Omaha's Peony Park

Omaha's Peony Park: An American Legend
by Carl D. Jennings [917.822 Jen]

Another in the popular "local history" series of volumes from Arcadia publishing company. For anyone from the Lincoln and Omaha area who grew up in the 1950s through the 1980s, Omaha's Peony Park was a "must-see" destination. Though small, Peony Park was still an incredibly enjoyable amusement and water park, situated in the heart of the river city. In this thin volume, the author breaks down the eras of Peony Parks history into "The Early Years 1919-1959", "The 50s and 60s", "The 70s and 80s", and "The End and the Beginning". Each section is comprised primarily of black and white photo reproductions, with captions that range from very simplistic to full of details. Named Peony Park because it was originally established across the street from a famed Peony garden in Omaha, one of the park's greatest claims to fame was that it was a popular performance venue for musical groups. Particularly during the Big Band era, but carrying on through the era of rock and roll, the Royal Grove and the Royal Terrance Ballroom played host to dozens of popular musical acts. I particularly remeber playing miniature golf on the golf course within the Park. If you ever visited Peony Park, I recommend this book — it will bring back memories of those fun summer days. If you never got the chance, Omaha's Peony Park: An American Legend is a great snapshot of a bygone era in Nebraska history! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [ see Scott's Reviewer Profile and more of his reviews ]

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any of the other books by Arcadia publishing.]
[ 2012 Article about Peony Park online ]

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