Warren Township in Gurnee in Lake County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Little Dipper

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, November 2, 2025

1. The Little Dipper Marker

Inscription. The Little Dipper was designed by Herbert Schmeck and built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1950. The figure eight track features a three-story lift hill and runs 700 feet in length.
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The historic wooden coaster operated at KiddieLand Amusement Park in Melrose Park, IL from the Spring of 1950 until the Fall of 2009 when the park closed. During those 59 years, the Little Dipper became a family tradition offering treasured memories to millions. Six Flags Great America is proud to preserve this important piece of Chicago history for generations to come.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1950.

Location. 42° 22.049′ N, 87° 55.99′ W. Marker is in Gurnee, Illinois, in Lake County. It is in Warren Township. It can be reached from Great America Parkway. The sign is in front of the Little Dipper ride at Six Flags Great America. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee IL 60031, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named The Little Dipper (within shouting distance of this marker); Six Flags History of Resurrected Rides (within shouting distance of this marker); a different

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marker also named The Little Dipper (within shouting distance of this marker); The Wooden Coasters of Six Flags (within shouting distance of this marker); Kiddieland Amusement Park 1929-2009 (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Little Dipper (within shouting distance of this marker); DC Super-Villains Swing (within shouting distance of this marker); Aquaman Splashdown (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gurnee.

Regarding The Little Dipper. The former site of Kiddieland in Melrose Park, about 35 miles south of Great America, is today a Costco. Some of the other rides from Kiddieland were acquired by other parks; the Kiddieland sign today sits outside the Melrose Park Public Library.

Also see . . . Roller Coaster DataBase: Little Dipper. (Submitted on November 3, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

The Little Dipper at Six Flags Great America image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, November 2, 2025

2. The Little Dipper at Six Flags Great America

The Little Dipper at night image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, November 2, 2025

3. The Little Dipper at night

The Little Dipper image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, June 19, 2023

4. The Little Dipper

Historical photo of the Little Dipper image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, November 2, 2025

5. Historical photo of the Little Dipper

This is a close-up of a photo of the Little Dipper found on a nearby sign at Six Flags Great America.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 3, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 60 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 3, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 3. submitted on November 4, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 4, 5. submitted on November 3, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.