The summer of 2008 has come and gone quickly, and out of sight to most eyes, a piece of Aurora's history has disappeared with it.

In the 2 1/2 months since Norton Auctioneers of Michigan conducted a sale of rides, memorabilia and building contents at Geauga Lake Park, crews have worked to level the landscape.

Area residents who've paid attention to the work going on along Route 43 and Geauga Lake Road have seen the demise of many of the site's structures.

I hadn't paid much attention all summer and was really surprised at what I saw when I drove around the perimeter of the park the week of Aug. 18.

The best I can describe what I saw inside the fences which shield the park from public view was it looked like a tornado had swept across the property.

Most of the buildings have been smashed by giant diggers' claws and bulldozers. Many rides have been relocated or stored away, and some perhaps knocked down.

The 1926 Big Dipper and 1988 Raging Wolf Bobs coasters are still there, as is the Skyscraper (space needle) and ballroom, but who knows for how long.

Glen Moore, a resident of Moneta Avenue not far from the Route 43 side of the park, said it was strange to hear the sound of destruction this summer rather than screams and happy voices.

As I shot photos of a giant claw moving pieces of razed buildings near Geauga Lake Road, a women driving by stopped and told me, "I never thought I'd see this day."

Although it's still to be determined what will become of the park's 500 acres, it's not much of a secret that within five years we'll probably see stores and condos there.

Just like Euclid Beach and Luna Park in Cleveland; Brady Lake, Silver Lake and Summit Beach parks; Meyer's Lake in Canton and Idora Park in Youngstown.

Chippewa Lake Park in Medina County closed 30 years ago. Some of its rides and buildings still stand, while others have collapsed or burned down.

That 100-acre property was sold recently, and word is what's left there soon will be flattened just like all the old parks I mentioned previously.

History of Geauga Lake

Most people who have lived in or near Aurora in the last 20 to 30 years are familiar with the succession of the park from Funtime Inc. to Six Flags to Cedar Fair.

But many don't know much about the site's history in the late 1800s and first half of the 20th century, so I'll pass on a few highlights.

In its early years -- dating to the park's origin in 1887 -- the area was known as Picnic Lake and Giles Pond. It was used mostly for camping, fishing and picnicking.

Alexander G. Kent built a 75-room hotel -- the Kent House -- on the lake in 1888, and a steam-powered carousel was the site's first ride in 1889.

A roller rink, photo gallery, billiard hall and bowling alley followed in the 1890s, and the park accommodated mostly local patrons in its first 35 to 40 years.

Not long after William Kuhlman became the owner in 1925, a John Miller-designed "out and back" wooden roller coaster called the Skyrocket was built. It later became the Clipper and eventually the Big Dipper.

Among other attractions added were Dodgems, Tumble Bug, the Whip, an aerial swing, carousel, auto speedway -- closed down when Sea World was built there -- and swimming pool.

The year the coaster was erected -- 1926 -- Johnny Weismuller, who became famous for his Tarzan movie role, set a world record in the 220-yard freestyle in the park's 300-by-110-foot pool.

Eleven years later, the beautiful Marcus Illions carousel came to the park. It is still there in storage, awaiting relocation to an unknown venue.

The Schryer family assumed ownership of the park in the early 1940s and added more fun things such as a Ferris wheel. But some tragic things happened during that time.

In 1941, high winds leveled some buildings, knocked down trees and damaged a part of the coaster. Damage was estimated at $50,000; six people were injured.

In 1952 -- the year I was born -- the bowling alley, theater, dance hall and roller rink structure was hit by a fire, which caused an estimated $500,000 in damage.

The 1950s saw many new kiddie rides added, as well as the current ballroom. In the 1960s, the Scrambler, Flying Cages, Giant Slide, Paratrooper, Round Up, skeeball alleys and food buildings were added.

Good times turn to bad

Perhaps the heyday of the park dawned in 1968, when four former managers at Cedar Point purchased Geauga Lake and formed Funtime Inc. They leased 25 acres to Sea World to build a park across the lake.

The first new ride under Funtime ownership was the Parkview Express in 1969, while the early 1970s brought the Himalaya, Spider, Wharf restaurant, Gold Rush log flume and Merrie Oldies antique cars.

Other attractions added were the Skyscraper in 1974, Gold Rush Theater in 1975, Matterhorn in 1976, Double Loop coaster in 1977 and Corkscrew coaster in 1978.

In the 1980s, the Big Dipper was reconstructed and Funtime delved into water attractions, with Boardwalk Shores and swimming allowed in the lake for the first time in years.

Also in the '80s, Funtime acquired interests in Darien Lake in Buffalo, N.Y., and the Columbus Zoo's amusement park, which was renamed Wyandot Lake.

In 1984, the Wave debuted at a cost of $2 million -- the largest wave pool east of the Rockies -- Turtle Beach came in 1989 and the Texas Twister in 1993.

Funtime ownership ended in 1995 after 27 years, when Premier Parks of Oklahoma City bought the park. That was the last season for the Corkscrew and Rocket Ships.

In late 1999, the park became Six Flags Ohio. Although millions of dollars in rides were added and Sea World was acquired in 2001, the early 21st century saw attendance plummet.

That trend never reversed itself despite the efforts of Cedar Fair, which developed Wildwater Kingdom on the old Sea World side of the lake in 2005.

The water park is the only remaining part of the once mighty two theme parks, which attracted a combined 3.5 million guests per year in the 1990s.

Sea World and Geauga Lake Park are memories now. Many folks will take those memories to their graves, just like many did of Euclid Beach and Chippewa Lake, and I will of Meyer's Lake.

E-mail:

klahmers@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3155