Frontier Village, San Jose

[OogieBoogie]

Frontier Village was a small amusement park that was built in the southern end of San Jose, CA. It lasted from 1961 til 1980. The idea for the park came from a trip that Joe Zukin (then the owner of a car wash in San Jose), took to Disneyland in 1959. He then went home and bought 28 acres and turned it into a wild west theme park a-la FrontierLand.

The park closed down in 1980 due to rising land cost from the computer boom, and competition from Marriotts Great America.

While surfing the net today (can you tell it's a quiet day here at work), I actually came across a web site about this little park which my parents used to take me to when I was young. The site is Frontier Village Main Gate . I hope those of you who went to this park will post your memories from this cool little place.

[dsnylndmom]

Thank you so much for this I LOVED Frontier Village as a kid. We went there all the time. Some of my favorite memories with my grandparents were from there

[H2E]

My SIL and BIL worked there way back when. She was one of the Ice Melt girls. When I showed her the website, she couldn't believe it. I really miss this neat little park.

[OldSchoolMickey]

I had fun there as a kid.

Santa's Village wasn't too far away either...

Thanks!

[PrincessY]

I know I went there as a kid, but I was too young to remember it now.

[vfire]

Very nice, thanks for sharing the site. I'm afraid what's on the site now... a shopping mall? apartment buildings? It's really a shame that all these small fantasy and western theme parks disappeared in the 80's and 90's. Where are people going to take their kids for a little adventure and wish fulfillment beyond the local park playground? It's just so sad to lose these unique places, or to witness slow thematic decay and charm a la Knott's.