Welcome Back to Euclid Beach Park

Reprint of an article that appeared in The Arch, Euclid Beach Park Now’s quarterly newsletter: Volume 10, Issue 2, Winter 1999. Authored and Submitted by Art Jones, Euclid Beach Park Now Member.

Truly, a piece of my heart is still on those grounds. My memories start in the mid 1950's when my Dad's company picnic was held at the Beach. He worked for Cleveland Diesel and every year we got to go to the par for this affair. I lived in Avon Lake then, as I do now, and this is about the furthest I can remember getting away from home but what a magical day it always was. This is, in my mind's eye the equivalent to going to the land of Oz. My early recollections were of us arriving at the park and my Dad having to stop the whole family while he chatted endlessly with one of his coworkers for what seemed like hours each time we entered the park. Here we were, chomping at the bit, with this magical park in such close range and we had to wait for my Dad to get done yacking so we could get on with this excitement. But then he always made us go on the “Bug” since it was the first ride we came to while entering. This always infuriated us kids for some reason but we had to do it. We didn't want to waste time on a minor ride like this when all the bigger rides were waiting for us. But that park had so much charm, heart, or whatever you want to use to describe it. I've since been to some of the larger parks like King's Island and Cedar Point but none of them have the quaintness or ambiance that Euclid Beach did. From the smells to the uniqueness of the rides there wasn't  any place like this one and I'm sure that there never will be. All the other parks seem to have a large collection of rides manufactured somewhere else that they bought from an amusement park ride manufacturer, then they put all these rides together on a vast expanse of concrete. But you don't ever get the feeling that there was someone that tried to put together a total experience for you to enjoy like they did at Euclid Beach. From the smells of the popcorn and the taffy and wood of the rides and the sycamore trees and the smell of lubricating oil . . . all these things were so unique to the Park. You never could get them anywhere else. I can remember the lurching of the train cars going up the first hill of any of the coasters and how when you were home in bed that night you could feel the lurching somehow still. The funhouse was something that  all amusement parks had but no funhouse was like this one. The upside down room always bewildered be every year. Rolling across the chrome rollers in the floor always thrilled me. The Laff in the Dark was always a fun terror. The Sleepy Hollow railroad always intrigued me. The little twon seemed like a place that I would have like to live. I remember how I always was awed by the goldfish that were as large as a “real” fish swimming under the tracks. The thriller was, what else can you call it, a THRILLER! The Flying Turns were so unique that I don't think there will ever be a ride to rival this one. And the Over the Falls was so special and terrifying. Then there was the coaster that even on busy days wasn't busy. I can't remember what the name was but it was located away from the rest of the coasters, hidden away toward the lake. (Note 1) This one was a joy just because we kind of felt like this one we had all to ourselves. We could get off and right back on the next ride without waiting. To me, the closing of the park was something close to doing away with Santa Claus.

                                                                                                                                                       Art Jones

Note 1. The coaster being referenced would be the AERO DIPS.