User talk:Katieguill

Hi, my name is Katie and I am doing a project for an online history class that requires me to research pre 1900s history on Cedar Point. If anyone could give me some more information on the history or anything related to the history, it would be much appreciated! Here is what I have so far:

According to the Cedar Point website, Cedar Point used to be called the Cedar Point Peninsula back in 1870 known for its dance floor and bathhouse. What seems to be one of the most popular amusement parks on the planet today, started out as a Peninsula that was open to the public for fishing and hunting. But then, once Louis Zistel realized that this gorgeous, striking beachside of Lake Erie needed to be used for something bigger, he decided to open a beer garden on the Cedar Point Peninsula. Charging 25 cents a ride, he would hall over people on a steamboat to access his beer garden, which involved a dance floor and bathhouse. This became very popular for the public and eventually led to a quote in the local newspaper, saying that “sailing and bathing parties to Cedar Point are all the rage” ("Park History." Roller Coaster Capital & Best Amusement Park in the World. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2013). Then, Cedar Point built its first roller coaster in 1892. This roller coaster was named the Switchback Railway. After the first roller coaster, more and more thriller rides were built, but most importantly, visionaries were also what got Cedar Point to be so popular.

As I was doing my research,it was hard for me to find books about the history of Cedar Point (I looked at the AU Library), so I figured the most reliable resource I could use is the original Cedar Point website. Although it does give a brief history reflection, I would like to learn more about the development of the roller coasters before 1900. It says the first coaster was built in 1892, but what was that roller coaster like? Even a picture of it would be interesting to compare it to today’s roller coasters.

CITATION "Park History." Roller Coaster Capital & Best Amusement Park in the World. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.