P.O Box 19535, Cleveland, Ohio 44119-0535 United States
Souvenir Folder of Euclid Beach Park
The following appears in the souvenir folder shown on the left.
EUCLID BEACH PARK is a nationally known amusement park covering ninety acres of lakefront property on the northeast side of Cleveland, Ohio. It has been owned and managed by the Humphrey family since 1901.
This family was composed of three brothers, a sister and the wife and children of one of the brothers. They were originally from Connecticut and had been previously engaged in the lumber business and farming in a small town near Cleveland. A series of reverses lost the farm for them and they came to Cleveland penniless. After trying many other ways of earning a living, they finally hit upon the pop-corn business and had a stand for several years in the park before purchasing the Humphrey property. From their background, they brought into the park business, their strict New England virtues and great respect for natural beauty.
So, Euclid Beach Park was established on the foundation of fair dealing, clean entertainment, and pleasant surroundings. They permitted no alcoholic drinks in the park, no questionable shows, no gambling of any sort and no ballyhoo. In order to maintain their policies uniformly throughout the grounds, they operated everything in the park, renting out no concessions.
At the time when these policies were instituted, no one believed that the Humphrey's would be able to run the park successfully without the financial support derived from the sale of liquor, but the immediate popularity of Euclid Beach under its management proved their ideas to be sound.
The same features characterize Euclid Beach Park today. The grounds are clean and shaded by magnificent trees, the amusement devices are carefully chosen and well kept. There are camp grounds and a trailer camp that houses visitors by the season of for short stays.
Euclid Beach Park has everything to offer both young and old.
It entertains Clevelanders and visitors from many other places throughout each season in an atmosphere of gaiety and respectability.
Reproduction of an Original 1964 Season Advertising Brochure
Front and Back
Inside, Center
Scan of an Original Picnic Promotion Brochure Describes Park Amenities and Rides
This promotional brochure would have been produced between 1957 when the ROTOR first made its appearance and 1962 when the TURNPIKE was introduced. The list of rides includes the ROTOR and not the TURNPIKE.
CLEVELAND 10, OHIO
Use of the postal system increased significantly after 1940, so efforts were made to simplify the sorting and delivery process. In 1943, a system of postal districts was formed for major cities. Each district was assigned a one- or two-digit code that senders would place in between the city name and the state name. This helped, but the increased volume of mail soon created a need for mechanization. In 1963, July 1 the five digit zip code was introduced. The term ZIP is an acronym for "Zone Improvement Plan". Reference: My Mail House, Zip Codes, a history.
IVANHOE 1-7575
Phone numbers looked like this in the middle of the 20th century because of telephone exchanges. These were the hubs through which an area's calls would be routed. Phone subscribers were given a unique five-digit number within their service area. These would be preceded by two digits—which were identified by letters—that denoted the telephone exchange you were connected to. Reference: Mental Floss
Euclid Beach Park is closed for the season
In 1977; Lee O. Bush, Edward C. Chukayne, Russell Allon Hehr, and Richard F. Hershey researched, collaborated, authored, and published a comprehensive history of Euclid Beach Park and the Humphrey Family.
Copyright 1977 Amusement Park Books, Inc. Published by Dillon/Liederbach Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
EUCLID BEACH PARK - A SECOND LOOK
A second book followed in 1979, authored by the same four gentleman. Copyright is by Amusement Park Books, Inc. and published by Amusement Park Books, Inc.
Booth books are out of print. Occasionally they can be found on E-bay and copies may also turn up at used book stores. Local libraries in the Greater Cleveland, Ohio area may have copies on their shelves.
EUCLID BEACH PARK
In 1895, five Cleveland businessmen opened Euclid Beach Park. Located on the southern shore of Lake Erie, on the east side of Cleveland, this parcel of land would become a magical place that was more than just an amusement park-it was an institution of the community. However, in 1900, "the Beach" faced financial collapse under the original owners. After being rescued by the Humphrey family, Euclid Beach began its ascendancy in the 1901 season. During its 74 years of operation, particularly the "Humphrey years," Euclid Beach Park offered a vast array of major rides and attractions and also utilized industry innovations, in ride design, construction, and park management. Few amusement parks have garnered the affection, memories, and respect that surround the wondrous spot called Euclid Beach Park.
Through black and white photos, many never published before with descriptive captions, gives a glimpse of one of America's great amusement parks. The paperback book covers The Early Years, A Walk Through the Park, and The Memories Live On, images of park rides and attractions that have survived to today.
Author Bio:
The 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, Euclid Beach Park Now honors and preserves the memory of Euclid Beach Park supporting historical education and preserving physical items and memorabilia of the park. Members of Euclid Beach Park Now joined together to create Images of America Euclid Beach Park to tell the story of this great park and its managing family and to present vintage images of this unique place in Cleveland history.
A Euclid Beach Park Album
Author Dr. James A. Toman explores Euclid Beach Park in this paperback book during its last season of operation, 1969. Park scenes are in black and white and color photos none of which have been previously published.
Cleveland Amusement Park Memories
A nostalgic look back at Cleveland's classic amusement parks, Luna Park, Puritas Springs Park, Geauga Lake Park, White City and others including kiddie parks. Euclid Beach Park secured 26 pages in this 128 page paperback book. Authored by David and Diane Francis.
- 1902 – The Humphrey family negotiated an agreement with the streetcar company to reduce passenger prices and charge a single fare. The new Euclid Beach Park advertising slogan became, “One Fare, Free Gate, No Beer".
- 1902 – The “Log Cabin" (shown here) is moved to the park. It was originally the Forestry Building built for the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York in 1901. At Euclid Beach Park it serves as a company or community picnic headquarters and as a dance hall.
- 1904 – The Roller Rink is built.
- 1907 – The Humphrey Family opens the Elysium, an indoor ice skating rink located at East 107th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio.
- 1909 - A new roller coaster greeted park patrons. Originally called the New Velvet Coaster it would eventually be called the Aero Dips.
- 1910 - A new "Carousal" is installed, replacing machine number 9 installed in 1905 manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC). The new "Carousal" was also manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, machine number 19. Advertised as the "Finest Carousal Ever Made." Around the 1930's Euclid Beach Park added a second "R" to the rides name, "CARROUSEL."
- 1910 - Aviation pioneer Glenn H. Curtis at the controls of his Curtis biplane, flew from Euclid Beach Park to Cedar Point setting a record for flying over water. He flew over Lake Erie, parallel to the shore. The flight took about an hour and 15 minutes. The next day he made the return trip. (Postcard View Shown Here:) Watching Glen Curtis in his First Aeroplane Flight from Euclid Beach, Cleveland, Ohio)
- 1911 - Harry N. Atwood another aviator who set long-distance flying records. One was a flight from St. Louis to New York City. One of his 11 stops on this flight was Euclid Beach Park. He landed in Cleveland at 4:00 p.m. at Edgewater Park. Thousands of people were gathered there and they cried to him to stop, so he thought that was his landing space. After landing he learned of his mistake and took off for Euclid Beach Park were 20,000 gathered to cheer him.
- 1921 - A water gravity ride is added. Named the Mill Chute it was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.
- 1921- The Great American Racing Derby was also added. It was a carousel like ride except that besides moving up and down, the sixteen rows with four horses abreast in each row (64 horses total) also moved forward and backward as in a horse race. The ride was manufactured by Prior and Church.
- 1921 - The automobile is no longer a novelty and more parking is needed. The main entrance Arch is constructed.
- 1924 - The Thriller roller coaster opened, designed by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.
- 1930 - The Flying Turns is built. Designed by John Miller and J. N. Bartlett. Three articulated coaster cars free wheeled in an open barrel similar to a bob-sled.
- 1933 - Cleveland radio personality Tom Manning of radio station WTAM broadcasts an actual ride on the Flying Turns using an early battery powered transmitter (shown on left).
- 1933 - Dudley Sherman Humphrey II dies at his home on the grounds of Euclid Beach Park at the age of 81. Leadership of the amusement park was passed to Dudley's son Harvey.
- 1935 - The Funscience Hall opened, a walk through fun house that would see its name changed to the Surprise House. The public could see through the center of the building's façade and watch patrons attempting to walk over an arched moving walkway. At both sides of the façade, behind glass were a laughing man and a laughing woman swaying to and fro, encouraging people to enter the Surprise House. A fire in the Surprise House damaged the man who was removed and never replaced. The laughing woman survived and along with the main entrance Arch she remains a park icon. Laughing Sal occasionally makes appearances in the Greater Cleveland area.
- 1937- The Mill Chute under-went alterations. The height of the drop was increased from 30 feet to 37 feet plus the inclination of the decent hill was changed from 20 degrees to 50 degrees. A new route for the channel was also dug. All this work done by Euclid Beach Park employees. With the changes came a new name, Over The Falls.
- 1943 - During World War II Euclid Beach Park would occasionally open from 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. for local Clevelanders working long hours for the war effort.
- 1957 - The Rotor (shown in the photo to the right) took over the spot that was occupied by the Bubble Bounce that arrived in 1939. The Rotor's opening was broadcast on a local Cleveland television station, KYW.
- 1960 - Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy makes a campaign stop in Cleveland, appearing at the annual Democratic Steer Roast at Euclid Beach Park.
- 1962 - Turnpike opened, self-driven, small, gasoline powered cars.
- 1964 - The Roller Rink was converted to the Antique Auto ride.
- 1964 - Sometime after the park closed for the 1964 season the Aero Dips roller coaster was razed.
- 1965 - After the 1965 season the Great American Racing Derby was removed. Sold to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It operates there still, renamed Cedar Downs. Euclid Beach Park replaces the ride with a Ferris Wheel and Tilt-A-Whirl.
- 1966 - Also removed and sold was the Dippy Whip replaced with the Coffee Break.
- 1969 - September 28, the last day the park operated.
- 1978 - The Humphrey Company opens a new, smaller, amusement park in Streetsboro, Ohio named Shady Lake Park. Rides at this park consist of all the kiddeland rides that were located in the Colannade, the Flying Scooters, Turnpike, Antique Autos, Ferris Wheel, Tilt-A-Whirl, and Sleepy Hollow Railroad. Also relocated to the new park were many of the old Euclid Beach Park green, park benches, fencing, and some of the old signage. Adjacent to the amusement park a building was erected where The Humphrey Company continued to produce their famous popcorn, popcorn balls, and candy kisses. These items were available for purchase at Shady Lake Park and were now distributed to local grocery store chains for resale.
- 1982 - The Humphrey Company, still family owned, decided to concentrate on its popcorn business so in 1982 Shady Lake Park closed. Just about everything that was at the park found its way to a small amusement park located near Thorntown, Indiana, Old Indiana Fun Park which closed in 1996. An auction was held at the park and all the items from Euclid Beach Park were sold off.
