Morris County - Morristown - REMEMBERING BERTRAND ISLAND PARK

Tuesday, May 7 – Morris County REMEMBERING BERTRAND ISLAND PARK For generations of area residents, Memorial Day wasn’t just another holiday, it signaled the opening of the landmark Bertrand Island Amusement Park on Lake Hopatcong in Mount Arlington.      Although nothing remains of the park today except a stone marker, we invite everyone to relive the joy that this former landmark brought to the millions who enjoyed the rides, beaches, and events Bertrand Island offered for more than 60 years. On Tuesday, May 7, at 1:30 p.m., MCHS will offer a matinee showing of “Greetings from Bertrand Island,” a 45-minute film commemorating the history of the amusement park. On Thursday, May 9, at 7 p.m., MCHS will offer an encore showing of the film along with a Q&A session featuring Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum Director Martin Kane, who will provide a glimpse into the magic of this former landmark.

Begun as a bathing beach at the turn of the century, by the 1920s, Bertrand Island had expanded to include 20 rides including the Wildcat, a wooden roller coaster, an airplane swing, bumper cars, a Skee-Ball arcade, dance hall, and cafeteria with picnic area. The carousel was a famous Illions Monarch II Supreme, which was later sold to Circus World in Florida. Today, you find an original horse from the carousel is on permanent display at the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum. By the early 1980s, Bertrand Island Amusement Park closed due to competition from larger theme parks and the evolution of Lake Hopatcong into an all-year-round community.            MCHS is located at Acorn Hall, 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, and is open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Admission for the May 7 event is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for students, and is free for children under 12 and MCHS members. Admission for May 9 is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $7 for students, and is free for children under 12 and MCHS members. Please RSVP for the May 9 event by Tuesday, May 7. For more information, call MCHS at 973-267-3465 or visit the MCHS website: MorrisCountyHistory.org.