 Chinatown in the San Francisco section | |
| Location | Baychester, Bronx, New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°52′19″N 73°49′39″W / 40.87194°N 73.82750°W |
| Status | Defunct |
| Opened | June 19, 1960 |
| Closed | September 13, 1964 |
| Owner | Webb and Knapp (including subsidiaries National Development Corporation and Freedomland, Inc.) |
| Operated by | Webb and Knapp |
| Theme | American history |
| Slogan | The World's Newest and Largest Outdoor Entertainment Center The World's Largest Entertainment Center The World's Largest Family Entertainment Center The World's Largest Outdoor Entertainment Center |
| Area | 85 acres (34 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 40+ |
Freedomland U.S.A. (often shortened to Freedomland) was a theme park dedicated to American history in the Baychester section of the northeastern Bronx in New York City, United States. Freedomland was built on marshland owned by the Webb and Knapp company, of which William Zeckendorf Sr. was the major owner. Zeckendorf announced his plans for Freedomland in May 1959. The park, conceived and built by C. V. Wood, consisted of over 40 attractions arranged in the shape of a large map of the contiguous United States. Groundbreaking ceremonies for Freedomland occurred in late 1959, and Freedomland opened to large crowds on June 19, 1960.
Because of Freedomland's $65 million construction cost, the park faced financial issues; by the end of the 1961 season, Freedomland had $8 million in debt. To generate revenue, the park added more exhibits and conventional amusements. By 1963, further financial issues led the owners to sell off a portion of Freedomland's site to a pension fund of the Teamsters Union, as well as close off a section of the park. Even though Freedomland's planners anticipated that the park would eventually be developed into a full-time amusement area, Freedomland closed permanently at the end of the 1964 season, filing for bankruptcy on September 14, 1964.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, part of the Freedomland site was redeveloped as Co-op City, the world's largest co-op housing development. The Bay Plaza Shopping Center was built on another part of the site. Many Freedomland attractions and design features were auctioned or sold to other parks, and many of these rides no longer exist. While little physical evidence of Freedomland remains, several media works commemorate the former amusement park.