I can’t count the times I have heard that spoken. What were people referring to?
It was traveling from Baltimore city to Ellicott City for a visit to the Enchanted Forest.
When the subject of the Enchanted Forest comes up, it becomes a contest of people sharing their memories at the park.
Those who are new to the area may think the Enchanted Forest is just the name for the Safeway shopping center, there is more to it. For those that grew up going to the park, I hope to bring back good memories.
The Enchanted Forest was a theme park located at the current Safeway location on U.S. Route 40. The park opened in 1955, a month after Disneyland Park’s opening. The park had a nursery rhyme theme with fairy tale buildings and characters. Admission was fifty cents for children.
The park has been featured in many movies; probably the most famous was Cry Baby with Johnny Depp.
The owner of a nearby farm has moved and preserved many of the pieces of the park.
Some background
The Enchanted Forest amusement park that was in Ellicott City, Maryland, opened on August 15, 1955, almost a month after Disneyland.
It was opened by a former motor court operator Howard Harrison, the park was themed around familiar nursery rhymes and fairy tales.
A few of the attractions included animated characters, walk-through houses, antique cars and a petting zoo.
The park had more than 20 acres of brightly colored concrete structures, rides and characters
The Enchanted Forest also opened its doors to everyone, no matter what race. At this time schools in rural Howard County were segregated, this theme park welcomed all.
The Enchanted Forest began to lose the competition for kids’ attention—mainly to television, video arcades and other larger parks in the area. Despite nearly 400,000 visitors a year, the park was sold. The park was downsized by the early 1990s; the park was completely shut down
The next phase.
In 2004, a charity auction placed the park in the public eye.
In the summer of 2004, Martha Clark acquired the Enchanted Forest’s orange Cinderella pumpkin and put it on her farm.
It took Clark over a decade and, but every single piece left in the forest—more than 100, all told was brought over to her farm. The last pieces, including the iconic dragon and castle, were finally moved.
To view the entire article, visit smithsonian.com.
Magic is still around
Today most of the pieces are found at Clark’s Elioak Farm. In 2015 the farm was approached by Kimco Realty Co. to see if they wanted the white Entrance Castle, they said yes.
To view information on the pieces and history of the move click here.
Over the years
If you would like to take a pictorial trip of the park then and now, click here to visit Baltimore Sun article.
Abandoned
If you Google Abandoned Enchanted Forest Maryland you will find many stories photographs and videos of the park. Click here for a glimpse at a few of the last remnants before the fairy tale came back to life.
