Cleveland Amusement Park Memories

A Nostalgic Look Back at Euclid Beach Park • Puritas Springs Park Geauga Lake Park • and Other Classic Parks

by David & Diane Francis

  • Format: Softcover, 128 pages, 8.5 x 10 inches
  • Illustrations: 100 black-and-white photographs
  • ISBN: 978-1-886228-89-4
  • Price: $19.95
Description

For more than seventy-five years these boisterous, colorful, exciting meccas fulfilled the fantasies of entertainment-hungry Clevelanders. Each park had its own distinct personality, its own peculiarities, and its own alluring array of popular attractions.

Each park had its own unique smells. At Euclid Beach it was the stately sycamores and the unforgettable odor of the lake and of damp earth beneath the pier. At Puritas Springs the odor of warm oil on the chain of the Cyclone coaster signaled a thrilling ride.

And of course there were the sounds. The chatter of Monkey Island at Luna Park, the sharp reports of the Shooting Gallery at Geauga Lake, the splash of a boat at the end of White City's Shoot-the-Chutes, and the cackles of Laughing Sal at Euclid Beach's Surprise House.

And let's not forget the music . . . Liberati's nationally known band at Luna Park; a smaller concert band at White City, and the giant Gavioli band organ in the Skating Rink at Euclid Beach.

More than just business establishments, the parks were the birthplace of treasured memories for children and adults alike. These pages re-create the park atmospheres in which those memories were born. If you never visited these parks, let your imagination run wild and enjoy the parks that thrilled your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. And if you remember Euclid Beach, Puritas Springs, old Geauga Lake Park, and the others, savor this scenic excursion into the past.

Book Excerpt:
Euclid Beach Park

Alcoholic beverages were not sold at Euclid Beach, nor were they permitted on park grounds; and any person who was obviously under the influence of alcohol was turned away at the gate. The Humphreys had no tolerance for rowdy behavior of any kind, and they employed their own police to enforce park rules. Games of chance found no home at Euclid Beach, which, unlike many northern Ohio parks, never installed illegal slot machines. While Luna Park thrived by presenting sensational and titillating shows, the Humphrey Company turned its back on any entertainments that hinted at sexuality or were in any way gruesome or in bad taste. Euclid Beach went so far as to advertise that it would present nothing that would demoralize or depress and that park patrons would never be exposed to undesirable people.

By the 1920s, Dudley S. Humphrey II was acknowledged by his peers as one of America's leading amusement managers. Despite this praise, few parks followed Humphrey's policies and many park men criticized his methods. Most parks painted their buildings either a pristine white or some vivid, attention-getting color. In stark contrast, the Humphreys painted their park in a drab green that became known in the park industry as “ Humphrey Green.” Parker Beach, the owner of Chippewa Lake Park, joked that “ old Dud Humphrey bought a million gallons of that paint in 1910 and they're still using it.”

Dudley Humphrey also introduced the controversial Humphrey Park Plan at Euclid Beach. Developed as a method of . . . [ Read More Free Samples ]

Reviews
Lavishly illustrated with well-produced black-and-white photos. — Alliance Review
Chronicles the history and trends of Cleveland amusement parks with 192 beautiful black-and-white photos, dating from the 1890s to the 1970s. The reader also gets vivid first-hand accounts of people who either worked at the parks or frequented them. — Cleveland Jewish News
Methodically details the racial and class obstacles that amusement parks crashed through during their peak years. More important, it gives a photo-filled history of all the local parks that existed in the 1940s through 1970s. — Scene Magazine
About David & Diane Francis
David & Diane Francis

Dave and Diane Francis are the authors of ten books about parks and summer resorts, including Cedar Point: Queen of American Watering Places; Ohio's Amusement Parks; The Golden Age of Roller Coasters; and Chippewa Lake Park. They are members of the Organization of American Historians, the American Historical Association, and the National Amusement Park Historical Association. More About David & Diane Francis

Contains References to:

Carnival Food, Cleveland Zoo Kiddie Park, Edgewater Park, Elephant Ears, Erieview Park, Euclid Beach Park, Geauga Lake Park, Geneva-on-the-Lake, Great Lakes Exposition, Luna Park, Memphis Kiddie Park, Mentor Beach Playland, Ohio Amusement Parks, Ohio Nostalgia, Ohio Recreation, Orchard Lake Park, Puritas Springs Park, Roller Coasters, Skee Ball, Sky Rocket, The Wild Mouse, Theme Parks, White City,

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