LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park

Amusement park in the United States


LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park
Location
Middletown, Ohio, USA
Status Defunct
Operated June 10, 1922 to 2002
Previous names Americana Park (1978 - 2001)
LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park

LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park, otherwise known as Americana Amusement Park, was an amusement park in Middletown, Ohio, USA. It was located adjacent to Fantasy Farm Amusement Park.

History

In 1949, the park was expanded. The Rock-O-Plane, Parade of Fun funhouse, and an amusement arcade were all added.[1]

The park was renamed Americana Park in 1978.

In February 1996, the park was acquired by Park River Corporation, owner of another Ohio amusement park, Coney Island.[2] However in January 2000, Park River announced that due to lower than expected attendance, Americana Park would not reopen.[3] In May 2000, it was sold to Jerry Couch, who owned a nearby RV dealership. Couch announced his plan to reopen the amusement park under its original name in August. The reopening was pushed back to April 2001 and again to 2002.[4]

The park closed a week earlier than expected in 2002. Park owner Jerry Couch stated he planned to open the park under new management in 2003.[5] It did not reopen and many attractions were left standing but not operating.

In May 2006, Couch confirmed that the park would not reopen, announcing his intention to expand his RV dealership and sell the remaining rides at LeSourdsville Lake. Couch stated that he had lost $500,000 after opening the park in 2002.[6] The Screechin' Eagle roller coaster was demolished in August 2011.[7]

Former roller coasters

Name Manufacturer Type Opened Closed Fate
Jack Rabbit Unknown Kiddie 1955 1967 Unknown
Little Dipper Allan Herschell Company Kiddie 1968 2002 Relocated to Sluggers & Putters
Screechin' Eagle Unknown Wooden May 19, 1940 2002 Scrapped
Serpent SDC Sit-Down 1989 2002 Relocated to Kokomo's Family Fun Center
Wild Mouse Adolph Heinrich Wild Mouse 1961 Unknown Unknown
unknown Unknown Kiddie 1952 Unknown Unknown

Former attractions

Name Manufacturer Type Opened Closed Fate
Antique Autos Unknown Track Ride 1962 1989 Relocated to Kentucky Kingdom
Brass Ring Carousel Chance Rides Carousel 1996 2002 Sold to unknown buyer
Carousel Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel 1924 May 1988 Destroyed by fire
Demolition Derby Barbieri Dodgems May 1990 Unknown Unknown
Dodgem Unknown Dodgems 1940 May 1988 Destroyed by fire
Electric Rainbow Hrubetz Round-Up 1977 2002 Relocated to Stricker's Grove
Calypso Robles Bouso Atracciones Calypso 1972 2002 Relocated to Fun Spot Park
Flying Coaster Aero-Affiliates Flying Coaster 1963 1986 Unknown
Flying Scooters Bisch Rocco Flying Scooters 1946 2002 Unknown
Galleon Unknown Pirate Ship 2002 2002 Relocated to Stricker's Grove
Galleon Unknown Pirate Ship 1987 1989 Unknown
Indy 500 Unknown Unknown 1973 1989 Unknown
Musik Express Unknown Music Express 2002 2002 Unknown
Paratrooper Hrubetz Paratrooper 1964 2000 Cars destroyed by fire
Raging Thunder Log Flume Designed by Ron Berni Log Flume 1984 2002 Unknown
Rock-O-Plane Eyerly Aircraft Company Rock-O-Plane 1949 2002 Relocated to Coney Island
Scenic Ride Unknown Unknown 1940 1955 Unknown
Scrambler Eli Bridge Company Scrambler 1961 2002 Sold to an unknown buyer
Sombrero Unknown Tea Cups 1972 1988 or later Unknown
Space Combat Unknown Jets 1968 1993 Unknown
Sky Ride Universal Design Ropeway 1965 2002 Scrapped; station remains standing but not operating
Tempest Grover Watkins Tempest 1998 2002 Relocated to Coney Island
Tilt-a-Whirl Sellner Manufacturing Tilt-A-Whirl 1951 2002 Sold to an unknown buyer
Tip Top Tea Cups Unknown Unknown 2002 2002 Unknown
Trabant Chance Rides Trabant 1969 1969 or later Unknown
Turnpike Speedway Steifthau Tracked Ride 1956 1973 or later Unknown
Western Express Unknown Miniature Railway 1965 2002 Unknown
Whip Unknown Whip 1941 2002 Sold to an unknown buyer
Zipper Chance Rides Zipper Unknown 2002 Unknown
Ferris Wheel Unknown Ferris Wheel 1941 1970s Sold to an unknown buyer
Ferris Wheel Eli Bridge Company Ferris Wheel 1996 1999 or later Sold to an unknown buyer

References

  1. ↑ "LeSourdsville Opens Today", The Cincinnati Enquirer.
  2. ↑ "Rebirth of Americana", Dayton Daily News.
  3. ↑ "Americana Owners Close the Park After 77 Years". Ultimate Rollercoaster. https://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/archives/january00/stories/010700_01.shtml. 
  4. ↑ "Americana's reopening pushed back", Dayton Daily News.
  5. ↑ LeSourdsville Lake closes early - Amusement Today (Wayback archive)
  6. ↑ "Amusement park doomed to fade into history", Dayton Daily News.
  7. ↑ "Wooden roller coaster taken down", The Journal News.

External links

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