Q: I have a framed poster from Palisades Amusement Park that I’m interested in selling, but I don’t know the value. Can you help?
A: Palisades Park was a popular amusement park that operated from 1898 until 1971 in Bergen County, New Jersey. The park was built by the Bergen County Traction Co. in an effort to increase ridership on its trolley. It was originally called “The Park on the Palisades.” When the park was sold in 1908, it was renamed “Palisades Amusement Park.” It was sold two more times before the land was rezoned for high-rise buildings in 1967. The park closed at the end of the 1971 season. An attempt to reopen it in 1972 failed and the park’s roller coaster was torn down. A few days later, fire destroyed two of the park’s wooden buildings. Three high-rise apartment buildings were eventually built on the property. Your poster was originally made in about 1946. Original posters from the park bring high prices, but many reproductions have been made. An original poster like yours sold at auction for $1,320, but a reproduction has sold online for less than $8.
The poster you have is a reproduction sold by a company in Hackensack NJ. in the late 1980’s. It is roughly 24 ” x 36″ and is reproduced from a 3 sheet billboard 41″ x 79″. The original is in blue and yellow with fluorescent pink circle. It also has a bottom tag that says Direct buses from NY. The original is lithograph.
I believe it was Bobby Rydell who sang the song for Palisades Amusement Park “swings all day and after dark”. Probably everybody over the age of 50 in the tri-state area could sing the entire song for you – played constantly on the radio. Lou Costello also worked there at one point. A really great place to go, we were sorry to see it close.