Ars Gratis

With California's tourist-trapping Disneyland as a model, showmen have started similar amusement parks in a dozen cities from Denver to Caracas, Venezuela. The wonder is that no one has staked out the biggest tourist mecca of them all: New York. Last week that sure thing was covered as well. Texas Engineer C. (for nothing) V. (for nothing) Wood, who already has five parks abuilding around the U.S. (TIME, June 29), announced a $65 .million Freedomland that will present two centuries of American history along with the ice cream and Cracker jack. To be located in The Bronx and shaped like the U.S., Freedomland will cram the kiddies full of "Little Old New York" (1750-1850 style), San Francisco at the time of the Barbary Coast (with earthquake), Florida bayous (with alligators), Mississippi stern-wheelers, New England whalers, and a Civil War battle (with neither side winning and no one offended). "Cape Canaveral" will even boast a man-carrying space ship. Said Manhattan's Board of Education President Charles Silver in splendid non sequitur, as the bulldozers prepared to break ground last week: "I have a feeling that history teachers all over the country will be grateful."

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