would have.
Thanks again Sam. Keep up the great videos.
Hi so is the Midsouth fair where Col. Parker talked to Elvis on the ferris wheel and became his manager. I remember Elvis loving kart racing. Like with the gasoline powered cars. Does Graceland have a track he used? Like a go kart track.
@pika23 I don't believe so. But I have heard he drove the go karts around Graceland
Thank you! My mother's side of the family mostly lived in Memphis so I had so many amazing memories at this park. It's great to see this fascinating park celebrated.
Thank you!
Even if it hadn't been neglected for a few years... a coaster made of wood and sitting in Tennessee's rain for a hundred bloody years is going to have wood rot and termites no matter what they did. I'm amazed it hadn't already had some kind of catastrophic failure even before it was shut down.
Taking the layout and rebuilding it from scratch is the best possible outcome this coaster could have had. Now people can experience it how it was properly designed to be.... without the woodworms!
I'd be too embarrassed to admit this, if I wasn't so proud; I LOVE coaster / amusement park content, and this is one of my favorite channels, I've seen nearly every episode. It JUST NOW clicked that 'Arrow Dynamics' is a play on 'Aerodynamics'. Jesus, I'm slow... Anyway, great vid, as always!
Grew up in Tupelo and went to this park many times in the 1980s❤❤❤❤ thank you
I think it's pretty cool that the carousel is still right there in the area. Makes a bit of a tribute to the past.
Hahaha I worked here while in high school. I also worked the Zippin Pippin! Lol lol
I worked at a pronto pup stand in liberty land, it was my first job at 15 years old! The Revolution was one of the first of its kind. I remember a new ride was added every year it was so fun I miss it so much!
I grew up near Green Bay, Wisconsin, and I remember how excited everyone was for the coaster to come to Bay Beach! It was actually the first roller coaster I ever went on growing up, and it’s super awesome to learn it’s full history
Since moving to Memphis way back in 1994, I have only ever had the opportunity to visit Liberty Land twice in its existence; usually during the Mid-South fair. This brought back many memories for me growing through my adolescent years in the 90s and the early 2000s.
Ponchatrain Beach was an iconic amusement park in New Orleans. I went there in the seventies. My dad worked there when he was a teenager n the fifties. Elvis Presley performed there September 1, 1955 and August 1956. Elvis visited the park in July 1956 with his parents and girlfriend.
We used to go all the time when I was little. I remember getting bruises after riding the zippin pippin lol it’s a real shame that it’s gone now!
I was born in Memphis, i miss Liberty Land so much, riding all of the rides, the Tennessee Tilt, the Revolution, Zippin Pippin, Log ride, miss it.
That was a fun place to go. The Zippin Pippin was really fun.
My comfort channel.
I was living in Memphis in 2009 and was able to take some photos and video of what was left of Liberty Land. Wish I could've seen the park in it's working days.
I would love to see them
@@ExpeditionThemePark What is the best way to send the pics and video clips to you? Total is 290 mb and the clips are .MOV files that can be played back with things like Cyberlink Power DVD.
@@michaelcjgreenway4788 I think easiest would be to email to sam@expeditionthemepark.com
@@ExpeditionThemePark Will do. Sending in a bit. Thank you and enjoy!
Damn, the end got me lol. Grew up in Memphis and I’m happy to hear the Pippin lives on at least in name.
I've been on the Zippin Pippin in northern Wisconsin! Park still uses 25 cent tickets for rides and even this coaster being one of their most popular attractions was only about $2 when I last visited in 2020. Ride is small but fast and has cool views overlooking Lake Michigan. It's in a great local amusement park especially considering one of the few other options close by being the corporate giant that is Six Flags Great America in northern Illinois. Still widely known as the Elvis coaster but had no clue it was almost completely a recreation, makes sense given the age it though!
Thanks for the Informative video & researching the history of this Abandoned park, it sad to see so many places theme parks etc left abandoned I'm glad the zipin pipin roller coaster was rebuilt in honour of Elvis presley it's sad that the Theme park is now gone, after so many years of been open I thought the theme park would of been saved but obviously not I'm from the UK we don't have many theme parks now we've lost quite alot of them now they're All closed & Abandoned its sad rides just left to Rot in the elements.
Awesome video! 👍👍Although I wish Memphis had never shut Libertyland down, it's great to see the Zippin Pippin live on in a new location and its historic value preserved. Interesting, about the same time Libertyland closed, Memphis's crime problems rose.
I went here every year! This is my hometown!!! AAAAAAAA
Libertyland was such a great park. Several great coasters, a lot of fun thrill rides, an amazing log flume, and it was always one of the cleanest parks. When the Mid South Fair was going on at the same time, it was one of the best places ever!
This has been so engrossing! Liberty land is a place i have hearrd of and seen touched on by a few places...but this is very in depth. Really great. 😮🎉
15:58 As a carousel enthusiast, this is sadly still common, please stop doing this.
what shocks me his how long the carousel was left in the empty park. That carousel is one of the finest I’ve seen, the fact that none of the horses were stolen, or vandalized is nothing short of a miracle, hell, I’m shocked it wasn’t lit on fire.
32:03 Speaking of finest, this carousel got one of the most incredible and beautiful restorations. Like, holy shit. This carousel is the GOLD STANDARD. It’s at the top of my bucket list right now because it’s so gorgeous, and what’s more, It’s in a nice secure new building. It’s one of the best “cinderella stories” for a carousel.
I wanted to talk more about the carousel because it truly is beautiful but i just didn't have time.
@@ExpeditionThemePark That’s okay! You talked about it way more than I’ve seen most theme park youtubers talk about them. In fact, you mentioned things that surprised me! This carousel is so loved. just like the rest of the park. ❤️
@@ExpeditionThemeParkA carousel video from you would be awesome. I was obsessed with Dentzel carousels as a kid, and I still want to go tour the ones remaining in my region.
@@onbearfeet you should check out the national carousel association!
What an interesting story about a park I had not previously heard of. Sad about the park closing down, as it seemed like a magical place at the height of it’s popularity. But so happy the Zippin Pippin lives on! ☺️
Love your content! Please keep being amazing!
As always. Amazing !!!
Thank you for posting the video about Libertyland.
Being from Memphis I went a few times back in the day!!!
Great video Sam. Loved the music at the end.
My friend this is one of your best videos yet spectacular as always much love to you
Love the history of these older amusement parks and rides. The footage you find is great!
You put so much work into preserving these stories. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much
Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks!
Thanks for another fantastic video Sam!
Thank you!
Thank you for making this video! I live in Chattanooga TN & didn't even know there was a park in Memphis at any point. Great job as usual!
Thank you for another fabulous video. Informative and engaging as usual. Keep up the great work! Merry Christmas to you and your family 🎄
Thank you so much for making this. I cherish my memories made at Liberty Land. ❤Great video
This is great. I have lived in Memphis all my life (I’m 54) and the old fair and Libertyland was a big part of my youth. Of course nobody HERE has done this kind of documentary - but you did, and I thank you.
Thanks for another interesting expedition vlog Sam, really enjoyed it, wishing you and Jackie happy holidays from the UK 🎄
Another great video! I had never heard of Libertyland, but it really piqued my interest. Just want to say keep up the good work.
Great video with a great ending !! Elvis knew what was up . Front row or back row only ! I’m a back row guy
Glad I found this channel... Reminds me of defunctland, abandoned theme park stuff... Awesome
Well done as always. It was cool to see one of my pictures used in the video!
Great video. Very informative and interesting and a very sad end too a great theme park
the research here is amazing , good work
Thank you
Best video yet, the little things your so good at now.
Thank you!
This is the best type of videos in explaining roller coasters / parks keep it up!
Great video Sam, very interesting , I never knew this park even existed
I grew up in Nashville but took many trip to Memphis. I remember going after i saw the movie 'rollercoaster' and at that time was unfamiliar with parks using the same names for rides. When I went to Libetyland and saw the Revolution. I thought it was the same coaster shown in the movies ending. I found out later it wasnt but was still excited to ride it because it was a better clone of the Wabash Cannonball at Opryland. The Libertyland Revolution had a loop where the cannonball did not. I thought it was the greatest coaster even and my first time riding a coaster with a loop. I wish Libertyland continued on. It was a great park even if I only visited once But i have fond memories of it.
My HS GF was from Memphis and I remember “breaking into” LL while visiting her mom in the early/mid “aughts” we climbed the ZP lift hill mid day with no issues!
Wonderful video, Sam! Never really heard of this place, even though I grew up in the 70’s and was fascinated by amusement parks (my two local parks were Great Adventure and Hersheypark)…I knew about Opryland (which was similarly doomed to a short lifespan after opening in the mid-70’s) but had never know of this place
thank you so much as always
I live in Green Bay, Bay Beach is the Midwestern version of Disney, but at an affordable price! It's been years since I rode the Zippin Pippin, but when I was at Bay Beach over the summer, the line was still long, it's one of the most popular rides!
Amazing Video! Keep up the great work!
Native Memphian here. I was in high school when Libertyland opened and it always felt like a small low budget operation (strongly preferred Opryland in Nashville). As outlined in the video the old Fairgrounds rides retained by Libertyland remained popular and the Revolution definitely was a big draw initially. The music shows (particularly Andy Childs as Elvis) were the main attraction in my mind as well as the ice skating rink (until the Mall of Memphis opened in 1981). Partnering with the annual Mid South Fair was definitely key in keeping the doors open as after an initial visit in 1976 when the park opened, during the fair was the only time I visited thereafter. After the Revolution I don't remember any subsequent Libertyland upgrades being significant enough to attract much attention and the video explains why (they were struggling to repay the debt and didn't have resources to do significant investment.) Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I used to live close to there while living in Memphis back in the late 90's. It looked like it had been around a long time back then.
Great vid Sam!
Thank you!
Great video Sam i am a big Fan of Elvis and you did a great job on this one my friend. i loe it
Thanks so much Curtis
your very welcome my friend
Sad that Libertyland ended this way. I’m from the area and have a lot of fun memories there from when I was a kid. Some of Memphis’s citizens behave like feral animals and ruined it for the rest of us.
Yes and the delta fair always gets shot up every year or cars broken into.
It makes me sad that Memphis keeps losing everything. Now Memphis in May is kaput. Before long, it will be half abandoned like Detroit.😢
Someone else that remembers why the park really closed.
FInally! Libertyland!! I've been waiting for this one for so long!
Hope you enjoy.
@@ExpeditionThemePark It was perfect! So many memories.
Thank you for another great video! It’s always a good day, when I see your channels new video alert 🎉🎉
🔥🔥🔥🔥 please make more so good