Old Chicago
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Closing Down

On March 17, 1980 it was all over for Old Chicago.

Soon after there was little left of the Old Chicago Fairgrounds.  All of the rides were auctioned off and all that was left, besides the fiberglass acoustic squares that were hung from the ceiling to reduce Old Chicago's noise problem, was a big empty space where so many great memories were made.

In the center of this photo is all that was left of the Old Chicago Log Race.  They took everything ,even its tunnel.  In the distance behind the Log Race is the platform that housed the Old Chicago Fun Factory.  To the right of that are the ramps that took you from the mall down into the Fairgrounds.

The Chicago Loop ended up going to the Alabama  State Fairgrounds before it finally ended up at Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire where it is now known as the Canobie Cannonball.  The Log Flume was sold to Fair Park in Dallas, TX.  The rest of the rides ended up at various parks and traveling fairs.

After the Fairgrounds closed the few remaining stores were moved up to the front of the building but Illinois Central Industries decided to shutter Old Chicago ending it all in August of 1982

Alone, without the crowds passing between them Old Chicago's lions stood guard over what was left of a dream.

Years passed by, various plans were proposed but eventually nothing came out of them.  Here is a shot of the mall sometime shortly before the demolition began.

I'm not sure what this pre-demolition photo is of?  Maybe it was the remains of the Windy City Disco Movement or the Columbian House Restaurant.

Eventually, just like the Fairgrounds the vultures set upon the mall stripping everything out of it the only thing left to do after all of the plans evaporated and no one else cared to invest in the dream that was Old Chicago it was time for it all to end.

Old Chicago Index




Copyright 1999 - 2024

Paul B. Drabek