Description: This drawing provides an aerial view of Cedar Point amusement park, located on a peninsula along Lake Erie, near Sandusky, Ohio. Major structures on the park grounds include the Breakers Hotel and its interconnected wings (far right); the Coliseum, which featured a large ballroom; the Grand Pavilion (center foreground); and several roller-coasters. In the distance, steamboats are visible at the dock and out on the lake. In the foreground, swimmers are enjoying the water. Cedar Point became a popular beach resort in the late 1870s, when visitors traveled to the peninsula by steamboat from Sandusky. The Grand Pavilion (1888), the oldest building in the park, dates from this era. Promoter George Boeckling formed the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company in 1897 and vastly expanded the resort's attractions. During the first decade of the 1900s, he built the lagoons, an amusement circle, and several hotels, including the landmark Breakers in 1905. The Coliseum, opened in 1906, became the centerpiece of the park and hosted many of the famous big bands through the Depression and World War II years. In the late 1950s, Cedar Point began its transformation into a modern amusement park. Today it still is one of the area's major attractions. Cedar Point includes several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06173
Subjects: Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio: Amusement park); Amusement parks--Ohio; Aerial views; Drawings and graphics; Sandusky (Ohio)
Places: Sandusky (Ohio); Erie County (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph shows people riding the Cedar Point roller coaster known as the "Corkscrew." As the roller coaster is traveling along the spiral track, the rear cars and passengers are upside down while those in the front cars are in an upright position. Cedar Point is both a peninsula in northern Ohio located along Lake Erie and an amusement park at the same location near Sandusky, Ohio. In the nineteenth century, Cedar Point was the site of a lighthouse and a port for fishermen. In 1867 the peninsula became linked to a small railroad. This transportation forever changed the rural area. Within a few years, developers began constructing facilities to draw tourists to the region, including bath houses and picnic areas. The amusement park claims 1870 as its first season, when the first bathhouse and other forms of entertainment were built. Cedar Point constructed its first roller coaster, the Switchback Railway, in 1892. By the 1890s, more people traveled to Cedar Point. When the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort & Company purchased the site in 1897, the firm paid $256,000. In the years that followed, more improvements were made at Cedar Point. New rides and attractions opened each year, and hotels offered overnight accommodations. In addition to tourists traveling by railroad, Cedar Point also welcomed visitors traveling by steamship from Detroit and Cleveland. Automobiles also brought greater numbers. Places like Cedar Point, Buckeye Lake, and Sandy Beach Amusement Park offered city dwellers the opportunity to escape the city heat in the summer. In the past few decades, Cedar Point has claimed a number of world records. In particular, the amusement park has become known for its roller coasters. In 1978, Cedar Point opened Gemini, which set records as the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster in the world at that time. Gemini's record was surpassed by another coaster, Magnum XL-200, in 1989. Two years later, Cedar Point opened a wooden coaster named Mean Streak, which was the tallest and fastest of its kind in the world. These rides were followed in 1994 by the Raptor, the world's tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster, and in 1996 by the Mantis, the tallest and fastest stand-up roller coaster. Cedar Point surpassed all of its previous records in 2000, when it opened the Millennium Force. This roller coaster is more than three hundred feet high and once again set the record for the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster in the world. Since 1978, Cedar Point has hosted an annual event called Coaster Mania that attracts roller coaster fans in large numbers. The park claims to be the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World” With its roller coasters and other features, Cedar Point has won numerous awards, including “Best Amusement Park” by Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards on several occasions. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06646
Subjects: Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio: Amusement park); Roller coasters; Amusement parks; Amusement rides; Tourism
Places: Cedar Point (Ohio); Erie County (Ohio)
 

Description: This 1964 photograph shows people riding the Cedar Point roller coaster known as the "Blue Streak." As the roller coaster is beginning its descent down a steep curve, the facial expressions of its passengers show their reactions. Cedar Point is both a peninsula in northern Ohio located along Lake Erie and an amusement park at the same location near Sandusky, Ohio. In the nineteenth century, Cedar Point was the site of a lighthouse and a port for fishermen. In 1867 the peninsula became linked to a small railroad. This transportation forever changed the rural area. Within a few years, developers began constructing facilities to draw tourists to the region, including bath houses and picnic areas. The amusement park claims 1870 as its first season, when the first bathhouse and other forms of entertainment were built. Cedar Point constructed its first roller coaster, the Switchback Railway, in 1892. By the 1890s, more people traveled to Cedar Point. When the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort & Company purchased the site in 1897, the firm paid $256,000. In the years that followed, more improvements were made at Cedar Point. New rides and attractions opened each year, and hotels offered overnight accommodations. In addition to tourists traveling by railroad, Cedar Point also welcomed visitors traveling by steamship from Detroit and Cleveland. Automobiles also brought greater numbers. Places like Cedar Point, Buckeye Lake, and Sandy Beach Amusement Park offered city dwellers the opportunity to escape the city heat in the summer. In the past few decades, Cedar Point has claimed a number of world records. In particular, the amusement park has become known for its roller coasters. In 1978, Cedar Point opened Gemini, which set records as the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster in the world at that time. Gemini's record was surpassed by another coaster, Magnum XL-200, in 1989. Two years later, Cedar Point opened a wooden coaster named Mean Streak, which was the tallest and fastest of its kind in the world. These rides were followed in 1994 by the Raptor, the world's tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster, and in 1996 by the Mantis, the tallest and fastest stand-up roller coaster. Cedar Point surpassed all of its previous records in 2000, when it opened the Millennium Force. This roller coaster is more than three hundred feet high and once again set the record for the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster in the world. Since 1978, Cedar Point has hosted an annual event called Coaster Mania that attracts roller coaster fans in large numbers. The park claims to be the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World” With its roller coasters and other features, Cedar Point has won numerous awards, including “Best Amusement Park” by Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards on several occasions. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06647
Subjects: Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio: Amusement park); Roller coasters; Amusement parks; Amusement rides; Tourism
Places: Sandusky (Ohio); Erie County (Ohio)