Vintage Photos Show The Great Escape Long Before the Steamin’ Demon

As summer 2026 starts to wind down, there’s still time to squeeze in some thrills at The Great Escape in Lake George.

But before the Steamin’ Demon, the Comet and the other rides generations of Upstate New Yorkers have grown up with, this popular Lake George attraction looked a whole lot different.

Let’s go wayyyy back — maybe even to before you were born!

Before The Great Escape, There Was Storytown USA

Long before dinosaurs roared in Lake George, there was Storytown USA, a magical Upstate New York destination filled with fairy tales, colorful characters and family fun.

Storytown USA opened in 1954 and became a summer tradition for generations of families. We’re lucky to have a collection of rare vintage postcards dating back to 1961, just a few years after the beloved park first opened.

Read More: Sad Ending to Search for Beloved Albany County Sheriff’s K9 Casey

These nostalgic snapshots take us back to the days of Mother Goose, Ghost Town, Windy Bill McKay, Ferris wheels, classic Tilt-A-Whirls and plenty of old-school family fun.

Lake George "Back in the Day"

For many Capital Region families, summer meant piling into the car and heading north to Lake George.

Maybe you spent the day at Storytown, but a trip often included Lake George Village, too — playing arcade games, watching the Minne Ha Ha cruise by, grabbing ice cream and browsing the souvenir shops near Frankenstein’s Wax Museum.

In 1983, new ownership began introducing bigger thrill rides and eventually renamed the park The Great Escape.

See The Vintage Storytown USA Postcards

I was born in 1973, so these 1961 photos are even before my time. But many of you may remember Storytown USA — or heard stories about it from your parents and grandparents.

And if you’re too young to remember any of it, these postcards offer a pretty amazing glimpse at what summer fun in Lake George looked like more than 60 years ago.

Take a look at vintage Storytown USA, well before it became the Great Escape we know today!