1950s Storyland park in Arlington?

[Wacca Pilatka]

Thanks, everyone, for sharing these memories.

[Jaxson]

No Ashley, Gooney Golf was on Beach, and there was the, hum? Uh? Par 3 driving range with an amusement park and 'Putt Putt' Golf Course. There were also some places called 'Goofy Golf', which might be what you have in mind.

I didn't say the dinosaur came from Storybook Land, merely that I 'suspected' some of the Gooney Golf or Par 3, structures MIGHT have come from there.

MIKE-D, like you I don't remember much about the rides, only that they had a train (of course that got my attention). I think the train went to 'Miss Muffet Land' or 'Kiddyland,' which WAS on the west side just south and east of where Wesconnet and Blanding rejoin each other heading southward, more or less near the current Kia dealer lot. At that location I did visit the train many times, living in Ortega made such things possible. It was actually a small steam locomotive and I've never seen cars quite so well designed, maybe 'Sandley Locomotive Works,' Products.


This is a page from the original 'Sandley Locomotive Works' catalog, it describes cars very much as I remember these.

Yeah, the Planters stores were around touristy places throughout the state. The one in Daytona Beach might have been one of the last still in business in this area. The guy was indeed 'MR. PEANUT' and the sign/statue was freaking 3 stories high, you weren't real likely to miss them.

There was a Goony Golf on Blanding Boulevard on the Westside.  I was next door to a Times-Union branch office.  The former Westside Goony Golf is now a landscaping business.

[fieldafm]

No Ashley, Gooney Golf was on Beach,

Gooney Golf also had a location on Blanding, south of 103rd.  I ate quite a bit of birthday cake and wrecked quite a few go carts there. 

[AshleyLauren]

^^^ Thank you! I lived on the westside my entire childhood and that dinosaur was a part of the scenery on the way to Orange Park for nearly a decade at a golf place on Blanding near 103rd. (goony/goofy, I cannot remember).

[Tacachale]

No Ashley, Gooney Golf was on Beach, and there was the, hum? Uh? Par 3 driving range with an amusement park and 'Putt Putt' Golf Course. There were also some places called 'Goofy Golf', which might be what you have in mind.

I didn't say the dinosaur came from Storybook Land, merely that I 'suspected' some of the Gooney Golf or Par 3, structures MIGHT have come from there.

Yes, that's right. It's a bit confusing as "goofy golf" is a generic name for miniature golf, but there was also a regional chain called "Goofy Golf". There were several of these places in Northeast Florida, and they were quite similar to "Goony Golf" on Beach Blvd. and to Putt-Putt. The one on the Westside that Ashely's thinking of had a dinosaur similar to the one on Beach.

So far as I know, only the old Goony Golf T-Rex remains. Even there, the rest of the obstacles were removed as the minigolf section of the park closed. Several years ago, when the current owners of the site were looking to build a strip mall there, they got such a strong response for "Sexy Rexy" that they decided to save him as the mascot of the development. A team from UNF, which included a friend of mine, cleaned him up and got the red lights of his eyes working again. He's been there for around 40 years now, and still going strong.

[BackinJax05]

Sure wish I could have gone to Storyland park. Growing up in Arlington the only thing we had was Bruce Park with its funhouse and rocket slide.

Today it has a former SCL caboose, painted red to hide the rust, with bars welded on the doors & windows to keep the crackheads out.