WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 8, 2025) — The Williamsville Fire Department on Monday reflected on the devastating fires that destroyed the Glen Park Amusement Park more than five decades ago.

The final blaze struck on Sept. 8, 1973, leveling a portion of the park and cementing its place as a memory for generations who recalled its five-cent rides, penny arcade, skee-ball machines and refreshment stands.

The loss came five years after another major fire. On Sept. 23, 1968, the Glen Casino — a venue that once hosted national entertainers including Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra — was destroyed in what was then the largest fire on record in Erie County. Thirteen companies, 25 pieces of apparatus and more than 200 firefighters responded.

This week, the department shared archival photographs and photo challenges to commemorate the history, noting the lasting community memories tied to the site on Glen Avenue.