February 26, 2015 – Kiddieland, a Los Angeles amusement park officially known as Beverly Park, entertained children and adults from 1945 to 1974. It is said to have inspired a frequent celebrity visitor: Walt Disney. Disney was so impressed with the operation that he hired park owner Dave Bradley as a consultant in the development of Disneyland, which opened in 1955.
Kiddieland closed due to increasing lease charges on its land, which became the site for a mall in the 1980s. Jay Jennings, an author and filmmaker, wrote a book on this precursor to Disneyland and is currently working on a documentary.
Link: LAist
Additional Photos
(click thumbnails to enlarge)
[divider]