Chicago's defunct Riverview

A friend just sent me this link, which seems like another tribute to Riverview. I've only just started looking at it, and there are already tons of pictures I have never seen before (and are not in the book "Riverview - gone but not forgotten" which I worshiped as a budding young coaster nerd in the 80s)

That attire makes amusement parks look so much classier. I think I'll go to Cedar Point in a fine suit this summer with a cheesy smile.

^Funny, when I worked at Cedar Point years ago we would sometimes get folks wearing all these fancy clothes (or wealthy looking clothes - whats the correct term to describe it?) and very large bonnets (for the girls) coming in from the Chaussee side.

Riverview, Palisades, Coney Dreamland, Whalom, original Luna - the 5 US parks I would get to in my first few weeks with a time-travel machine...

GayCoasterGuy, those people were Mennonite. :-)
I also had a copy of Riverview: Gone but not Forgotten and about wore it out staring at the pictures trying to burn into my brain as much information about the park that i could. However, and no offense to the author, the pictures were the best part of that book. The accompanying text was so horribly written it was laughable.
This article, oddly, seems to follow suit, and I'd be interested to know why this high school alumni website has included Riverside as a feature. (I don't see a credit, and I peeked at the alumni roll to see if Mr. Wlodarczyk is a graduate, but I don't see him there)
Anyway, I should be thanking the creator of this link, whoever they are. The photos are great, and most of the ones we haven't seen before seem to be stock photos or staged publicity shots from the Tribune newspaper archives. I've seen similar shots on kitschy greeting cards, and I've always loved the cute dresses and smart coats and ties on the young couples out on a date to the park.
If it weren't for remembrances like this Riverview would be a fading memory by now, wouldn't it? I've always considered it to be a wonderland amongst parks. I've made the pilgrimage, walked along the river walk there, and squinted my eyes trying to imagine the scene back then. It would be the very first stop in my time machine travels, Gator. In fact, I may not ever come back.
Oh, and Gator, no Euclid Beach on your list?

RCMAC said:

GayCoasterGuy, those people were Mennonite. :-)

No... I was trying to figure out a better way to describe them and their clothes with out being offensive in some way, as I figured someone would say exactly what you said. We had groups of Mennonites as well. The people I was referring to looked like what we might call "North Shore types" here in Chicago. Which I realize probably doesn't mean much to anyone on here. Perhaps someone will figure it out and say what I was trying to say :)

Yeah, actually I was just kidding about the Mennonites. I worked there in the 70's and we'd get groups through then, too.
So who are they? Gypsies? We'd get them in the park all the time.
Drag queens? We didn't see too many, but occasionally...
C'mon, now I need to know.

You can describe a person without being offensive, can't you Billy? It could be more disrespectful to treat their description as if something is wrong with them. Come on. Now I want to know what you are talking about. :)

Yeah, and who cares about offensive around here anyway? Tell us.

Edited to add:

Wait, I have a guess. People from Milwaukee?

GayCoasterGuy said:

fancy clothes (or wealthy looking clothes - whats the correct term to describe it?) and very large bonnets (for the girls) coming in from the Chaussee side.

From the Wikipedia page titled "North Shore (Chicago)":

Today the North Shore remains one of the most affluent and highly educated areas in the United States. Seven of its communities are in the top Highland Park) are in the top 5 percent. From Evanston to Lake Bluff, only Highwood falls below the national median.

Also, Billy told me privately on Facebook. :p

Edit: The link button turns the entire post after the link into a link, even if I use the eraser tool, so here is the link to the Wiki page.

The closest word I can come up with (that conveys what I was trying to say) would be "uppity."

Uppity - : putting on or marked by airs of superiority: arrogant, presumptuous.

I had to look back what this thread was originally about - Riverview. Yesterday at ACE No Coaster Con there were some guys selling some great Riverview memorabilia and other classic park DVDs. I got the book "Laugh your troubles away." I have another book on Riverview called "Gone but not forgotten." I got my copy in the mid 80s and it's now all worn with pages falling out after spending many hours in it as a budding young coaster nerd. Good to see I can get a new copy!