A Tumble Bug letter from Chippewa Lake...

...to Conneaut Lake Park is the latest Blog entry from CLP. It's a cute, if somewhat sad, letter with a picture of the Chippewa Bug...as it is now.

http://www.conneautlakepark.com/html/09_28_2006.html

Tom

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That is sad.

Considering the time it's been standing there, I am surprised the track hasn't collapsed yet.

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That ride is almost completely consumed by trees. Even if parts of the steel had disintegrated the trees could probably hold up whatever was left of it. But I remember that although the ride is covered in rust when I visited in 04, that ride is still standing strong.

I can pretty much guarentee though that the ride will never operate again. It would be nice to see it running again, however we'll just have to enjoy the 3 maybe 4 remaining Bugs left.

Sad indeed.

~Rob Willi

You know, I live in Akron. I wish this place accessible without it being illegal. I'd love to go see the park and all the rides that are there. It is very sad to see, though.

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Jeff - check Paul Drabek's website...he has pics from the property from a few years ago.

Forgetten Ohio is another good site for Chippewa, Americana and Fantasy Farm pics.

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My fiancee and I just went with a friend of her's to the old Chippewa Lake a few weeks ago and got some great pics. I haven't had time to upload them yet but if I can this weekend I will post them on here. It's just sad to a park in that condition.

If a Tumble Bug was capable of writing a letter, I doubt it would be sitting among the weeds ;) Seriously, it's sad... but it makes me appreciate what Conneaut Lake did even more!

Jeff, it is accessible, and it's 10 minutes from my house. There's a spot a ways from the entrance that has neither a fence, nor a "no trespassing" sign. It's the pathway the locals use to go down to the lake and fish. I've met plenty of nice people there who are more than happy to let you in through their back/side yard, so long as you promise not to break/climb/vandalize/burn anything.

It's coming up on the best time to go, too. The trees are shedding so you can see what's under all those leaves. I haven't been there in 2 years, but I'm always up for going back.

-Josh

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I don't have a "no tresspassing" sign on my house either. That doesn't mean you can go in it.

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^me either.
My neighbor does though, written in five languages. (that was suggested to him by a cop after he threatened to shoot a tresspasser that didn't understand English).
:) *** Edited 9/30/2006 8:50:17 PM UTC by FLYINGSCOOTER***

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Wow. That is sad. :( I visited Chippewa once back in 2002 and remember seeing the Tumble Bug. I couldn't believe nobody tried to save it.

I would like to visit again sometime. I know they have had problems with vandals over the years. The one time I was there I remember seeing a lot of beer bottles, debris, and signs of fires/bonfires.

Still, it's a neat experience and the locals I met were very nice.

-Tina

:'-(

That makes me love CLP just that much more. CLP deserves a lot of respect for keeping such in old ride going, as does Kennywood for the Turtle and many of their other classics.

Who owns the former Chippewa Lake Park property?

After all these years, the remaining parts of rides could possibly be considered 'abandoned property on public grounds'.

Conneaut and Kennywood could possibly find a use for some of the Turtle trains and parts, if usable. *** Edited 10/1/2006 7:02:34 PM UTC by midwave***

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A slightly unrelated but does Chippewa still have those flying cages there?
And when did CLP get rid of Ulimate Trip (indoor scrambler)?

It was moved out in 1991, then back in, then moved out in 2004? when the roof gave way.

^ I think you'rte right about it being '04, because when I visited in '05 we talked about the ride with the attendant in the arcade, and it seemed like it had *just* happened.

I think the frame for the flying cages is still in there but the cages themselves have been removed. Some years ago, somebody removed the coaster trains as well. I wonder who took them and how they took them!

From what I've read, the property is owned by a group called "Continental Business Enterprises." I think that's the same company that owned the park in the 1970s, and I believe the plan when they bought it was to build a casino. When approval for the casino didn't pan out, they abanoned the park.

I also gather that trying to talk to CBE is similar to slamming your head into a brick wall.

I was at an ACE event in Pa in 1994-5-6?, and there was some lady selling shares of stock in Chippewa Lake for $25. My thoughts were that at $25, you need to work very hard to raise the $1 million or so to repair the park, let alone buy anything new.