Introduction

            Around the turn of the 20^th century, George Schmidt was sent from his home in Chicago to a high school in Germany. His father, Willhem Schmidt, owned a German sharpshooters range and was himself a German immigrant. When George returned, he brought back much more than a high school education, he had an idea that would change Chicago for much of the century. In his travels he had visited the Tivoli Gardens in Denmark and the Prater in Austria, amusement parks that sparked his idea to change his dad's shooting land into an amusement park. Riverview Sharpshooters Park opened in 1904 to the public with rides and entertainment. It thrived, adding new attractions throughout the next six decades. The success of Riverview Amusement Park is largely due to the fact that it kept so in time with the historical events of the country and was conscious of adapting to economic realities.