When most Ontarians think of miniatures, they think of Cullen Gardens in Whitby, with its sprawling floral displays and miniature village that paid homage to Southern Ontario. Or, maybe, it’s just because of where I’m from and my age: I spent a lot of time in the Durham Region when I was growing up, and even lived there for seven years. Cullen Gardens was opened in 1980 and closed in 2006, so it was active during my formative years (and advertised on television all the time).
Tivoli Miniature World is new to me, though it’s by no means a new attraction! I stumbled upon it when listing postcards from my last batch scan.
Located next to Wet and Wild at Prudhomme’s Landing in Jordan, Ontario, Tivoli opened in the late 1970s and was active at that location until the 1990s. Visitors could experience fiberglass reproductions of famous landmarks from all over the world, such as Mount Rushmore (pictured above), the Taj Mahal, and more!
This park even had a little train that visitors could ride around the property, kinda like Peterborough’s Riverview Zoo.
Tivoli moved to Victoria Avenue in Niagara Falls in the 1990s, but it was not to last, and the park went bankrupt sometime around 1995. All the models were sold to a Brazilian company, with the train eventually making it into the collection of the Amusement Park Historical Association of Niagara, where it remains today.
The postcard in today’s listing is the Mount Rushmore attraction at Tivoli Miniature World and was published by Stephen A. Carter, who was also the photographer. This is a Dexter Color, Canada postcard.
Browse eBay for more examples of Tivoli Miniature World postcards and ephemera, or, visit the APHAN website to learn more about this park and other lost Niagara Falls attractions.
Special thanks to APHAN for their fantastic site, and for their work keeping amusement park history alive.
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