Chippewa Lake Park
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| Location | Chippewa Lake, Ohio, United States |
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| Coordinates | 41°3′49.0″N 81°54′6.2″W / 41.063611°N 81.901722°WCoordinates: 41°3′49.0″N 81°54′6.2″W / 41.063611°N 81.901722°W |
| Owner | Edward Andrews (1878-1898) Mac Beach (1898-1937) Parker Beach (1937-1969) Continental Business Enterprises (1969-1978) |
| Opened | 1878 |
| Closed | 1978 |
| Previous names | Andrew's Pleasure Grounds |
| Rides | |
| Roller coasters | 3 |
| Status | SBNO |
Chippewa Lake Park is an abandoned theme park once located in Chippewa Lake, Ohio, Medina County. It operated from 1878 through 1978, after the final owner, Continental Business Enterprises closed it due to lack of attendance. After the park's closure, its rides and structures were left largely untouched and unmaintained for over 30 years.
In 1875, Edward Andrews organized a picnic ground and beach under the name Andrew's Pleasure Grounds. The park operated with some success, but its condition deteriorated. With the addition of a steam boat and the park's first rollercoaster, the amusement park was brought to life. The initial roller coaster had to be manually pushed up the track following each ride.
Mac Beach, acquired Chippewa Lake in 1898 and improved the park immensely. He also placed a ban on liquor sales. Mac's son, Parker Beach, managed the park during its boom years, the roaring '20s. During that decade, the first modern coaster was built at the park, designed by Fred Pearce. Originally named the Big Dipper, it became better known as simply 'the coaster'. The park also featured a live band-stand seven nights a week. By 1925, the park opened the Big Dipper wooden roller coaster. The Big Dipper was a fairly smaller roller coaster estimating to be about 50 Feet high. The Big Dipper operated until the park closed in 1978. The Big Dipper stood abandoned for over 30 years until it was demolished in 2010. The Beach family kept the park running successfully into the 1960s. Eventually Chippewa Lake would feature three roller coasters, flying cages, a Ferris wheel, carousel, Tumble Bug, ballroom and many other rides.
Chippewa Lake was acquired by Continental Business Enterprises in 1969, and developed plans to transform the park into more of a summer resort, however these plans drew very little public interest and funding and most of it was scrapped. The park would later close in 1978, which was the park's centennial season, under the company's ownership, owing to factors like competition from nearby Cedar Point and defunct Geauga Lake amusement parks and the decline of steel and rubber production in the surrounding areas. It was largely unknown to the public that the park's 100th season would be its last, the park closed rather secretly without any big media coverage or massive public outcry. When the park shut down, former owner Parker Beach requested to his family that he be buried there when he died, which was accepted by his family. The site where Beach's body is buried in the park is unknown. In the 2007 documentary, "Welcome Back Riders", at the very end, it said Be respectful if you try to find Parker Beach's Grave. Let him enjoy his park in peace. ...It's by the roller coaster.
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Wikipedia