Co-op City’s thrilling ‘Freedomland’ history preserved
BY ALEX MITCHELL
An unusual roadside
attraction made up of
two wooden wheels and
a steam pipe garners inquisitive
stares from
those travelling along
Bartow Avenue in Co-op
City.
No, it’s not old time
farm equipment but
rather three unique pieces
of Bronx history.
Prior to the construction
of Co-op City in
1966, those 205 riverfront
acres in northeast Bronx
were part of a theme park
coined the ‘Disneyland of
the East,’ better known as
Freedomland.
Staying true to its
name, Freedomland
served as a miniature,
roadside America along
I-95 from its 1959 inception
until 1965, when the
park closed after incurrring
serious fi nancial
debt.
Old New York occupied
what’s currently Asch
Loop while Old Chicago
was situated on the north
end of Bartow Avenue
with New Orleans just
south of it, while naturally
San Francisco was at the
west end of the park, with
its ‘old southwest’ section
just beneath that.
The park also featured
a circular ‘Santa Fe’ railroad,
and gave youngsters
the opportunity to douse
the great Chicago fi re and
featured steamboats in an
artifi cial pond in addition
to many other American,
historical thrills.
Pieces of the decommissioned
steamboat that
docked on a water body
that replicated the Mississippi,
‘Totsie,’ have made
its way back to the park’s
former grounds in commemoration
of Freedomland’s
50th Anniversary
this year.
Two of its waterwheels
and its stack pipe are now
part of a memorial garden
for Co-op City’s predecessor
.T
he treasures were
donated by arguably the
theme park’s biggest living
fan, Rob Friedman, an
esteemed antique collector
who hails from Long
Island.
Though he had never
had the opportunity to
The Freedomland memorial in Co-op City. Schneps Media/ Alex Mitchell
visit Freedomland, his
wife of almost 40 years,
Susan had toured the
grounds during its heyday.
“She wrote an essay
about Freedomland and it
was around that time many
years ago that we began
digging up as many relics
from the park as we could
fi nd,” he said.
The couple has travelled
north to Lake George
in efforts to add to their
Freedomland memorabilia
collection in addition to
many garage sales throughout
the state during their
years of searching.
They acquired the
steamboat parts upon
learning it was going to be
dismantled from a decommissioned
theme park in
Connecticut.
Noting that it was
“heavy as hell,” the Friedmans
managed to escort
much of the boat’s pieces
back to Long Island, where
it remained as “a rather
odd lawn ornament” for
some years.
Just over a year ago,
Friedman approached Coop
City’s Riverbay Board
history committee chairman
Bernie Cylich to discuss
donating the remains
of Totise to Co-op City,
which he graciously accepted.
The mock-boat’s pieces,
which have been slowly deteriorating
since the 1960s
have been kept in its authentic,
50-year-old state
for the memorial.
The Friedmans both attended
the dedication at
Bartow Shopping Center on
Saturday, July 14, marveling
over the preservation of
some lesser-known history
of the northeast Bronx.
“I’m very happy to see
how it came out,” Rob
said. “It’s very nice to see
these pieces of history be
noticed,” the benefactor
mentioned.
3 BRONX WEEKLY September 29, 2019 www.BXTimes.com
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She Susan Friedman
wrote an essay about
Freedomland and it
was around that time
many years ago that
we began digging up as
many relics from the
park as we could fi nd.
Rob Friedman
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