The site of a once-popular theme park is now a housing estate, as residents recall fond memories of the days when it was American Adventures. The Western-themed park first opened in 1987 and shut down in 2007, with the land later transformed into a residential area in Shipley, near Ilkeston.
From Theme Park to Homes
Former park-goers have signed petitions over the years to try to get the park reopened, but this is unlikely to happen. The land now houses many residents, some of whom have fond memories of the park. Resident Devin Leahy told the BBC: "I grew up living just over the hill - I can remember most of it, where the rides were. One of the reasons I bought a house here was because it's the former site of American Adventure - but I was quite disappointed with the naming of the roads, and how there was no homage to the theme park."
Another resident, Jordan Gosling, shared: "I started coming in my early teens, 13 and 14 - we'd try and come every school holiday because it was nearby. It's nice to know the site of a theme park which I had good memories in has been used for something."
History of American Adventure
American Adventure first opened in June 1987, two years after a previous amusement park called Britannia Park had opened on the site, closing just 10 weeks later. The park proved popular, with early attractions including the Cherokee Falls log flume, the Buffalo Stampede roller coaster, a runaway mine train ride, and a pirate ship. Over the following years, the park expanded with more rides and themed areas based on North American culture.
Decline and Closure
While the park remained popular throughout the 1990s, visitor numbers began to dwindle in the 2000s, and rides started to be shut down. Eventually, the owners announced they would not be reopening following the 2007 season. Today, the site is a housing estate, with residents who remember the park's heyday living where the rides once stood.
