Thrill-seeking Chicagoans have been lining up at local amusement parks for nearly a 150 years. From the early trolley parks of the nineteenth century, to the famous Ferris wheel of the World’s Fair, to the golden age of roller coasters, to the white-knuckle, gravity-defying rides of the modern age, the business of fun has always been central to Chicago. Beloved parks such as Riverview Park and Kiddieland, among others, served as a beacon for laughter, thrills, and childhood fun for a generation of Chicagoans.
