We found this historic aerial photo of Rye Playland from 1950 on eBay (yours for only $9.50).
The write-up says:
"America's first planned amusement park was PLAYLAND AMUSEMENT PARK in Rye, NY. This photo of the busy amusement park was taken in 1950. Two roller coasters can be clearly seen in this classic photo. The coaster on the left is the DRAGON coaster which was built in 1929 and still thrills riders to this day. The coaster on the right is the legendary AEROPLANE coaster. It was built in 1928 and featured many tight spiraling turns. Many enthusiasts would love to see this coaster rebuilt. It was sadly torn down in 1957."
Also, check out the ferry service (upper right by the dock) that used to run from Playland.
Do you know more about the ferry service that used to run from Playland? Did you ride the Aeroplane coaster before it was torn down? Leave a comment below and share your memories.
Playland opens for the 2009 season on May 2nd.
I rode the Airplane Coaster many, many times…..What a thrill and what a disappointment when it was torn down…..
The ferry service provided a way for NYC inhabitants as well as Bridgeport residents to visit one of the United States’ first amusement parks. The Richard Peck and the John Messick were two ferries which called Playland a port of call, as did the Americana and the Westchester, which came from Battery Park in NYC. The Wauketa made the journey from New Jersey. I believe the Peter Stuyvesant came up from New Rochelle…
While attending Rye High School I would take advantage of cutting a few classes, ride my bike down to Playland, following the Memorial Day opening, stand at the ferry terminal boardwalk with a shoebox in my hands, asking the passengers heading back to wherever they journeyed from if they, “have any leftover tickets?”…..Many did. In those days visitors would buy books of tickets for the various rides…and, if they had tickets leftover, more often than not, they’d be happy to “discard” them…This endevor provided me and several of my friends with enough tickets for the season !!
I have wonderful memories of Playland to this day…. Several sites of interest…
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m37.l1313&satitle=rye+ny&category0=
http://www.ryeplayland.org/PDFs/playlandparkmp08-14-06withcover.pdf
Every so often, I have read about SeaJet, NY Waterway etc, reestablishing ferry service to Playland, but nothing ever seems to materialize.
Back in the 1960s, and before, the ferries would come up from NYC early in the season loaded with high schoolers out for a day trip. the ships were John A Messick, Peter Stuyvesant, Hudson Bell and her twin Liberty Bell. Parking lot at the Lake end was also crowded with school busses. As a previous poster mentioned, I too would wait on the pathway to the dock when they called for boarding to “mooch” leftover tickets from those departing. Don’t remember when sea transport ended since I left Rye in 1970 when I married. Those were the days.