Lost Riverview Park of Des Moines, IA

Anyone ever make it to Riverview Park in Des Moines before it closed? The park had a wooden coaster and was located just north of downtown Des Moines along the bank of the DM River (near the Botanical Center I believe).

I've lived in and around Des Moines about 20 of my 23 years and don't know much about the park. I'm particularly interested in the wooden coaster. Anyone know where I can see photos of it? I'm really curious about the layout.

Adventureland purchased some of the flat rides and originally had a themed area called Riverview, but has since transformed that into Dragon Island (which is actually a peninsula by the way). I believe the park closed in the late `70s and the remains were finally completely removed within the last 10 years, but that's about all I know other than my parents' stories about the infamous WIld Mouse that would whip you around a curve right near the river and scare the daylights out of you. If only the city could have brought it back. It would really make the city more entertaining in the summer.
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-Matt in Iowa
193 coasters ridden
#1 Shivering Timbers

Come on people. Anything?
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-Matt in Iowa
193 coasters ridden -- #1 Shivering Timbers
Just say no to Gerstlauer!

Well I've heard about it, but have never been there. Face it Matt me and you are the only one's here from Iowa. We've just got to learn to deal with it.

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Excalibur Crew for 2002!

No more Iowans on CB? What a shame.
Great pic in your profile, Valleyfair Fan. I love how you labled yourself.
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-Matt in Iowa
193 coasters ridden -- #1 Shivering Timbers
Just say no to Gerstlauer!

Thanks, but isn't that one brutal farmer's tan I had going for me? However, its amazing what a year of college will do to you, as I look quite a bit different. Go figure.

In regards to only us two Iowans on the board I say chalk it up to the lack of anything crazy happening at Adventureland or Valleyfair the last couple of years.

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Excalibur Crew for 2002!

While there might not be too many Idiots Out Wandering Around, there are quite a few Missourians and Minnesotans to help represent the Great Plains region. Sorry about the Iowa crack, but when you are from Missouri (near the border), you know quite a few Iowa jokes. :)

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S W :) :) S H
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GO CARDINALS!!!

I'm not from Iowa but I've often vacationed there. I've heard of Riverview Park, I've even been to Des Moines, but I don't know anything about the park. The history section of Adventureland's website says that Riverview was purchased by Adventureland.
http://www.adventureland-usa.com/asp/general_information/asp/history.asp

You can find an early arial photo of Adventureland (under construction?) as well as an arial view of Riverview in 1978 here: http://www.captainjack.com/dm/

I think the book by Scott Rutherford (RollerCoaster! or something like that) has a picture or two of Riverview's coaster. I can't confirm that right now though.
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everything's better with a banjo

*** This post was edited by millrace on 5/1/2002. ***

Its alright Swoosh, if you were to come into Iowa and say you're from Missouri people would automatically figure you live in a lil shack with a front porch singing songs with your banjo and your basset hound.

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Flume Crew for 2002!

millrace,
Thanks for the link to the photos. I've never scene a picture of Riverview. I can't believe that used to exist in my hometown of Des Moines. It would be so neat if they could rebuild it. Having a woodie downtown would be so cool.
It's amazing how much Adventureland has changed, Dragon Island actually was an island once. That picture makes Adventureland seem so small. And to answer your question, that pic is of the park a few years after it opened. You can see the Tornado under construction. They only have about a 1/4 of the structure completed. Atleast three of the rides in that pic (The Flitzer @ top right, Super Screamer @ right and Antique Car ride @ top left) are gone now. The car ride has been gone since the late `80s. They replaced it with a picnic grove. :(
Unfortunately, the park is still VERY short on shadey trees except for along the path of the sky ride, ironically.
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-Matt in Iowa
193 coasters ridden -- #1 Shivering Timbers
Just say no to Gerstlauer!

Thanks for the link to the pic. Does anyone else think that large, round building housed a derby racer and not a carousel? It looks rather large for a carousel, and most Dodgems were in rectangular buildings.

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2002 - the year of IB's LoCoSuMo!!

It actually looks like there are two round, carousel-type buildings. One of them does look abnormally large.

The Great American Amusement Park at LeSourdsville Lake (aka Americana) has (had) bumper cars in a round building.

The book is _The American Roller Coaster_ by Scott Rutherford and has a picture of Riverview's Coaster on page 36.

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everything's better with a banjo

There might not be a lot of Iowans on CB but there are plenty from around Iowa like me who only live literally a minute from Iowa but luckily in the good state of Illinois. Whats funny is I make fun of Iowa all the time about how small its is but in my area Davenport is biggest city which is in Iowa.

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Mike
Favorite Wood: Viper at SFGAM,Shivering Timbers
Favorie Steel: Magnum and Raging Bull

Just imagine Illinois without Chicago and Great America...scary, isn't it?
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-Matt in Iowa (who loves visiting Chicago, especially the corner of East Ohio and Wabash)

If that was the case, Matt, IL would be lamer then Iowa. Now there's a thought...

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Flume Crew for 2002!

Exactly. My hasn't this gone off topic.
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-Matt in Iowa
193 coasters ridden -- #1 Shivering Timbers
Just say no to Gerstlauer!

I am originally from Davenport...born and raised. Now I'm down the street from ST....what a wonderful life it is. :) Left Iowa when I grad from hs...thought I'd toss that in...former Iowa boy here.

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I've just seen the future...what was I saying?

I'm jealous. It must drive you nuts to drive past ST during the off-season and not be able to ride it.
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-Matt in Iowa
193 coasters ridden -- #1 Shivering Timbers
Just say no to Gerstlauer!