Old Elitch's amusement park Denver, Colorado 1994 5 days before closing
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ม.ค. 2021
- Here is some old footage of the much loved Eltich gardens and amusement park shorty before closing. Opened in May of 1890, this park was ranked one of the best in the United States, and the Twister roller coaster was always in the top 10 for best roller coasters. The demolishment of the old Elitch's was nothing short of blasphemy with condemnation from people all over the World. Local Denver residents were especially upset as several generations of family members visited and worked at this park over the last 100 years.
I wondered if the magic was still there and took a job as a mechanic at the new Eltich's (and no the old Twister design is not the same as the new Twister due to limits on G forces). Sad to say the present Elitch's is nothing like the old Elitch's despite several of the old rides moved there. Fortunately some of the old Elitch's was preserved. The old theater survived, the carousel pavilion lives on with out the carousel, and part of the old main entrance is still there. The demolishment of the old park was a travesty. Shame on these people who demolish these historic sites only to replace them with over priced condos. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
So sad it's gone. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome.
Great video of the old Elitch's. That was a wonderful place. The new one never had the same feeling.
Completely agree
couldn't agree more!
No, it certainly didn't. The old one had that old-city North Denver character and charm that the new one has never been able to replicate.
It lacked character and was too artificial
So many great memories at elitch's on 38th
This brings back so much memories of when I was a kid and a teenager I miss this old place 💔😭
GOD has new plans for you, honestly, just give Him a try, maybe you have seen others represent God in a way that doesn't show Him right, just give GOD a try. GOD has better plans for you ✝️💗 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
GOD has new plans for you, honestly, just give Him a try, maybe you have seen others represent God in a way that doesn't show Him right, just give GOD a try. GOD has better plans for you ✝️💗 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
I clearly remember this. I was 15 and cried when they closed it. My whole family had stories here.
This is so great! Whomever filmed this did a fantastic job documenting the place.
It almost brings tears to my eyes seeing the old park. (I was 14 at the time).
GOD has new plans for you, honestly, just give Him a try, maybe you have seen others represent God in a way that doesn't show Him right, just give GOD a try. GOD has better plans for you ✝️💗 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Closing this location is perhaps one of the biggest crimes against the people of Denver and Colorado. I grew up in this park and they had a chance to maintain an iconic piece of local history and theme park history. Brings back great memories. I never liked the new location and now only half the rides are open on any given day. The authentic charm of the old place can never be recreated and so much of it has been lost all over our country.
Man, the Twister, The Wildcat, The Rainbow, Casino, Paradise, and The Splinter. Those were our staples. I was actually interviewed by and featured in the Denver Post about Elitche's and Lakeside and the rollercoasters LOL
Iol 💕 all the trees on a summer year
Man that old HUSS rainbow ride I remember looking up at that thing thinking how huge it was as a kid. The sound of it alone scared me away, wasn't until it moved to the new park I have it a whirl but seemed so much smaller and less intimidating haha. Bumper cars look like i25 in the morning. Wild cat was so special my very first coaster ride. Miss the log ride too those animatronic yodeling log guys were crazy fun.
Thank you for this. More than you will ever know.
You are welcome.
Watching this is like reopening an old wound. What was done to this park was an absolute crime. I only lived in Denver for 2 years in the early nineties but I loved this place. I'm so glad I wasn't there to see it ripped apart.
What a well filmed video! Thanks for sharing it. For those old enough to enjoy this video, we lived in a great time. Wish I could go back for a day!
I have such great childhood memories here. ❤
I just found this video; live in Ohio now. But this certainly took me back to my childhood growing up in Denver. I've never seen the new Elitch Gardens and never plan to. This is my memory!
I visited the original Elitch’s in 1972 when I was only 13. It was so much fun!! I moved to Denver from Florida in 1981 and went to the old location a few times, it was still so much fun and nostalgic!! I went to the new location off downtown once in 1997. It just was not the same 😓. I never went back and then Covid happened and other things so I ended up back in Florida 😓😓😓 I miss Colorado so much, the snow and the mountains and everything 😓😓😓
Mister Twister was my 2nd all time favorite coaster. #1 is sadly also gone: my hometown Texas Cyclone at Astroworld, Houston.
Wow! This is the first time I have seen such clear footage of the original Elitch Gardens and it was an extremely beautiful place. It does make me wonder why they moved the park when they couldn't capture the look of the original. Further, that coaster, Mr. Twister was rated one of the best wooden coasters.in the world. When you have a park as nice as that, you don't move! Period.
Thanks for the memories. 😌
You are welcome.
Such fond memories!
this is so awesome, in the late 80s I got lost in this park think it was 1987, I was like 6. Loved this place and an older couple helped me stay still so my friend's parent would find me, this is before cell phones so I stayed near the divers
I have memories of my grandparents taking me here. Every blue moon my other family would let me invite a friend to come along, but we were small so it was nothing but the Log Flume and Kiddieland the whole time. Was big enough to ride everything by the time the recent Elitches was finished. I miss the Rainbow terribly, though. Was my favorite.
The Rainbow was awesome. Apparently it had survived until 2014 at the current downtown location but sadly has now been completely scrapped. There are still a few Rainbows left in operation. From what I can find, the closest is in Texas.
No cell phones 😍😍😍
Yes those were the days!
I loved the red and white cars on Sidewinder. I'm biased by nostalgia, but Wildcat is my favorite ride of all time. Twister was objectiively better I'm sure, and much more intense. But Wildcat was more fun for me than any other ride I've done. I loved the first two hills best. They were such a thrill. Also loved turning around in the parking lot. Rainbow, Casino, and Holland Express were my favorite flats even though Holland Expr made you dizzy. Those 3 are now gone.
Well, at least 9 rides from the original park still run at the new location. Other than Carousel, Tilt a Whirl is actually the oldest of these, dating back to 1957.
Thank you so much for this! Because of this place, is why I now live and work in Orlando!!! What a fantastic and well thought out document..
I'm relatively old and I remember my grandparents taking me there. For my family it was a very big deal to spend the day there. I remember taking some dates there in the 80's and 90's. My elders used to watch shows at the theater with well known actors and performers there. The place was all class. But no, it was too good to be true, so they destroyed and "developed". Change is inevitable, but you know, change can really, really suck. Are there any old fashioned merry-go-rounds around this country that still thrill kids, or do they destroy those also? I'm starting to sound like my ornery grandad, and dad, I guess some things dont change :) Note: It's hard to endure some high G rides with a smart phone.
because
GOD has new plans for you, honestly, just give Him a try, maybe you have seen others represent God in a way that doesn't show Him right, just give GOD a try. GOD has better plans for you ✝️💗 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Thank you for uploading this. The new one is great, but it’s not the same. The original was so carefully and loving designed by Mary Elitch and the topiary gardens were world renown at one point. This was a trip right back to my childhood. Thank you!
New roller coasters have G limit thresholds and the original Twister actually exceeded those! So they had to back off on the design. It's a similar design but much more mellow.
GOD has new plans for you, honestly, just give Him a try, maybe you have seen others represent God in a way that doesn't show Him right, just give GOD a try. GOD has better plans for you ✝️💗 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
I was hoping to see the Log Ride and gum tree!!✌️
#davesandersstepdaughter
I remember that gum tree while waiting in line for the log ride.
The gum tree, fugging a! Yeah
In the late 1960s there was a song that is now well worth a listen after seeing Toms video.....
'Those Were The Days' by Mary Hopkin.
Please sit back and enjoy it.
The only place that “captures” the same feeling is lakeside
Unfortunately the current Elitch's will soon be suffering the same fate with condo development and wondering where its gonna move to next. I'd say find a way to make the next gen Elitch's be a combination of what made the classic a magical place with the modern amusement parks today. But I will admit nothing compares to what made the original magical.
That location was always a terrible choice from the beginning. When I worked there I remember hearing that Eltich's had to lease the parking lot from the city of Denver and it cost Elitch's $250,000 a month just for the parking lot. I doubt the numerous companies that have bought and sold Elitch's over the years have ever turned a profit. It has always been a money pit with Denver reaping the profits. Although I dearly loved the old Eltich's, I say good riddance to the current one which has no personality at all.
Worked there summer of 89 🙂
I miss old Denver. The good denver what made it Denver is gone 😢
Thank you for sharing. In the 80s I remember the haunted house ride.
been there many times so sad
Watched A few vids of the new park in downtown, no comparison at all to the old park. The new one sucks on A grand scale.
I enjoyed your video. I was there the last week that they closed. It was so sad 😞. I know this is gross... but it would have been nice to see the gum tree. Lol. I sure do miss the old rides. The new place doesn't have the family feel like before. After six flags took over.. that was the end.
From a 60+ Denver native.
this is so 90s
Damn I feel old
Best times ever
Yay it’s open now!!!
People are really thin at that time. But now•••
I went there yesterday some rides were old and open no Ferris wheel but we had a great time
This is at the old location in North Denver which is now homes and a 24 hour fitness. You must’ve gone to the one in downtown Denver.
I can smell the bumper cars
Who else remembers that gum tree? I shudder to think how many people stuck old chewing gum on that 😂
I agree tho, its a shame the original park was moved for housing. Nothing would have prevented that housing being built elsewhere.
Sometimes what we lose, can't be rebuilt. The very land was special.
Nice
....and the number of horses on the carousel,,,,you cannot be serious!!!!
Those were the days, eh Tom.
Places have been demolished here in the UK as well....as you said 'A Travesty'.
I used to work on a carousel like that and the horses are small on the inside and large on the outside. Most people don't notice that. We used to take them off the carousel before winter and store them indoors. Was quite the site having all these old wooden horses inside one room all facing the same direction.
@@travelingtom923 Is there anything that you haven't done?!?!
@@rogergusty1722 I have worked for over 50 companies in my life. From a dishwasher to working on million dollar pieces of machinery. I once worked in a scrap yard as a crane operator. Later I worked in the foundry that melted that scrap metal. Then I worked as a machinist that milled that piece of steel from the foundry I used to work at. Maybe one day I will do a video on some of my previous jobs. Lots of good stories. One thing I can say about the blue collar industry is it sucks. Jobs still don't pay squat no matter what you qualifications.
@@travelingtom923 ....and my Father (or do we have to call them just Parent these days?) worked for 1 company all his life...and that is the way it was here i the UK all those years ago. You must have some stories to tell!!
Hey Traveling Tom! I'm producing a short documentary about the Historic Elitch Theatre for a nonprofit group here in Denver, and I would love to get permission to use some of the footage from this video. Would it be OK with you? Thank you!
Yes that is fine.
@@travelingtom923 Thank you!
O my ♨️
I am Elitch’s..,,,T
No splinter or wild cat, but better than nothing.
There are several minutes showing the Wildcat boarding area. I loved those trains with the tall poles on the front car and the blue color. Looks to me like Wildcat went down that night. Its empty track was filmed for a long time while filming other rides in action which is spooky knowing 5 days later it would never run again.
They are going to move AGAIN! What idiot was in charge of planning that whole move? What a disaster!
OmG the from door was the golden age now they Wana move to Aurora flipping 2024 from flipping downtown
GOD has new plans for you, honestly, just give Him a try, maybe you have seen others represent God in a way that doesn't show Him right, just give GOD a try. GOD has better plans for you ✝️💗 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Truly awesome! Thanks for sharing 👍
You are welcome.