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Image by Justin Masterson
The fallen end of the tunnel of the Big Dipper coaster at Chippewa Lake Park.
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Chippewa Lake Park began as a beach-front park in the 1840’s. The amusement park and resort was launched in 1879 as a beachfront family getaway, and grew into a full-fledged amusement park, complete with rides, concessions, attractions, and a full hotel by the 1960’s. The park originally included two roller coasters, a grand ballroom and dancefloor, and one of two "Tumblebug" rides left in the world (though this one is, as you will see, long defunct." After the interstate system grew in the 60’s and 70’s, traffic to this back-roads park decreased, and the introduction of much larger amusement parks Cincinnati’s Kings Island (1972) and Sandusky’s Cedar Point (1972) contributed to the park’s demise. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1978, and closed that same year.
Today, the park is surrounded by fences and is located in a low-income neighborhood by Chippewa Lake. It has frequent visitors (like us) and its neighbors are used to seeing trespassers climb through holes in the fences to check out this abandoned relic.
Sadly, some visitors are less well-intentioned than we are, and the park has seen several fires and acts of grand vandalism, including the ballroom, which was burned to the ground in 2002. Particularly hawk-eyed explorers can even spot old ticket stubs and anniversary cups in the leaves and tree limbs that litter the grounds. It is now privately owned, and fire hydrants and paths are even cleared and cleaned-up periodically…perhaps getting ready for a restoration?
IF you choose to go to see this abandoned attraction, PLEASE do not disturb, remove, or vandalize anything. This park is a relic and a beautiful piece of Ohio history, and it should be treated with the respect it deserves.
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