Old Chicago - Bolingbrook, Illinois

She doesn't remember the empty stores or leaky roof that contributed to the park's demise.

"Nostalgia connects us to a time when we don't remember bad things, we just remember good things," Gutenkauf said. "I do remember driving there, being allowed the freedom to go."

Paul Drabek, 37, of Augusta, Ill., cherishes memories of his parents taking him to Old Chicago. He set up a Web site that allows people to reminisce about the park.

Since negative-g.com was launched in 2000, he's received nearly 300 e-mails, some from people who have sent programs, uniform patches, photos and other souvenirs from Old Chicago.

"It wasn't here that long, and I still get e-mails on it," Drabek said. "It touched that many people."

Robert Brindle died four years ago at 86, with not one bit of regret over the failed Bolingbrook complex, his grandson said.

Old Chicago did come up once, just before Brindle died, when his family took him to Disneyland in a wheelchair.

"He was pretty happy about that," Brindle said. "He was telling us, 'I built one of these things once.'"

If you have a fond memory from the area that you'd like reported and updated, send it to Vikki Ortiz at vortiz@tribune.com.