My parents grew up in Montana, and when I was a kid every summer we would drive back (from the Seattle area) to visit the grandparents. For my sister and me, the highlight of the segment of the trip that was spent visiting Mom's mother in Missoula was the day we would drive out to Lolo to visit Cousin Neva. This was the highlight partly because Neva lived on a farm, but mostly because we would get to go to Mother Goose Land. This was a roadside attraction where you would follow a winding path through the woods and see displays based on nursery rhymes. As best I remember, at a couple of points in the route there would be a clearing with maybe a swingset, a pop machine, a picnic table and a couple of animals.
I see no trace of a kettle.
The displays varied as far as how much effort seemed to have gone into them; sometimes it was just an old doll.
I remember the suckers-on-clothespins tree--I think it was right next to the gift shop at the beginning/end of the circuit. Up to now, the pictures are from postcards obtained through the miracle of eBay; from here on they are family photos from I believe 1966 and 1967.
My sister approaches an unidentified display.
I don't remember a nursery rhyme about a hobo riding a rocket...
As the years went by the place got more and more run down. I think it went out of business in the early 70s or so.
This is me, reunited with my separated-at-birth twin.
Pretty sure this is Old King Cole.
Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater.
Thinking about Mother Goose Land has reminded me of the roadside attraction we would pass every year but NEVER got to stop at...the Deer Farm & Snake Pit at State Line, Idaho, which had signs along I-90 seemingly for hundreds of miles in both directions...
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Thank you for this site. I too remember Mother Goose Land because my parents would take my siblings and me there every summer on our trip from Seattle. My mother (now deceased) loved the place and we always had a good time there. Wish I could show her your pictures.
ReplyDeleteDana Malone age 56 Southwest Asia (temporarily)
I have several photo's of my brother and I at Mother Goose Land, but there is quite a difference in them and the ones posted here. The only traviling we did was in Montana and Idaho other than going through Yellowstone Park. I am trying to find out where Mother Goose Land was located. Or if it is possible that this is the same place. Our pictures are of us standing in front of Hansel and Gretel's Gingerbread House, us standing with the Big Bad Wolf, us standing next to a large rabbit that is eating a carrot. There is also a photo of us on a carrosal. It is written on the back of the photo's Mother Goose Land. I'd post the photo's, but not sure how to do that. Does anyone else remember the things I have mentioned ? I do recall the the rabbit had a speaker in it and that it talked.
ReplyDeleteI helped my grandmother run Mother Goose land for two weeks and I got to be the voice of the rabbit with the speaker. These pictures seem similar to my memories. But the Rabit and sucker tree are definately the place I remember.
DeleteWow, cool! And that was in Montana? I don't remember a voice over a speaker, but that doesn't mean much. Anything else you remember?
DeletePhyllis sent me some photos, including one of the rabbit, and it's apparently a different Mother Goose Land. "Unknown", where was the one you helped your grandmother at?
DeletePhyllis figured out that the Mother Goose Land she remembers, with the rabbit with the speaker, was at Island Park, Idaho, on Hwy 20, SW of West Yellowstone. Interesting that there were two parks with the same name that close together.
DeleteHi Phyllis--None of that sounds familiar to me. I'd sure like to see your pictures. Around what year would that have been?
ReplyDeleteHi Joey ... I believe that the date was 1968 or 1969. More of the photos are at my parent's house and I haven't gotten over to look at them. I'll have to get them and scan them. How do I go about posting them ?
ReplyDeletePhyllis: Do you have a blog? If not, you could start one, or if you wanted to you could e-mail them to me and I'd consider adding them here.
ReplyDeleteHow fun to stumble upon this! I too have fond memories of Mother Goose Land--until our last trip, when it had completely decayed. My mom and I were the only ones there, and it was foggy and scary. The most memorable display: Miss Muffet's head sitting on the ground next to her body. Ack!
ReplyDeleteHi Deborah--Thanks for the comment. Would that last visit have been around the early 70s?
ReplyDeleteHi Joey--sorry, I just saw your question! Yes, that last sad visit was probably early 70's; I would have been 8 in 1970, and that's about right. I remember my grandmother sending me a postcard of the lollypop tree when I was little; I was so excited to go! Glad I got in a good visit or two before all the dolls lost their heads.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I don't remember a bar/restaurant, but that doesn't mean much.
ReplyDeleteI too appreciate you sharing all these pics. Am a native Montana girl & grew up going here. Look the nostalgia!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Cheryl, and thanks for the comments!
DeleteMy twin sister and I were just talking about this place today, we stopped there every summer it seems on our way to our grandmothers in Missoula. We loved it so I decided to type it in on the internet and see if something would come up. Do you know when it was closed down by any chance? Great great memories of this place
ReplyDeleteHi Terri--my guess is early 70s, but I'm not sure. Thanks for the comments!
DeleteI've created a Mother Goose Land Facebook group:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1936958886628906/
I also went to Mother Goose Land as a child on the 60’s.
ReplyDeleteI lived in LoLo, and went there alot. 1960.
DeleteThe lollipop tree, that's my brother Guy in the photo. Grandma and Grandpa Greenly use to have my brother and I put the suckers on it for an orange soda. Man, the folks worked on displays constantly, Humpty Dumpty was my fave but the Miss Muffit (sp?) spider was pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteWow, your grandparents owned the place? Please tell us more!
DeleteWhere was this located? I work with the Stevensville Historical Museum and would love to have more information.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew exactly where it was! The backs of the postcards just say: "located at the tip of the famous Bitteroot Valley, where the new Lewis and Clark Highway joins U.S. Highway 93."
DeleteIt was on the Southwest corner of the intersection of highway 12 an 93, and it ran up to the trailer park. I used to live in the trailer park and always wished there was a path through MGL to shorten the walk to school. I don't remember much about the displays, but do remember the peacocks crying out all the time.
DeleteThanks for the information! Which road was the entrance on?
DeleteI am writing this anonymously because I dont know how to do otherwise!
ReplyDeleteI am Fred Wenger, and live in Great Falls, MT.
I remember going here in what would have been the early 60’s.
I LOVED IT!
I’m 62, my Aunt and Uncle used to take us kids to Mother Goose land in the late 60s. I t was great fun!
ReplyDelete