Here I go down memory lane again...
Remember when every ride and every attraction had their own individual ticket box?
Usually each ticket box was provided with the ride from the manufacturer of the ride and was themed with the ride itself. For example, the Tilt-A-Whirl ticket box was painted in the matching ride's classic colors of royal blue with red and yellow trim with a rounded pyramid looking red top to it.
The Paratrooper's ticket box had a top with "fins" on it. The Flying Bobs ticket box had mirrored squares that were set in a pattern of curves and diamonds beneath the window.
Some other ticket boxes were pretty generic looking. Some were true "boxes" and others were angular. Some had flat roofs and some had slanted ones. But each attraction had one. And since each attraction had there own ticket box, so different rides rates could be applied to individual rides.
I am familiar with The Portemont Family who formally owned "Johnny's United Shows" and now own "All-American Shows". When the late Johnny Portemont Jr. was inducted into the OABA Hall of Fame, he was credited with being the one who switched his ticketing system from the individual ride tickets to the modern centralized show ticket boxes now seen everywhere.
Johnny's always played at my local 4th of July event, in fact the Portemont's were from here originally, and the first time I remember the "new" boxes on the midway was in 1976.
Any of you other old-timers out there have specific memories of the old ticket boxes? Are there any shows still using them? Does anyone collect them?
I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.