Author says Boeckling laid ground work for what Cedar Point is today

In the beginning, Cedar Point started like so many of the other parks, Boeckling gave it the extra class and managed to set it aside from all the other parks (even though Cedar featured alchohol and gambling like all the others)

By way of contrast, Euclid beach started off the same way, until Humphy came in and tuned EB into a non-alchohol non-gambling family high class park.

However, Humphry missed a great opprotunity not turning EB into a resort as Boeckling did with CP. That is still an important part of Cedar today.

*** This post was edited by john peck on 3/5/2002. ***

Good review article - I wonder if there will be a "third golden age" at Cedar Point? Or, alternatively, have we already witnessed it?

I think we're still in the second. Look at the capital improvement in the last two decades. Pretty amazing stuff!

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Jeff, You hit it right on the head.. this is the second "Golden Age". Accoding to Dave Francis, the park is just repeating what Boeckling did - add hotels, etc(though Boeckling hated, for most of his life, rides). I, along with Dave, and a few other "history freaks" like to say the "Golden Age" ended in the early 1920s.

john peck, There was a time at Cedar Point which "regular" guests could not get a drink... if you knew Boeckling, you could find one.

The presentation Sunday, wasn't really profiling Boeckling, it was were Dave Francis took people there through a day to old Cedar Point(including getting to the park, making reservations,etc.).

I personnaly adimire(in a way) Boeckling, he was a good guy to some and some people just flat out hated him. I love researching him, he was quite a intresting guy!

- Andrew Hyde(Who has spent hundreds of buck on collecting and researching Cedar Point's history)
http://www.experiencethepoint.com

I also enjoy the fact that Cedar has a great history section on their website. Too many forget that there was a CP before MF.
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Don't.....look.....back! The Headless Horseman awaits you in 2002!
Model coasters and rides

Wonderful article! And if you haven't picked up that book, I do recommend it, it's a wonderful resource on Cedar Point's early history.

And I agree with Jeff... I don't think the "second golden age" is over just yet.

JD
http://www.westcoaster.net

Agreed! We're still in the "second golden age", across the board. I think Cedar Point may have started it, but Six Flags is actually leading the way. If they keep droping the kind of coin on new rides as they have been, the industry will continue to expand. There is no better time then now to be doing the amusement park thing.

And could someone please post the correct pronounciation of "Boeckling"? Is it with a long "O" or like the name "Beck"? Or am I way off base?

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Without the chaindog, you'd never get up the lifthill...

I've always personally understood it to be "Beckling" in it's sound... but if I'm wrong, I do welcome the correction.

JD
http://www.westcoaster.net

James you are correct.

It like Beck(like the guitar player Jeff Beck) and then ling. Put them together: Beckling. Its a German name.

- Andrew
http://www.experiencethepoint.com

Thank you, gentlemen!

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Without the chaindog, you'd never get up the lifthill...

It is prenounced "Beckling." If you read the book, it says he was born in Michigan City, IN, in the 1860's. I live in MC, and my family is good friends with the latest generations of Boecklings. In fact, that family goes to CP every summer.

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TiM Schroll
gocubs7@hotmail.com
LED ZEPPELIN