Cedar Point, A History- Part 3

As an effort to draw in guests still, the aging Coliseum was modernized on the second floor, becoming an Art Deco palace with a stage on one end. A dance floor covered a large portion of this floor, with tables and booths in the back to sit at.

This move would prove to keep Cedar Point alive. For the remainder of the Great Depression, Cedar Point booked many top Jazz bands, and the NBC radio network broadcast many of the performances over the radio.

By 1940, the High Frolics roller coaster was removed. By then, the only coaster remaining was the Cyclone. The public enjoyed a brief time free of the Great Depression before another blow came down- World War 2.

With the start of the war came many war time restrictions. While we today live life very much the same during war as we do outside of war, people of the 40's lived life very differently. Of the many restrictions leveled out were restrictions on food, automobile use, even steel was restricted.

Because of the many restrictions, the park operated again with few amenities, and no renovations. By 1946, the park was showing it's age. The buildings and boardwalks were poorly maintained, in need of repair.

The '46 season came with one high point- the Midway Carousel was perched from Revere Beach, and brought to Cedar Point. It is still in existence, and is the oldest ride in the park at Cedar Point today. It is also one of the first views guests today get when walking into this glorious park.

By the end of the 1940's, Cedar Point was nearing dire straights. Edward Smith retired as president, and the peninsula was leased by Torrence Melrose for just two short seasons. Of the changes made under the Melrose era were buildings painted in gaudy colors, a road built to the Hotel Breakers, and the end of the Cyclone. It was torn down in 1950. The coaster was the last of Cedar Point, and had been decaying. With little money incoming, there was nothing left to fix the coaster up.

Many of the more modern buildings at Cedar Point started to pop up at this time, including a game called Fascination. Located on the main midway down a bit from the entrance, Fascination was a draw to many game players, young and old. Today, the building remains, but the game rolled it's last ball in 2001.

In 1956, the problems Cedar Point had boiled over, and two businessmen, George Roose and Emile Legros, bought the property. Their intentions were far from those of George A. Boeckling, however. They planned to turn the entire peninsula into a residential area.

However, Dan Schneider held the lease on the land until 1959. At this point, the plans for the residential land were not abandoned, but the new owners decided to see how the profits would look at the end of the lease.

The existing Chaussee at this point was the only way for people to arrive at Cedar Point in cars, causing quite a lot of traffic. New for the 1957 season was the Cedar Point Causeway, which is the main entrance to Cedar Point even today. It juts out over the water, and gives guests their first view of Cedar Point.

Small rides were added in the late 50's, including a roller coaster called the Wild mouse. This was a small compact coaster, similar to the Wild Cat coaster still found at Cedar Point today. The Wild Mouse was built on the land where people "kick the sky" today, on the Raptor coaster.

Another addition was the marina, and a monorail, which was all located near the Wild Mouse. By now, America was past the Great Depression, and World War 2, leaving the many people hungry for entertainment. Needless to say, by the end of the 1959 lease on the land, Cedar Point was operating in the black, with quite a healthy profit. Roose & Legros declined to use the land for a residential area.

In 1961, the main midway was paved, and lead from the entrance way up to the start of the lagoon, straight back. There were no off shoots to the sides, as there was little to the back of the park aside from the resorts near the back on the beach.

In 1964, at the very end of the midway, the Western Cruise ride opened. Still in operation today, this was later renamed Paddlewheel Excursions, and the landing was moved in the 1980's to accommodate the opening of the Iron Dragon.

Also in 1964, the oldest existing roller coaster at Cedar Point today was added- the Blue Streak. Zooming at speeds of 40 miles an hour, this coaster can give up to 1,300 people a ride per hour. This coaster is rather tame by today's standards, with a lift hill of only 78 feet, with only a 72 foot drop.

Over the next year or two, additions to the park included the Space Spiral, Jungle Larry's Safari, the Pirate Ride, the Upside Down Funhouse, the Earthquake ride, and the Rotor. Off all these, only the Space Spiral is still in operation. The Earthquake is now home to Snoopy's Boutique. Jungle Larry's gave way to the Power Tower. The Pirate Ride was inoperationable for a year, then the entrance way became an arcade. About 5 years ago, you could still see the tracks of the ride, encased in cement. The funhouse is completely gone, however, as is the rotor.

By now, planning had begun for a major addition to the park, not just in rides, but in space. From the time Cedar Point first debuted as a simple bathing park, very little expansion was done to the tip of the peninsula. That was about to change. Added at this point in time was the still popular Frontiertown.

It included many small things, such as an old west town, and a town square. The already existing Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad had a stop added here, giving guests a way to get to Frontiertown, which lacked any pathways to and from the main midway. A lift was added near the standing area of the modern day Mantis, called the Frontier Lift. This provided a second way to reach Frontiertown. While building on the main midway side is long gone, the end area is still standing in the Frontiertown area, housing bathrooms and storage. 

Part 1: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976896083
Part 2: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976896549 
Part 3: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976898000
Part 4: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976899504