History
In the mid-19th century, the south shore region of Lake Erie was a popular vacation destination for the emerging middle class in the United States. The lake islands, such as Kelleys Island and South Bass Island, were gaining a reputation for their freshwater bathing resorts. The Cedar Point peninsula, named for its abundance of cedar trees, was originally known for its fishing. Local fishermen leased land and built living quarters there. Sandusky, which featured an important shipping harbor and two railroads, transformed into a major economic center over the next three decades. Railroad and steamship travel supported an emerging tourism industry, and rapid development of the area began.
In the 1860s during the American Civil War, housing for a battery of four field artillery pieces was constructed at the tip of the peninsula. It was used to defend a prison for Confederate soldiers on nearby Johnson's Island. Louis Zistel, a German immigrant, built two boats to transport the prisoners. In 1870, he began to ferry locals to the Cedar Point peninsula, which was regaining popularity as a summer picnic destination. Zistel opened a bathhouse on the north shore of the peninsula and the same year built a beer garden with a small dance floor. He charged 25 cents per person to ride from Sandusky to Cedar Point on his boat, Young Reindeer. This marked the beginning of Cedar Point the amusement park.
Benjamin F. Dwelle and Captain William Slackford leased land on the peninsula in 1882 and built eight new bathhouses, a dance hall and wooden walkways on the beach. The steamboats R.B. Hayes and Lutts provided transport to Biemiller's Cove and Cedar Point Lighthouse. Building on early success, Dwelle and Slackford continued to expand the park each year and added picnic tables, cleared acres of brush, and built a baseball diamond. In 1888, after Slackford became ill, Dwelle entered a more lucrative partnership with Adam Stoll and Louis Adolph, who owned land at Cedar Point, and investors Charles Baetz and Jacob Kuebeler. The partnership's first venture was constructing a Grand Pavilion, which opened in 1888. It was a two-story theater and concert hall with a bowling alley and photographer's studio. The building was recognized for its unusual architecture, and still stands in the park. The first amusement ride at Cedar Point, a water toboggan ride consisting of a ramp that launched riders into Lake Erie, opened in 1890. Electricity was installed at Cedar Point in 1891. The first roller coaster, Switchback Railway, opened the following year. It stood 25 feet (7.6 m) high and had a top speed of 10 miles per hour (16 km/h). The Switchback Railway was designed as two identical tracks side-by-side – one for the ride down and the other for the train to be hauled back to the top by the ride attendant.
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