Glen Park is a walking park

Park

A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...

 in Williamsville, New York

Williamsville, New York

Williamsville is a village in Erie County, New York in the United States. The population was 5,573 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Jonas Williams, an early settler...

. It is bordered by the Glen Falls waterfall

Waterfall

A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...

 on Ellicott Creek

Ellicott Creek

Ellicott Creek is a stream in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of Tonawanda Creek, which in turn into the Niagara River.-Course:...

, and the inactive Williamsville Water Mill

Williamsville Water Mill Complex

Williamsville Water Mill Complex is a historic mill located at Williamsville in Erie County, New York. It was built originally as a sawmill in 1801, substantially enlarged in 1827, and operated in that capacity until 1903. Also on the site was the Water-Lime Works and Williamsville Cement Company...

.

History

The location originally housed an amusement park

Amusement park

thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...

, Harry Altman's Glen Park Casino and Amusement Park. The property was razed following two fires.

The Inferno in 1968

The first fire in September 1968 destroyed a nightclub on the property called The Inferno. The Inferno was formerly the "Glen Casino".

The nightclub was notable for featuring the bands Wilmer & the Dukes

Wilmer & the Dukes

Wilmer and the Dukes were an American R&B band in upstate New York in the 1960s. Though they produced only a handful of singles and one album, they performed regularly, and had a dedicated following. One reviewer said, "In Geneva, there were two kinds of kids...

 and Raven (formerly Tony Galla and the Rising Sons) on a weekly basis, which helped launch their careers. In addition, national recording acts such as Junior Walker & the All Stars, The Butterfield Blues Band, Sly and the Family Stone, Ike & Tina Turner

Tina Turner

Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...

, The Bob Seger

Bob Seger

Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...

 System, The Esquires

The Esquires

The Esquires were an American R&B group from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, principally active from 1957 to 1976.- History :The Esquires first formed in 1957 around the Moorer family, whose Gilbert , Alvis, and Betty all became members. They went through many lineup changes over their first decade, which...

, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, Wilson Pickett

Wilson Pickett

Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...

, Wayne Cochran

Wayne Cochran

Wayne Cochran is an American soul singer, known for his outlandish outfits and white pompadour. He is sometimes referred to as The White Knight of Soul....

 & the CC Riders, and Arthur Conley

Arthur Conley

Arthur Lee Conley was an American soul singer, best known for the 1967 hit "Sweet Soul Music".-Career:...

 also played this famous nightclub.

Underground 1973

The second fire in September 1973 destroyed several buildings, including the lower building called the "Underground".

Altman, his son-in-law Dave Goldstein and grandson Steve Goldstein had hosted many famous entertainers at the Glen Casino over the years, including Sammy Davis, Jr.

Sammy Davis, Jr.

Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....

, Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...

 Jr., Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield was an American actress working both in Hollywood and on the Broadway theatre...

, Dick Shawn

Dick Shawn

Dick Shawn was an American actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Shawn was born as Richard Schulefand in Buffalo, New York. He played Sylvester Marcus, son of Mrs. Marcus , in Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Lorenzo St...

, Joey Bishop

Joey Bishop

Joey Bishop was an American entertainer who was perhaps best known for being a member of the "Rat Pack" with Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Dean Martin...

, Jerry Vale

Jerry Vale

Jerry Vale is an American singer.-Career:In high school, in order to make some money, he took a job shining shoes in a barbershop in New York City. He sang while he shined shoes, and his boss liked the sound so well that he paid for music lessons for the boy...

, The Three Stooges, and the Mills Brothers

Mills Brothers

The Mills Brothers, sometimes billed as The Four Mills Brothers, were an American jazz and pop vocal quartet of the 20th century who made more than 2,000 recordings that combined sold more than 50 million copies, and garnered at least three dozen gold records...

.

The Casino was built in the 1940s and housed both a theater and a restaurant. In 1966, Kevin Elliott, a local promoter, sold Harry Altman the idea to convert the nightclub into a rock 'n roll venue. It was also the springboard, for the Inferno house band, named the Rising Sons. This local group featuring Tony Galla on vocals, Jim Calire on piano, John Weitz lead guitar, Tommy Calandra on bass guitar, Gary Mallaber

Gary Mallaber

Gary Mallaber is a Los Angeles session drummer, percussionist and singer. He got his start playing drums in a band from Buffalo, New York, known as Raven....

 on drums, became national recording artists known as Raven managed by music executive, Marty Angelo

Marty Angelo

Marty Angelo worked in the entertainment business from 1965 to 1980 as a television producer , record promoter, restaurant/nightclub owner and personal manager for rock 'n' roll bands ....

. The Raven recorded a live album entitled, "Live at the Inferno" which was later released in 1969. The front cover of the album is a photo of the fire-razed nightspot.

In 1976, the park was converted to its current state with the installation of several ponds and concrete walking paths. It has since been owned and maintained jointly by the Village of Williamsville and the Town of Amherst

Amherst, New York

Amherst is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 122,366. This represents an increase of 5.0% from the 2000 census. The town is named for Jeffrey Amherst, a British Army officer of the colonial period...

.

External links

• Glen Park - Village of Williamsville official website