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THE HUMPHREY FAMILY AND EUCLID BEACH PARK
The following is taken from a "Souvenir Folder of Euclid Beach
Park Cleveland, Ohio."
EUCLID BEACH PARK is a nationally known amusement
park covering ninety acres of lakefront property on the northeast side of Cleveland, Ohio. It has been owned by managed by
the Humphrey family since 1901.
This family was composed of three brothers, a sister and
the wife and children of one of the brothers. They were originally from Connecticut and had been previously engaged in the
lumber business and farming in a small town near Cleveland. A series of reverses lost the farm for them and they came
to Cleveland penniless. After trying many other ways of earning a living, they finally hit upon the pop-corn business and
had a stand for several years in the park before purchasing the Humphrey property. From their background they brought into
the park business, their strict New England virtues and great respect for natural beauty.
So, Euclid Beach Park was established on the foundation of fair dealing, clean entertainment, and pleasant surroundings. They
permitted no alcoholic drinks in the park, no questionable shows, no gambling of any sort and no ballyhoo. In order to maintain
their policies uniformly throughout the grounds, they operated everything in the park, renting out no concessions.
At the time when these policies were instituted, no one believed that the Humphrey's would
be able to run the park successfully without the financial support derived from the sale of liquor, but the immediate popularity
of Euclid Beach under its management proved their ideas to be sound.
The same features
characterize Euclid Beach Park today. The grounds are clean and shaded by magnificent trees, the amusement devices are carefully
chosen and well kept. There are camp grounds and a trailer camp that houses visitors by the season or for short stays.
Euclid Beach Park has everything to offer both young and old.
It entertains Clevelanders and visitors from many other places throughout each season in an atmosphere of gaiety and respectability.
TIMELINE
1895 - Euclid Beach Park opens.
The Euclid Beach Park Company, owners of the park, had erected a fence surrounding the property, located eight miles east
of Cleveland on the southern shore of Lake Erie. Admission was charged for patrons to enjoy a beer garden, games of chance,
and a few mechanical amusement rides.
1899 - The Humphrey Family opens
a popcorn concession at Euclid Beach Park but decides to leave after one season due to the unsavory atmosphere, the beer garden,
side shows, and gambling.
1901 - Euclid Beach Park goes
bankrupt, Mr. D. S. Humphrey learns of this while on a business trip in Chicago. He immediately returns to Cleveland. He offers
the bankers a proposition. He cannot afford to purchase the property outright but offers to rent it. His premise is that turning
it into a family-oriented attraction will succeed. The bankers, having nothing to lose, agree to his offer. The fencing around
the property comes down, the park goes dry, and there is now free admission. Before 1/3 of the 1901 season was completed,
the park was so successful that the Humphrey Family had purchased eighty (80%) percent of the company stock.
1902 - The Humphrey Family negotiated
an agreement with the streetcar company to reduce passenger prices and charge a single fare. The new Euclid Beach Park advertising
slogan became, "One Fare, Free Gate, No Beer".
1904 - The "Log Cabin"
is moved to the park. It was originally the Forestry Building built for the Pan American Exposition held in Buffalo, New York
in 1901. It served as a company or community picnic headquarters and as a dance hall.
1904
- The Roller Rink is built.
1907 - The Humphrey Family open
the Elysium, an indoor ice skating rink located at East 107th and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio.
1909 - A new roller coaster met park patrons. Originally
called the "New Velvet Coaster" it would eventually be called the "Aero Dips".
1910 -A new carousel
is installed, replacing the one installed in 1905, machine No. 9 made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC). The
new carousel was also made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, machine No. 19. Around the mid 1930's, Euclid Beach added
a second "R: to the ride's name "CARROUSEL".
1910 - Aviator
Glenn H. Curtis sets a new world record for flying over water, taking off from the beach at Euclid Beach and landing on the
beach at Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio. He makes the return trip the next day.
1912 - The Humphrey Family uses
another of their inventions, a concrete pumping and pouring machine, to crate entire buildings as well as the pier and base
for a circular pool. In later years a water fountain was added to the pool.
1913 - The "Derby Racer"
roller coaster was built. The name was later changed to the "Racing Coaster". Two trains raced side by side on parallel
tracks. One train was painted red, the other was painted green. After each race or ride they seemed to have switched tracks; a
train starting on the west side of the loading station finished on the east side and vice versa. The ride was a single track
with the trains traveling only half the track's length each time.
1921 - A water gravity ride is
added. Named the "Mill Chute" it was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.
1921 - The "Great American Racing Derby" was also added. It was a carousel-like
ride except that besides moving up and down, the four rows of horses also moved forward and backward as in a horse race.
The ride was manufactured by Prior and Church. The ride was sold to Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio in 1965 and still operates
there today as "Cedar Downs".
1921 - The automobile is no longer
a novelty and more parking is needed. The main entrance Arch is constructed.
Euclid Beach Arch
1924 - The "Thriller"
roller coaster opened, designed by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.
1930 - The "Flying Turns"
is built. Designed by John Miller and J. N. Bartlett. Three articulated coaster cars free wheeled in an open barrel similar
to a bob-sled.
1933 - Cleveland radio personality
Tom Manning of radio station WTAM broadcasts an actual ride on the "Flying Turns" using an early battery powered
transmitter.
1933 -
Dudley Sherman Humphrey II dies at his home on the grounds of Euclid Beach Park. He was 81 years old. Leadership of the amusement
park was passed to Dudley's son, Harvey.
1935 - The "Funscience Hall"
opened, a walk through fun house that would see it's name changed to the "Surprise House". The public could
see through the center of the building's facade and watch ride patrons attempting to walk over an arched moving walkway.
At both outer sides of the facade, behind glass were a laughing man and a laughing woman swaying to and fro encouraging
people to enter the "Surprise House". A fire in the "Surprise House" damaged the man who was removed and
never replaced. The laughing woman survived and along with the main entrance "Arch" she remains another park
icon. "Laughing Sal" occasionally makes appearances in the Greater Cleveland Area.
1937 - The "Mill Chute"
under went alterations, the height of the drop was increased from 30 feet to 37 feet plus the inclination of the decent was
changed from 20 degrees to 50 degrees. A new route for the channel was also dug. All the work done by Euclid Beach Park employees.
With the changes came a new name, " Over the Falls".
1943 - During World War II Euclid Beach
Park would occasionally open from 11:00 p.m. to 3 a.m. for local Clevelanders working long hours for the war effort.
1957 - The "Roter" took
over the spot that was occupied by the "Bubble Bounce". The rides opening was broadcast on a local Cleveland
television station, KYW.
1962 - "Turnpike" opened,
self driven, small, gasoline powered cars.
1964 - The "Roller Rink"
was close, "Antique Autos" were installed inside the structure.
1964 - "Swingin' Gyms" installed near the ballroom.
1964 - Sometime after the park
closed for the 1964 season, the "Aero Dips" roller coaster was razed.
1966 - Between the 1965 and 1966 season the
"Great American Racing Derby" was removed, sold to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It operates at the park to this
day as "Cedar Downs". In its place for the 1966 season was a "Ferris Wheel" and "Tilt-A-Whirl".
1966 - Also, removed and sold was the
"Dippy Whip" replaced with the "Coffee Break".
1969 - September 28th, the last day
the park operated.
1978 - The
Humphrey Company opens a new, smaller amusement park in Streetsboro, Ohio named Shady Lake Park. Rides at this park consist
of; all the kiddieland rides tha were located in the Colonnade (see Note), the Flying Scooters, Turnpike, Antique
Autos, Ferris Wheel, Tilt-A-Whirl and Sleepy Hollow Railroad (miniature train). Also relocated to the new park were many of
old Euclid Beach's green park benches, fencing and some signage. Adjacent to the park a building was erected where the
Humphrey Company continued to manufacture their famous popcorn, popcorn balls and candy kisses. These items were available
for purchase at Shady Lake Park and were now distributed to local grocery store chains for resale.
Note:
The Colonnade was a large, 240' X 180' structure. It was erected in 1924 utilizing the Humphrey's own process
of pouring cement. Besides kiddieland also under it's roof were; a lunch stand, souvenir stand, frozen custard stand and
picnic tables.
1982 - The Humphrey Company, still
family owned, decided to consentrate on it's popcorn business so in 1982 Shady Lake Park closed. Just about everything
that was at the park found its way to a small amusement park located near Thortown, Indiana, Old Indiana Fun Park which closed
in 1996. An auction was held at the park and all of the items from Euclid Beach Park were sold off.
The Humphrey
Company moved its factory to Warrensville Heights, Ohio where it expanded into mail order. Available are, "Popcorn Gifts
and Memories of Euclid Beach Park". Their web site is, http://www.humphreycompany.com/servlet/StoreFront.
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