Palisades Amusement Park went away on this day in 1971

Ironically, with the closing of Bowcraft Amusement Park in the news, it was on September 12th, 1971, that another New Jersey landmark, the Palisades Amusement Park shut down for good.

According to the book On This Day in New Jersey History the park was built “on top of the Palisades in Bergen County” in 1898 as a “trolley park.” Rides and other amusements were added as the park grew in popularity. While already popular, the 1962 song, “Palisades Park” by Freddy Cannon increased the fame of the park and in 1969, it welcomed 10 million visitors. The crowds, congestion, and parking woes led to tensions between the park and the two towns it straddled, Fort Lee and Cliffside Park.

Developers wanted to use the commanding view of Manhattan to build high rises and the property was re-zoned to allow this. There is a small monument to the old amusement park near one of the buildings that were ultimately built there.

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