User:Hmich176/Hersheypark/Mill Chute

The Mill Chute was a ride at Hersheypark from 1929 until 1972. Milton S. Hershey purchased the ride from the Philadelphia Toboggan Company when the decision was made to build a new pool and drain the existing pool and neighboring lake in Comet Hollow. In 1963, the ride was renovated and rethemed. It was renovated and converted into a new ride called Lost River. The ride maintained that theme until it's final season in 1972. During the 1972 season Hurricane Agnes struck Hershey, and the resulting flood of the park caused irreparable damage to the ride. As a result, the ride was closed for the remainder of the 1972 season and was torn down in the off season.

Mill Chute: 1929–1962
Milton S. Hershey, owner of what was then called Hershey Amusement Park, made the decision build a new pool for the park in 1929. The original pool, in the park since 1908, was drained and filled in with dirt and gravel. The result left an open space in the park, and the first ride purchased to fill that void was the Mill Chute.

Lost River: 1963–1972
Following the 1962 season, the Mill Chute was due to be renovated. At the time, renovating old dark rides into new ones was becoming popular at neighboring parks and boardwalk establishments. These new dark rides were primarily manufactured by the Outdoor Dimensional Display Company of New Jersey. Park management hired the firm to renovate the Mill Chute into a new themed dark ride called Lost River. The most notable feature of the ride was a large elephant that was placed on top of the ride's station.

The Lost River operated through the beginning of the 1972 season. Due to a large amount of rain from Hurricane Agnes, Hersheypark experienced an unprecedented flood which resulted in the destruction of the Lost River. Due to the damage the ride sustained from the flood waters, the ride was inoperable and unrepairable.

The Lost River was replaced by the Coal Cracker, built on the hill above Spring Creek, for the 1973 season. Coal Cracker was always intended to be the replacement of Lost River, as it had been scheduled to be removed after the 1973 season, if the ride hadn't been destroyed in 1972. It's unclear if the ride would have been removed, however, as economic and financial stress on the park in 1973 forced the park to delay or cancel capital expenses.

The Lost River's space was never truly replaced until the Great Bear steel coaster was built in 1998; its second and largest drop, vertical loop and Immelman element are located in the same location as the Mill Chute.