Satellite View of Gurnee Park

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:22 pm

This is a very interesting perspective of SFGA from a satellite. View was taken before the new water park, Hurricane Harbor was built. Take a look!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Gurnee,+I ... &t=k&hl=en

SFGAmLover · Post by **SFGAmLover** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:36 pm

Cool. Must have been 2001 or 2002. Shock Wave is still there.

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:46 pm

Also, make sure to check out Steve's site in the History Section.

http://www.greatamericaparks.com/sg/history/aerials/

He has pictures from both the CA and IL parks.

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:57 am

At the Gurnee park there is a nice collection of framed aerial photos which line the main hallway of the administration buidling. One professional photo is taken each year. If I recall correctly, they are each about 20''x30'' and hung about 10'-0'' apart. It is truly an interesting collection. I wish the park would consider putting a photo history book together with these which could be sold.

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 2:46 pm

Thanks for your post, redfishpaw!

Can the general public view these pictures in the admin. building too? I'd love to see how the park evolved over the years. And yes, a book showing these views would be spectacular.

Jeff

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 7:12 pm

When I worked at the Gurnee Park, I was able to see the pictures in the hallway of the Admin building that you are talking about. Just recently, I was luckly enough to be part of a tour of that building during ACE's Annual Coaster Convention back in June. As redfishpaw said, there is a very good collection of these photos in the Hallways of the Admin building. I believe there are 2 or 3 from each year during the construction of the park (between 1974 and 1976), and then one from every year the park was owned by Marriott.

I'm sorry in advance for the quality of these pictures, but it was hard to take then with the glass over the prints. Because there are a few of them, I have added links to the pictures instead of including them here directly.

http://CPE-65-25-185-174.wi.res.rr.com: ... Admin1.jpg

http://CPE-65-25-185-174.wi.res.rr.com: ... Admin2.jpg

http://CPE-65-25-185-174.wi.res.rr.com: ... Admin3.jpg

http://CPE-65-25-185-174.wi.res.rr.com: ... Admin4.jpg

And in the office of the Public Relations Department, was this

http://CPE-65-25-185-174.wi.res.rr.com: ... ePrint.jpg

I actually own one of those blueprints. Right now, its in a mailing tube, but I do plan on getting it framed and hang it up in my house.

Also, as redfishpaw says, a giant professional photo was taken every year, and those print hang in the backstage areas of the park (Park Operations office, Public Relations Conference Room, Maintance Shop, etc). I saw quite a few of them during the years I worked at the park.
Here is the one that is in the Public Relations Conference Room

http://CPE-65-25-185-174.wi.res.rr.com: ... mLarge.jpg

I know Steve has seen this item. In fact, for a while he had it as the opening graphic on his webpage. Of course, his version was a lot better quality then mine.

http://CPE-65-25-185-174.wi.res.rr.com: ... Family.jpg

So, enjoy the links. Again, sorry that some of them did not turn out as good as I had hoped.

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 8:08 pm

Hi Brian,

You made it too easy on me! Now I won't have to venture to GA to see these pictures. Although the years in between would be worth seeing. The aerial views are truly spectacular. The difference between one of the early shots and that most recent one is astounding! She's come a long way since 1976. Thanks for sharing. I would love to have the blue print of the American Eagle framed in my house. I bet you are glad you have it!

Jeff

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 8:17 pm

For those of you who want to get a satellite view of the Santa Clara park, you can go to the link for Gurnee

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Gurnee,+I ... &t=k&hl=en

and type in Santa Clara, California in the Google Map Search window at the top. It will take some navigating around Santa Clara to find the park, but you'll eventually locate it. Try it, its fun. You can type in any city and state and see a satellite view of it.

Tanya · Post by **Tanya** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:06 pm

I remember there being a huge aerial photo mural on one of the conference room walls at Santa Clara.

Post by **steven** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:41 pm

BrianPlencner wrote:I know Steve has seen this item. In fact, for a while he had it as the opening graphic on his webpage. Of course, his version was a lot better quality then mine.

Thanks, Brian!

Here's a scan of the family portrait.

Steven

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:00 am

JW65 wrote:Thanks for your post, redfishpaw!

Can the general public view these pictures in the admin. building too? I'd love to see how the park evolved over the years. And yes, a book showing these views would be spectacular.

Jeff

No, The general public does not have access to this area, and most park employees would not ever enter this area either. I was in this area now and then because the person I reported to was full time management who had a desk in this building in addition an office out in the park area. Thanks Brian for posting those photos. I walked down that hallway hundreds of times and never thought trying to photograph them. Also, Brian is correct, The park took the pictures more frequently in the 70's, during all of the constuction (I had forgotten about that). Then they went to just one per year. I still think the photos should be put together in a book. I would buy one.

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 12:03 pm

BrianPlencner wrote:And in the office of the Public Relations Department, was this

http://c-24-15-195-209.client.comcast.n ... ePrint.jpg

.

I remember seeing this eagle print. I have something similar in 8x10 size for Iron Wolf. I'll scan it and post it shortly.

SFGAmLover · Post by **SFGAmLover** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:47 pm

Very cool pictures. Interesting to compare the pre- and post-construction shots.

Redfish: Do you mean this picture of Iron Wolf?

Unfortunately, this picture and the American Eagle one referenced above are not all that accurate. It would be cool to have an ACTUAL blueprint or something similar.

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:08 pm

Actually, the print of the American Eagle is quite detailed, and I believe very accurate. Here is a close up taken of the lift hill.

As you can see, it has the height of the drop, top speed, and the angle of the drop. It also has how tall the hill is above the grade. Just to the left in the picture, it says how many feet of track the ride is. Over by the helix above the pond, it tells how high that point of the ride is. The road just in front of the ride is the Washington Street Entrance, and is accurate as well.

This is a shot of the information in the bottom left corner of the drawing. With this information, I believe it was an orginial sketch of the ride.

I know the park had many of these made, but I believe the source was an orginial blueprint.

I've seen the Iron Wolf one before, but never got a good close look at it, so I cannot compare that one to this drawing.

SFGAmLover · Post by **SFGAmLover** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 12:13 am

While the American Eagle drawing is very detailed, I have qualms with its accuracy/scale...

--The main helix seems a little too 'tall and thin'
--On the return leg after the helix, the bunny hops are almost non-existent (they've been smoothed over)
--The block brakes before the final helix aren't very level (again, smoothed over)

But don't get me wrong -- all in all, it's a neat drawing nonetheless!