There’s something particularly unsettling about an abandoned amusement park—the crowds, excitement, and laughter that once filled the park seem to linger long after the park shutters its doors. In northern Ohio, you'll find what was once a popular Midwest destination that now sits decaying in the middle of a charming lakeside village. Keep reading to learn more.
Chippewa Lake Park was once an epic amusement park that was open from 1878 until 1978. Chippewa was a classic and old-fashioned vacation destination packed with wooden roller coasters, carousels, and water rides. The park peaked during the roaring '20s when the first modern coaster was built here. Chippewa drew thousands of visitors a year and the popular ride simply became known as "The Coaster."
Over the decades, lots of competition began to surface. The opening of Cedar Point was the real nail in the coffin for Chippewa Lake Park. As Cedar Point rose in popularity and continued to introduce exciting record-breaking rides, Chippewa attracted fewer and fewer visitors. After celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 1978, the park quietly closed overnight without any big media coverage. It remains one of the most shocking park closures in Ohio to date.
Today, Chippewa Lake Park is an intriguing place to explore. The abandoned park attracts ghost hunters and curious visitors from all over the state who come to photograph the haunting abandoned structures of a bygone era.
Just this year, the Medina County Park District purchased the abandoned park and currently have a set list of plans to revitalize the area. The early phases of work have a price tag of nearly $300,000 and include a new western hiking trail loop along with a separate primitive trail. This work would be completed within five years. Eventually, the county would also like to turn the abandoned Ferris wheel into a sculpture and build a pavilion, snack shack, amphitheater, and arcade block.
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