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Today’s mission takes us on a trip down this beautiful meandering river called The Ramapo River. Its source is a small freshwater pond in the mountainous area of Monroe, New York. The river travels through Orange and Rockland counties in New York and into Bergen county New Jersey passing through the town of Oakland.
Let’s take a closer look at Oakland and take a snapshot of the period of time between the 1920s and 1980s. During this time, Oakland was a vibrant resort community; with resorts built along the Ramapo River. Two such places were Pleasureland and FRG Sports Complex formerly Muller’s Park; which sat next to each other.
Two such places were Pleasureland and FRG Sports Complex formerly Muller’s Park; which sat next to each other.
Our launch site is the area where the First Aid building once stood. It also served as an additional triage facility for Oakland’s Fire Department.
Pleasureland had 2 large pools. The bigger of the two pools were built in the early 1960s. It boasted of having a high diving board and 2 smaller ones. Soon after, a smaller pool was constructed for younger visitors and the resort boomed. Pleasureland, at that time, was known for hosting bands such as The Turtles and The Pharaohs amongst others to promote it’s entertainment and social nightlife.
There were Pavilions built with wider roofs and hardwood floors and a jukebox to attract the young adults.
It is rumored that on late summer nights, lifeguards, staff, and other seasonal employees would gather and hang out and party in the first aid building after the guests would have gone.
Today all of the river resorts are gone, and we can only see the remnants of the past, as wildlife has reclaimed much of the lands.
The Great Oak Park now stands where these once amazing places once thrived, offering a glimpse of the past while open seasonally to fishermen who want to enjoy the bountiful waters of the Ramapo River.
Have photos or memories of Pleasurelands? Share them below:
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continue with the the nice work on the site. Do like it! :p Could use some more frequent updates, but im sure that you got better or other things to do like we all have to do unfortunately.