UPDATE II: Here’s another Africa USA Postcard. It’s a available on eBay.
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UPDATED Aug 04, 2020: This post is an aggregation of Africa USA postcards and articles. Another postcard from the form adventure park popped up on eBay, this time with a CJ-5 pulling the trams:
View all the information on eBay
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Posted June 2019 on eBay, a CJ-3B pulling trams:
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From 2015: Africa USA, was part of a theme-park movement in the late 1950s that included New York’s Freedomland, Disneyland, Wisconsin’s Fort Dells, and others. By 1959, these parks were collectively generating revenue of $2 billion.
There is a feature article about these parks in the August 1, 1960, issue of Life Magazine. The picture below is from that article. You can take a ‘virtual’ jeep-train tour of Africa USA here (don’t expect much).
This article appeared in the December 1955 issue of Willys News. That’s the jeep train behind the animals.
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This information comes from a 2012 post: The is an example of the a jeep with a train-looking exterior being used at Africa, USA, though the details were slightly different. These pictures come from cardcow.com.
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This post was from November 2014: This may be the same green jeep as the one pictured in the top postcard.
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This post appeared in November of 2013: The text is from the eBay ad.
“Take a step back in history and view this vintage souvenir postcard. This is a LINEN postcard. The postcard was published by Curt Teich Company ~ it is a C.T. Art Colortone and is number “6C-H8”, which indicates this postcard was printed in 1956.
This postcard features Giraffe and Rare Grevy Zebras at Africa U.S.A. located in Boca Raton, Florida. The giraffe is eating a tree in the background. Look at the right area of the postcard and you can see a train filled with tourists.
This postcard is a CHILD TICKET for the JUNGLE SAFARI. The back, printed in red, are the price for a CHILD’s TICKET (.85 cents) AND the breakdown of the Costs (Fare .77 – Federal Tax .08 – .85). The ticket number “78979” (each postcard has a different number) is located in the back left corner. This postcard is a used ticket ~ there is a punched hole through the postcard, which indicates it was used: “This Ticket Void When Punched”. The following information is printed on the back of the postcard: Giraffe and Rare Grevy Zebras as seen from jeep safari. These and many more strange animals are all roaming free in this 300 acre fabulous uncaged jungle zoo.”
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This Press photo was for sale back in May of 2014:
“You are bidding on an original 8 x 10 press photo of Africa USA Feeding Elephant From Jeep w/ Baby Elephant. Photographer Unknown. Dated 5/23/1959. The following stamps are on the back of the photo: NEA;UPI”
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This postcard was part of a 2015 post: This 1959 postcard shows the tourist attraction upgraded to CJ-5s at some point.
ungawa
Ungawa?
The parcel was later converted into a housing development Carriage Hill. I built houses in there in the 70’s and there were still some remaining peacocks.
The original trains were from a firm in Cincinnati and were very unreliable. They purchased the surplus Jeep’s to then pull the trams. If you want a hi-res scan let me know.
Hi Ginger,
I’d be very interested in a hi res scan and another other information you have. You can send info to d@deilers.com.
Thanks!
– Dave
David Eilers
ewillys.com
All: Hooray for Captain Spalding!
The African Explorer!…..
Jamison: He went into the jungle, where all the monkeys throw nuts.
Spalding: If I stay here, I’ll go nuts!
All: Hooray, hooray, hooray.
Hooray for Captain Spalding!
Sung by Groucho Marx and the cast of Animal Crackers…1930.