I wrote a post back in 2012 about this relic from a long-closed amusement park on Milwaukee’s northwest side. The dinosaur has been a familiar fixture on North 76th Street in Milwaukee for at least 40 years, and for the past five years my post has prompted many comments from people sharing memories of Johnson’s Park. For many who grew up in Milwaukee, this guy signifies specific and meaningful times in their lives.

Well, sadly, our dino friend is finally gone. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran a story on his fate in Sunday’s paper (link here to the article).

Purchased for $11 at auction in December, the dinosaur will soon take up residence in the backyard of a home in Saukville, a town about an hour north of Milwaukee. The buyer has a personal connection to the dinosaur. As a child he played mini-golf and raced go-karts at Johnson’s Park, and as an adult he has worked at the various car dealerships that populate the neighborhood.

I like that.

Although I’ll miss glancing over at his hulking presence and weathered orange scales on the drive north to Mequon or Cedarburg, it helps to know our old buddy wound up in a place where he’ll be much loved 🙂