Cedar Point, A History

Cedar Point first opened in 1870, making it the second-oldest amusement park in the world. The park opened its first coaster in 1892, the Switchback Railway. The ride reached a staggering height of 25 feet, and traveled at the mind-blowing speed of 10 miles per hour.

The Switchback Railway. From the Los Angeles Times. Click for larger image.

The park debuted its second roller coaster in 1902, the Figure Eight Roller Toboggan. The iconic Hotel Breakers opened in 1905 with 600 rooms. The Hotel Breakers still stands today.

The Hotel Breakers. From sanduskyhistory.blogspot.com. Click for larger image.

The Cedar Point Cyclone roller coaster opens in 1929, followed by the still-standing Midway Carousel in 1946. Investors George Roose and Emile Legros take control of Cedar Point in 1957, and the Cedar Point causeway opens the same year. In 1964, the park introduces the Blue Streak, which remains the oldest operating roller coaster in the park. Corkscrew opens in the Bicentennial as the first triple-looping roller coaster, followed by the Gemini in 1978. At the time, the Gemini world as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world. This trend of "build bigger" and record-setting continues with Magnum XL-200 (first "hyper coaster", over 200 feet), Millennium Force (first "giga coaster", over 300 feet), and Top Thrill Dragster (first "strata coaster", over 400 feet) in 1989, 2000, and 2003 respectively. Today, Cedar Point is recognized as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World, with 17 roller coasters and countless other great rides and attractions.

Park Map, 1980. From themeparkbrochures.net. Click for larger image.

Park Map, 2000. From themeparkbrochures.net. Click for larger image.

Magnum Advertisement, 1989 brochure. From themeparkbrochures.net. Click for lager image.

Mantis Advertisement, 1996 brochure. From themeparkbrochures.net. Click for larger image.

Millennium Force Advertisement, 2000 brochure. From themeparkbrochures.net. Click for larger image.

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