Now open in the Youngstown Foundation Community History Gallery.
Jim and Toni Amey didn’t set out to start a museum, but their collection of Idora Park artifacts has grown to be one of the most extensive of its kind. This fall, the Ameys will share The Idora Park Experience with visitors to the Tyler History Center. The Youngstown Foundation Community History Gallery features a portion of the Amey’s collection, including a car from the Baby Wildcat, a Tilt-A-Whirl car and signage, arcade games, posters, game prizes, souvenirs, and more. The exhibit will remain open through March of 2018.
Can I sit on that? Can I play the game? Can I take a picture? We are so happy to reply: YES, YES YOU CAN!! Take a picture in the Tilt a Whirl car, get in the kiddie cars, drop a quarter or a dime in the arcade games and win a prize, step up on the Relax-a-Lator and give it a try – you are allowed to interact with the displays!
The Idora Park Experience began as a labor of love. Jim Amey spent a summer working on Idora’s midway, gathering fond memories that fueled his passion for preserving the park’s legacy. He and Toni Amey began collecting pieces of Idora’s past about 23 years ago. Jim stated, “What started out as trying to hold on to a little bit of my childhood slowly turned into an all-encompassing mission to not let this huge piece of the Mahoning Valley’s history die.”
