Auroraadvocate.com - Geauga Historical Society saves park buildings

by Brent Hovey

Reporter

Burton -- The Geauga County Historical Society is doing what it can to save some of Geauga Lake's buildings.

At a parkwide auction in June, rides, buildings, signs and contents of buildings were sold, many of which will be resold for profit as scrap.

The Geauga Historical Society purchased a handful of items which it plans not to dispose of. It bought the Palace Theater and its contents, a pavilion and the Haybaler building.

The Palace Theater is where magic acts performed in waning years of the park.

The Haybaler building was the home of the 1976 Mack Himalaya Matterhorn ride and was donated to the historical society by the buyer.

The Palace Theater was purchased for $1,000 and was the main reason the GCHS had representatives at the auction, which was conducted June 17 and 18 by Norton Auctioneers of Michigan.

The pavilion was something that just worked out for the historical society, according to property manager Cheryl McNulty, and cost $4,500, which was funded by a grant.

"We originally went to get the contents of the Palace Theater [signs and memorabilia], but the pavilion is the exact size we needed for our Ohio Maple Museum," she said.

BOTH THE Palace Theater and the pavilion have been moved to the historical society's Century Village in Burton.

"We're going to add a second floor [to the Palace Theater] and use half of the first floor for a Geauga Lake museum, offices and a place for people to gather and sit down for a cup of coffee," said McNulty.

"The second floor will be used for storage of our Geauga Lake collection."

The pavilion will be the base for the new Ohio Maple Museum.

As for the Haybaler building, getting it to Century Village was not as easy. After it was donated, the historical society had to find $9,500 to move it.

McNulty said someone has come forward with a donation to make the move possible, and the building should be at Century Village within two weeks.

But more money is needed to re-erect the building there, and McNulty said that will cost $21,800 without remodeling.

She added no grants are available at this time to help out so she plans to have fundraisers and hopes a generous person will come forward with a large donation.

"Geauga Lake began in the 1800s, so it [saving the items] fits in perfectly with our mission," said McNulty.

Anyone who would like to help the GCHS save the Haybaler building can call the office at 440-834-1492.

"We hope enough people will come forward so we can rebuild it," McNulty said.

E-mail: bhovey@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3115