Related by Marriage: Riverview

Riverview Park was an historic, seventy-four acre, amusement park that operated in Chicago from 1904 to 1967. Most Chicagoans viewed Riverview as a "Nort' Side" park. People who lived on the South Side, like Mr. Irene's Mom, rarely visited that foreign part of town. By contrast, my Best Friend's Mom, the big-hearted Louise, grew up on the North Side, and she often talked about visiting Riverview in her youth.

Suburban kids like Mr. Irene and me did not get out to Riverview very often. My Dad usually took the kids to Kiddieland. If we were celebrating a special occasion, then we sometimes went to Adventureland in Addison, Illinois.

(I liked to ride Adventureland's floating crocodiles.)

Chicago, Illinois, August 29, 1963. Mr. Irene's Mom wrote the exact date on the photo and added, "Riverview Amusment Park at Western and Belmont." Could this have been a last hurrah before the school year started?