Glen Echo On The Potomac

[@echoecho3108]

Thank you thank you thank so very very much for this little nostalgia trip! My mom was born in 1926, and I came along in 1949. We both grew up visiting Glen Echo park. I remember all of the events you mentioned in your film. My grandparents and parents told stories of Glen Echo 'back when', and I lived through the rest of it. We met Willard Scott at Glen Echo. In his Bozo persona. Mama and Daddy danced to the Dorsey orchestras, among others. Bill Haley was performing at the Park when we were there, but we didn't stay for his performance. My friends and I had planned to go to the Park on a day in the late 1960s, but due to car trouble, we didn't make it. Later, on the evening news, we heard that there had been a race riot at the Park. I remember Capt. Tugg, and Milt Grant, and the news people and tv stations mentioned in this film. And Peoples Drug Store. I don't remember anyone i knew ever calling it a 'trolley' ride out there. We always called it a street car ride. I remember the Park rides --- especially that beautiful Carousel --- and the games, and the fun. Oh, the fun! I had quite a few happy birthday parties at Glen Echo, too. Thank you again for sharing this little treasure. I'm 74 now, and don't live in Maryland any more, so it's not likely that I'll ever get back to Glen Echo again, so thanx muchly for the virtual visit. I do wish I could ride that wonderful, magnificent carousel just once more, though. (sigh)

[@AnnaNolanOfficial]

I’m going to Geneco tomorrow to take pictures with my fiancé and I will remember the story for you while I’m there

[@echoecho3108]

​@@AnnaNolanOfficial 😊👍 I hope you'll post your pictures, so that I may see them? Enjoy your day!

[@opn4bzns]

David Parrish Boccabello...I started going to Glen Echo when I was 6 in 1948. My mom would give me $5.00 and that took care of the streetcar to get there from S.W. Washington, ride the rides, eat something then go home. When I was 16, in 1958 I got a job at Glen Echo with B&B Catering Co. working the food stands for the next three years. Candy Cotton and Candy Apple stand was my main job, but I worked all the food stands at one time or the other. My favorite was the swimming pool stand where the girls were. Knowing all the ride people we rode everything for free and the roller coaster was ridden 100's of times. Wonderful memories.

[@followthesun2115]

Glen Echo Park is still a magical place. Walking across the bridge and into the park is like going back in time. The dances in the Spanish Ballroom are great fun.

[@klinkins]

My dad ran the shooting gallery and my god father ran the guess your weight! I had free run of the park! Man what a great childhood!

[@azphotopro]

Fabulous! Thanks for making this. Glen Echo Amusement Park was a big part of my teen years. I actually won a dance contest to the live music of Link Wray and the Wraymen out there one Saturday night. Good years, for sure.

[@drakeallen3501]

what an incredible documentary

[@dcbornmike]

..what a wonderful video! Such wonderful memories watching this. As a kid from SE, we use to take the streetcar (Not trolley!) which was as fun, once it got into Md., as some of the rides at the park! Loved their pool!!Thanks for posting!

[@marienonnie]

I went to the park many times on the street car. What fun we had. We still go out to the park, I am 74 an sure remember Gen Echo Park.

[@msbouc1454]

I am in my late 30's so I was not alive when the park was really in operation, but I love it there. It is still a magical place. The carousel restoration was beautiful. The spanish ballroom is a fun place to go and watch people getting dancing lessons. And it is nice that they have people playing music in the summer in the bumper car pavilion :)

[@echoecho3108]

I'm 74, too. I grew up riding those wonderful rides. Since I don't live in Maryland any more, I'll probably never get a chance to visit Glen Echo again, so it's nice to see that they didn't just let it die.

[@AIdrisPalmer]

I recall as a seven-year-old, being the first black kid to face discrimination at Glen Echo Park in the summer of 1960. My Latina mother had no problem entering the Park since she was considered white. My father, at the time a Howard University student and activist, was likely among the protestors outside. I recall standing in line at the Glen Echo Park refreshment stand asking for a cherry soda while my mom waited for me from a nearby park bench, looking at the protestors. I noticed that other customers were being served while I was ignored. As a seven-year-old, I thought because of my small size that perhaps they didn't see or hear me asking repeatedly for a cherry soda. Finally, an officer came up to me, asking me where was my mom, I pointed to her and he asked that I go back to her. I did so, and I think mom had to go and purchase the soda. I recall that my father would have me retell the above story to his friends from Howard. I happily did so, oblivious to the fact that I was retelling discrimination due to my skin color. It was not until almost a year later that Glen Echo was officially desegregated.

[@judyruiz4695]

I do see why without you even saying so

[@DavidBoccabello]

Wow...Idris...I was working the cotton candy/candy apple stand near the park entrance when you were at Glen Echo in 1960. I remember the protesters assembled out at the front of the park marching for desegregation. Talking to other workers I was told it was the Democrat owners that refused to allow blacks into the park. Having seen what Democrats have done to blacks over the centuries I can well believe that was true then as it is today.

[@Steve-tj9on]

​​​@@DavidBoccabello now the racist repugnant treasonous republicans took over that role starting in the early 60s. You're a typical half truth telling republican that forgot the democrats were infested with the southern democrats who in 48 formed a failed offshoot of the Democratic party known as the Dixicrats...when JFK come in in 1960 those racist primary southern democrats left by droves to the racist republican party( Lilly White republican movent) who gladly embrace the racists. Get your misguided history correct David Boccabello. Remember your party today is now the home of various racist white supremacists, anti semitic, anti democracy trump party. Worst seditious traitors in this country.

[@OneAdam12Adam]

It is a criminal shame that you were treated in such a manner. Human beings, especially adults, can act like such monsters. Everybody seems to live up to their worst stereotypes, especially White folks. God bless you and those that fought for a better world which seems to be repeating history all over again. May God help this pitiful planet.

[@OneAdam12Adam]

@@DavidBoccabello Yeah, then the shift happened. The Tea Party White Supremacist Evangelical Christofascists took over the Republican Party and totally hijacked all common sense. It's weird how that happened. I want my old Republican party back. May the Trump Insurgents get every lifetime prison sentence they have coming to them for destroying this country.

[@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides]

This was absolutely fascinating. Thank you so much for your work on this project, and for posting it here for us all to see.

[@JoesStudio]

What a great video of a great place! I thought Glen Echo Park was long gone. I went there as a child. My parents used to go on dates there. It is so cool to know it is being preserved and that it survived it's own roller coaster of changing times and ideas. Thank you for making this movie I enjoyed every minute of it.

[@msthebettyboop]

I loved Glen Echo! I went there one day and all hell broke lose when the riots started. My girlfriend and I got a taxi and we were so frightened we got down on the floor of the cab because the cab we were in was getting stoned and jumped on. I loved all the rides.

[@k.cleveland8739]

Great documentary. I went there as a child with my parents after the desegregation. Just hearing the park's name got me excited, --it was the amusement park to go to! I was too young to realize the significant role it had played in the eventual desegregation in the area.

[@ilse-u6x]

Me too, it was segregated? I never knew!

[@katrinascreationscrafting]

My parents went on their first date here...they were 13. My mom got sick on one of the rides, but dad came to the rescue. They are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year.

[@ilse-u6x]

What a life us kids had!

[@amusementnow4416]

Such a well done documentary that really captures the spirit of a not-so-lost place.

[@paskettle]

This something that will never be seen again. The trolley ride just to get there. What an awesome memory.

[@drakeallen3501]

i'm glad i was able to visit the park once, when it was running, around 63

[@elainepearl7576]

This is one of the most wonderful videos ever! Our organization, Golden Techites from McKinley Technical High School in Washington DC showed this video at one of our annual luncheons. Keep up the good work!

[@jakethestriper]

I took swimming lessons at the Crystal Pool 1965 -66. That big Slide was so much fun to me then. We were swimming before the Park opened, so I never got to go on any of the rides. But the Crystal Pool was the Greatest!

[@RemoBongo530]

Just went there today. The place is a ghost town nowadays sadly 😔 Bring back the Crystal pool! Happy 4th of July 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@barryg528]

It’s in much better condition now. Love that place

[@santander57]

Brilliant. V.fond memories. Thanks.

[@jimmyshous]

I never learned to swim as a kid and so was apprehensive about climbing the ladder to the giant slide in Glen Echo Crystal Pool, but lucky for me, the slide dropped into shallow (2 - 3 feet ?) water and even Jimmy Mulvey could take this breathtaking slide to a splash down long before the first Astronauts . Did I mention that at 72 I still dream of swimming in the Glen Echo Crystal Pool ?

[@1949LA-ARCH]

thanks for posting.......great memories !!!!!

[@B2Hives]

The memories this brings back.

[@robinkeiger2208]

Wow!! This looks great!! I wish I could have gone to Glen Echo!!!

[@oriolesfan129]

A few years back got a chance to visit the park. Hardly remember anything from my Maryland days as a kid raised in P.G.County, other than the name Glen Echo. While there rode the Carousel and walked through the Tower.

[@judyruiz4695]

I was transfered to here from Facebook Thank YOUS

[@4123jstein]

Sweet ride out to Glen Echo. Rode it many times as a kid. Too bad, the Glen Echo line was not saved as a tourist line.

[@Trasea]

I never remembered any riots or racism, I just remember it was absolute heaven for me as a child in the 60's, where I had my first roller coaster ride. I was crushed when they closed it... until they reopened it as an Arts venue, and was glad to see they still had the Ferris Wheel operating. I grew up in hilly Glen Echo Heights, near the Park, and walked to Sycamore Store as a youngster with my brothers. We may have only had a dime or two to buy candy but that was plenty! Across the street was Mohican Pool where the high dive (now a thing of the past) offered a glimpse of the Potomac river.

[@barbibutton9619]

OH MY GOD....I forgot the name of The Mohican Pool. I was 3 and my oldest brother was 12. He was allowed to go there. I wasn't lol. Wait til I ask him if he remembers and call it by name. TY

[@dcbornmike]

Just thought I would check out this video again ...such wonderful child hood times I had out there. A question to other DC natives who lived back then .... did you call the rail transportation a "trolley" or "street car""???? I keep hearing some people in this video refer to it as trolley. When I grew up in DC I never heard it referred to a trolley ... ,only street car. Trolley is what they used over in Baltimore.

[@davesanders9203]

Street car in the 50"s. That's all to got to say.

[@echoecho3108]

Hi! Everybody I knew who rode in one of those called it a Street Car. Trolleys were for San Francisco. Going shopping with Mama, in Silver Spring and Bethesda, and then back across the DC line to visit my grandparents, I was so thrilled to be riding on a Street Car.

[@darinwilkerson7436]

CHANNEL-5 WAS OUT AT GLEN ECHO PARK

[@matrox]

Anyone remember the "Scrambler" ride? Was my favorite.

[@echoecho3108]

Yes! Loved the Scrambler! And the Tilt-a-Whirl, and the big white coaster, and the little pink one, and the Round-Up, Dodge Em, and of course that magnificent carousel!

[@OneAdam12Adam]

We need to go back to the national Chautauquas again. They really are the best thing to do during the summer.

[@jonathanbennaman6753]

Can anyone please tell me what is the tune playing during the Crystal Pool scene 20:13 I double checked the Music Selection credits at the end and the first song before the Crystal Pool scene playing is Do The New York but as soon as the Crystal Pool scene begin I do not know what song that is that is playing. It sounds like a 1930s Foxtrot I know it's not Tea For Two by Vincent Youmans so anyone who is a music expert of the golden days please give me a song title

[@echoecho3108]

Oh, poo I know it, but cannot think of the title to save me. Sorry! I think there's a program or app online where you can hum or sing, or play a tune, and the program/app will give you the title. I haven't used it, but a friend of mine swears by it. Good luck in your search. (edit for typo)

[@jonathanbennaman6753]

​@@echoecho3108thank you 👍😊

[@echoecho3108]

@@jonathanbennaman6753 😊👍 You are quite welcome, good Sir! Edit to add: I sent this clip to my friend, giving her the tmestamp, and asked her to please help. If I get an answer, I'll let you know! If you find out first, please let me know. It's a lovely tune. And it's kinda stuck in my head now, but I still can't think if its nane.

[@jonathanbennaman6753]

​@@echoecho3108 any luck on finding the name of this tune

[@jonathanbennaman6753]

​@@echoecho3108 were you able to find the name of that tune

[@pjriverdale8461]

Possibly WTTG's first videotaped remote TV program was an episode of "Cap'n Tugg" in which Lee Reynolds had to explain to us kids watching at home - "Kids,here we are at Glen Echo Park on videotape today. meaning we are not actually here now". Confusing and deep on so many levels.Total genius. Heretofore, both shows from Glen Echo were broadcast live. Grant's show was gone in 1961, a victim of desegregation policies itself. The "Tugg" clip as shown is almost all of the only surviving footage of the series,with the Milt Grant show clip being from the only kinescope recorded episode 5/27/57,neither shot at Glen Echo Park. One tragedy at Glen Echo involved the Parachute Ride which failed dropping riders to the ground with fatalities sometime in the Sixties.

[@EyeruleNork]

This video captures a few precious seconds of a special streetcar line that has joined the swelling ranks of thing that we look back upon. I have a little story about the Washington, D.C. streetcars and that line which went to Glen Echo Amusement Park: kennyduke.blogspot.com/2014/06/trolley-lines-cabin-john-to-glen-echo.html

[@sparky30368]

Did the roller coasters have a good layout where the hills made u come out your seat

[@libertyann439]

A shame the beach and pool are gone. I'd love to have seen it. But I'm from LA and not in the area.

[@HagenTeam]

Got my first bloody nose on that old roller coaster.

[@darinwilkerson7436]

GRANT MILT SHOW IS ON WTTG-TV AT GLEN ECHO PARK

[@AIdrisPalmer]

You mean Milt Grant.

[@shenfox]

JJ you are the Star of Show go to 33 minutes

[@markrowe1832]

❤

[@darinwilkerson7436]

MAC MACGARRY WAS ALSO FROM CHANNEL-4 WAS AT GLEN ECHO PARK

[@greekdancing123456]

They've renovated the park alot since this video was made.

[@markrowe1832]

💯❗

[@jblovsoccer]

My children are related to the baltzley brothers only I'm not proud of a park that was against blacks . Sad to hear that

[@darinwilkerson7436]

JIM VANCE FROM CHANNEL-4 WAS OUT AT GLEN ECHO PARK

[@fatima1009]

RIP Jim

[@darinwilkerson7436]

CAPN TUGG USED TO BE ON CHANNEL-5 WTTG BACK IN THE DAY AT GLEN ECHO PARK

[@OneAdam12Adam]

I find it interesting that at 2:57 on the counter that the dude was proud of the fact that he got kicked out of the park for his criminal behavior. He says I got thrown out of the park many times, many times. He's probably one of the folks who can't understand why he needed to give his kids structure and consequences. Now we have tons of kids that just don't want to follow rules. Gee, thanks for not caring about your asinine behavior.

[@darinwilkerson7436]

WILLARD SCOTT USED TO BE AT WRC-TV CHANNEL-4 WAS OUT THERE

[@robertthompson5592]

Glen Echo Park was "Great" loved my many times there, however, after desegregation it was never the same, and not for the good!

[@3030hp]

not racist, eh?

[@disco07]

Sorry to hear some of the racism in here. So you can see whites as well as blacks had issues. Remember they took your money and left you alone. We, on the other hand, got robbed, punched and had to wait for a clear trolley to get home. But this was the price we paid everyday living in the city. One of the main problems at Glen Echo was their refusal to pay for proper security. This does not happen at Kings Dominion and Six Flags. Also, some whites still use the N word and picked at negroes as well. Besides, Glen Echo just became obsolete not to mention The Glen Echo community was being gentrified and the amusement park had to go, period.

[@OpionatedOldMan]

crystal pool had to be close because some joker got the idea to put razor blades in seam going down the slide. this type of vandalism had never happened before.

[@OneAdam12Adam]

Yeah, they discovered it was some White supremacist who hated that it was desegregated so they got really nasty and came up with that very violent idea. Disgusting. That's what happens when you raise trash and let them think it's okay to drop snow cones on people while you are on a ride, dehumanize fellow Americans, etc. We humans don't seem to want to learn.

[@originalfallinggirl]

Can you please help me find any Milt Grant episodes from 1961-64. My mother, “Nancy Bailey,” was Miss Teen Washington DC and was a regular on Milt Grant. I never got to see any of her episodes and I just recently lost her. It would mean so much to me if you have anything with her? Can you please let me know or if you can point me in another direction I’d be so grateful. 🙏