Cedar Point Timeline 1870 - 1969

From its humble beginnings as a simple beach and bathhouse in 1870 to the mega-resort it is today, Cedar Point has undergone many changes. Here’s a look back at the park’s unique history in a timeline featuring enhancements and changes to America’s Roller Coast®!

1870: Cedar Point opens as a public bathing beach. First passengers arrive at Cedar Point Resort on the Steamer, "Young Reindeer."

1882: Dock built at Biemiller's Cove area; new dance hall and eight bathhouses also built there. Steamer "R.B. Hayes" begins service to Biemiller's Cove while the Steamer "Lutts" goes to the Cedar Point Lighthouse. A new dock is built between Biemiller's Cove and the Lighthouse.

1884: Great Western Band performed at Grove on lakeshore. Biemiller's Cove served by Steamer "H.B. Wilson."

1888: The enormous Grand Pavilion opens, featuring an auditorium, bowling alleys and dining facilities. The adjacent Ladies' Pavilion provided refreshments suitable for ladies and children. Band stand added in front of Grand Pavilion for Great Western Band. Steamer "I.M. Weston" chartered.

1889: Brush Electric Dynamo power plant installed.

1891: Steamer "A.J. Wehrle, Jr." began service.

1892: The park’s first roller coaster, the Switchback Railway, opens. It stood an amazing 25 feet tall and reached an unbelievable top speed of 10 mph.

1894: Beach additions include a pony track, diving platform, water toboggan, horizontal bars, water trapeze and bicycle boats.

1897: Four owners (Adam J. Stoll, Jacob Kuebeler, Louis Adolph and Charles Bretz) sold interest in Cedar Point to the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company of Indiana. This marked the coming of George A. Boeckling to the management of Cedar Point.  George Boeckling guided Cedar Point's success from 1897 until his death in 1931.

1899: Cedar Point opened its first hotel, the Bay Shore Hotel.

1901: The White House, a 55-room hotel opens on Sandusky Bay.

1902: The Figure-Eight Roller Toboggan opens as the second roller coaster ever built at Cedar Point.

1905: The historic Hotel Breakers welcomes its first guests. The hotel offered 600 rooms making it one of the largest hotels in the Midwest. Crystal Rock Palace built to serve food and beverages. Movie "The Great Train Robbery" played the season at Cedar Point Theatre.

1906: A new midway is built featuring various rides, games, fortunetellers, merchandise shops, a skating rink, a massive Coliseum with a grand ballroom and other attractions. A new electric plant is built. Steamer "New York" purchased by Cedar Point.

1907: Arrival of Steamer "Eastland." Beginning of steamship service to Cedar Point from Cleveland.

1908: Following the season, engines of the Steamer "New York" were removed and placed in the newly built Steamer - "G.A. Boeckling."

1909: Steamer "G.A. Boeckling" christened on June 28.

1910: Aviation great Glenn H. Curtiss establishes a new world record for flying over water when he completes a 65-mile-long flight from Euclid Beach to the Cedar Point Beach.

1911: Cedar Point announced that a roadway would be built to the resort, connecting it with the main arteries coming into the Sandusky area.

1913: College football legend and Notre Dame great, Knute Rockne, works as a lifeguard at Cedar Point with teammate Gus Dorais. During their free time they perfect the forward pass on the Cedar Point Beach.

1914: On July 19, the roadway (Cedar Point Chausee) was opened to the public.

1915: The White House was remodeled. Opened June 20 under new name, "The Cedars." Goodyear employees from Akron had an excursion to the resort, numbering 18,000 people.

1919: Captain William H. Long of Lorain, Ohio, began daily sight-seeing flights.

1920: Current Cleveland Road entrance of Chausee opened.

1925: The legendary Helen Keller speaks at the Annual Convention of Lions International hosted in the park’s Convention Center.

1929: The classic Cedar Point Cyclone roller coaster opens along the beach. It is billed as “Scientifically Built for Speed, Thrills and Safety.”

1934: The Tumble Bug was one of the few rides added at Cedar Point during the Depression.

Mid-30's: The Leap the Dips coaster is removed.

1939: Dance floor and skating rink of the Coliseum converted to a Ballroom and refreshment service added. Top name big bands performed in Cedar Point's Grand Ballroom.

1946: A family favorite, the Midway Carrousel, debuts at Cedar Point.

1952: Regular steamer service between Sandusky and Cedar Point was discontinued. Steamer "G.A. Boeckling" put out of service; sold and removed to Sturgeon Bay, Wisc., where it became a floating warehouse.

1957: A group of investors from Cleveland (including George Roose and Emile Legros) acquired ownership of Cedar Point. The Cedar Point Causeway opened on June 12.

1959: Construction is completed on the Cedar Point Marina, one of the largest on the Great Lakes.

1960: Cadillac Cars, Scrambler and Tiki Twirl open.

1961: Sky Ride and Star Voyager open.

1962: Sky Wheel opens.

1963: Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad and Mill Race open.

1964: The oldest operating roller coaster at Cedar Point today, the Blue Streak, opens. Western Cruise (subsequently named Paddlewheel Excursions) also opens.

1965: Earthquake, Space Spiral and Turnpike Cars open. Jungle Larry's African Safari opens. "Jungle Larry" and "Safari Jane" Tetzlaff entertained guests for 30 years with their ever-expanding menagerie of tigers, leopards, exotic snakes, chimpanzees, monkeys and an occasional elephant. Jungle Larry's African Safari ran through the 1994 season.

1966: Pirate Ride opens.

1967: Cedar Downs Racing Derby and the Rotor open.

1968: Cedar Point’s live entertainment department is formed. Frontier Town opens, along with Shoot-the-Rapids, the Frontier Lift, Kiddieland Carrousel and Sky Slide.

1969: The Cedar Creek Mine Ride, one of the first roller coasters to utilize steel tubular track, opens. Antique Cars open. Town Hall Museum opens in Frontier Town; displays photos and memorabilia from the park's colorful past.