Did you know that August 16 is officially known as National Roller Coaster Day? Honoring those arguably favorite attractions in so many amusement parks, this date was chosen specifically to pay tribute to when the very first roller coaster was patented, on August 16, 1898.
National Roller Coaster Day has been celebrated annually for more than four decades. It is even observed internationally to some extent. But keeping on the smaller scale, it’s worth mentioning that we here in the Delmarva region don’t have very far to venture in order to delight in some riveting roller coaster options of stellar claim. That’s because we are home to so many awesome amusement parks. That’s the way it’s always been, after all, even though not all of our former favorites are still around.
In this Flashback Friday Feature, I’m taking a look at various regional amusement parks that once rocked the Delmarva states but are sadly no more. In my review, I will select a few examples from each state, highlighting key aspects of each one and the factors that played crucial roles in orchestrating their eventual closures.
Delaware
Shellpot Park
This popular trolley park, based in Brandywine Hundred, was built by the Wilmington City Railway and first opened to the public in 1893 as an en route tourist attraction. In only a few years, it grew from being a modest wooded lake to a major amusement park featuring rides and other onsite amusements and entertainment. These attractions included a miniature railroad, carousel, and roller coaster with a 65-foot vertical drop. Unfortunately, a fire along the railway destroyed many of the attractions in 1934, an already economically difficult year for most of the nation. The park had already started to see a decline in numbers even before then. Shellpot Park never recovered from its former glory and therefore shut its doors for good.
Maryland
Carlin’s Park
This Baltimore-based attraction, which was established in 1918 by John J. Carlin, was renowned for offering “Clean Fun for the Entire Family.” Featured rides here included a roller coaster, a tea cup attraction, swings, and so much more. They even added a swimming pool, circus acts, fireworks displays, and a notable roller skate rink, in addition to being known for hosting dance parties and live entertainment.
The park’s decline began in the mid-1950s, beginning with the owner’s death in 1954. Then a fire broke out two years later, destroying the ice-skating arena altogether. The final blow came when they were overlooked by the City of Baltimore’s awarding of a new Civic Arena.
Enchanted Forest
Enchanting visitors since opening back in 1955, the Enchanted Forest in Ellicott City followed a fairytale/fabled theme to match its many rides and other onsite attractions. It also gained fame pop culturally and was even featured in the 1980s Johnny Depp film Cry-Baby. A popular place to play, ride, and have a birthday party, the Enchanted Forest ruled the roost for many generations up through the 1990s. That was after the original owners sold the site to a development company. While operations waned, swaggered, and were eventually reduced to being those of a reserved birthday party site, the park officially shuttered in 1995.
Gwynn Oak Park
Gwynn Oak Park was once a most sought-after destination. Based in Northwest Baltimore County, the 64-acre privately owned amusement park operated between the years 1863 and 1973. Among the myriad rides they featured were three roller coasters— the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper, and the Wild Mouse. Other highlights here included their Dixie Ballroom, trolley, carousel, and Ferris Wheel. The Baltimore AM radio station WFBRN even did live weekend broadcasts from the park.
The Park’s demise came in 1973 on the heels of Hurricane Agnes. Owing to unsalvageable flood damage and the overflow of Falls Creek, Gwynn Oak ceased to exist.
Marshall Hall
Closer to D.C., Marshall Hall once offered a pleasing Potomac Area escape. The amusement park opened back in the1920s and boasted several rides, including a wooden roller coaster. A larger wooden roller coaster later replaced the original in 1950. It became one of the most popular featured attractions. So, when tornado-force winds destroyed the coaster in July 1977, it was the first in a series of declines that Marshall Hall experienced before officially shuttering in 1980.
Virginia
Buckroe Beach
The amusement park at Buckroe Beach reigned supreme as a Chesapeake Bay-based attraction for nearly a century. Having opened in 1897, it operated as part of the scenic Buckroe Beach Resort, which also included a large hotel, cottages, and a dancing pavilion. Later additions, like the carousel, came in the 1950s, but the earlier highlights were part of the fabric as early as the 1920s. John Miller designed the location’s swing ride, miniature railroad, roller coaster, and other features, including the beach!
Unfortunately, waning interest and competition from other area operations, such as Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion, contributed to its imminent downward spiral. So, in 1985, Buckroe Beach officially closed up shop for good.
Forest Hill Park
The site of Forest Hill Park in Richmond has known many incarnations. Once a quarry and then an estate, by the turn of the 20th century, a successful amusement park operation emerged on the scene. That was following the original family’s selling of the estate to the Southside Land and Improvement Co. Then it became a terminus for the Forest Hill trolley in 1889.
In an attempt to draw in more visitors to the area, the terminus was built up to include many local attractions, including an amusement park with a carousel, roller coaster, fun house, dance hall, penny arcade, and golf course. There were even bathhouses, a swimming area, and a lake for boats designed in the former quarry pond. Sadly, it was the financial burden brought on by the Great Depression that sealed the park’s fate in 1932 when all the rides were discontinued.
Lakeside Park
Based in Salem near Roanoke, Lakeside Park operated from 1920 and 1986. It was essentially named for the massive swimming pool that opened here in 1920 as part of a summertime luring initiative. Various amusement park rides were added in the following years.
The park maintained a huge draw in fandom throughout its tenure. Like other earlier trolley parks, however, it struggled to compete with bigger ones like Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens. Many hardships also emerged through the 1970s and 1980s, particularly a flood in 1985. The last nail in the coffin, however, came following the accidental death of a maintenance worker in 1986, who was hit by the roller coaster during a test run.
These are just a few of the many now-defunct amusement parks that once graced the greater Delmarva region. In addition to those profiled here, there were many others in the aforementioned states as well as in vast other venues located throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Pennsylvania, for instance, boasts many such examples. Even West Virginia has an infamously famous call to a former amusement park that may have been built on cursed lands. But that’s a story for another day—perhaps something to look forward to come Halloween season.