Remembering the Thriller rollercoaster and more at Euclid Beach Park: Historic photos of Cleveland
The historic beachfront Euclid Beach Park lasted a little more than 70 years. Its legacy remains. Euclid Beach Park, a legendary amusement park in Northeast Ohio, has been closed for 55 years. The park was first opened in 1895 but struggled financially due to its lack of spectacular attractions and lack of a dedicated family-friendly environment. Dudley S. Humphrey II, the owner of the popcorn stand in the park, purchased the park in 1901 and began to transform it, making changes such as closing the beer garden and enforcing a dress code. Over the years, new attractions such as the roller rink and the Figure Eight rollercoaster were added, and the park was home to seven all-wooden rollercoasters. Despite discrimination against Black customers throughout the decades, the park closed on Sept. 28, 1969. In 1973, the iconic entry archway was declared a historic Cleveland landmark.
게시됨 : 11개월 전 ~에 의해 David Petkiewicz, dpetkiew, David Petkiewicz | [email protected] ~에 Travel
EUCLID, Ohio — Although I didn’t grow up in Northeast Ohio, one of the first places I heard about after moving here in 1996 was Euclid Beach Park and how much fun it was.
Although Euclid Beach Park has been closed for 55 years, its memory lives on as a legendary amusement park.
First opened in 1895, the park, which was designed to be like New York’s Coney Island, didn’t quite hit it off as was hoped. The attractions were nothing spectacular and the park struggled financially.
It didn’t take off until 1901 when Dudley S. Humphrey II, the owner of the popcorn stand in the park, purchased the park and began to transform it.
Humphrey made changes such as closing the beer garden and implementing a dress code. It was then that the park began to become a popular destination. Their popular slogan “One fare, free gate and no beer” helped attract a more family-friendly clientele.
Over the years new attractions were added to the park, such as the roller rink and the Figure Eight rollercoaster in 1904.
By 1921, the park had added the scenic railway, and the Grand Carousel, which now resides at the Western Reserve Historical Society’s Cleveland History Center. That year also saw more land added to the park as well as the iconic entry archway constructed.
In 1924 The Thriller rollercoaster was added, and it became arguably one of the most popular attractions at the park.
The last of the attractions, the bath house and the Flying Turns ride were added over the next few years. After that the park maintained its popularity for a few more decades. In all, the park was home to seven all-wooden rollercoasters.
Throughout the years, the park discriminated against Black customers, allowing them in the park only on certain days and mandating they mingle with the white guests.
On two occasions in 1946, interracial groups tried to visit the park and were asked to leave both times. On Sept. 21 one of the groups were attempting to visit when park police tried to stop them. Two off-duty Black Cleveland police officers intervened and got into a fight with the park police. The park closed its season early due to the incidents.
In 1960, Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy made his pitch for the presidency in the park on September 26.
In 1963, daily bus service from Public Square to the park ended and the following year the park began to lose money.
A few years later before the Humphrey family decided to call it quits, and the park closed on Sept. 28, 1969.
In 1973 the iconic archway was declared a historic Cleveland landmark, and it still stands today near the entrance to the Cleveland Metropark’ Euclid Beach Park.
If you go to the park today, located on Lake Shore Boulevard and E. 159th St., you can still see the old shuffleboard area, remnants of the beachside fountain and the concrete footers that were part of the Flying Turns rollercoaster.