Midway State Park facts for kids
| Location | Maple Springs, New York, United States |
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| Opened | 1898 |
| Owner | New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation |
| Slogan | Continuing the Tradition |
| Operating season | May – September |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 20 |
| Website | Midway State Park |
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Midway Park
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Carousel (1946), July 2012
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | NY 430, Maple Springs, New York |
| Area | 44 acres (17.8 ha) |
| Built | 1898 |
| Built by | Allan Herschell Carousel Company; W.F. Mangels Company |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000133 |
| Added to NRHP | March 13, 2009 |
Midway State Park is a super cool amusement park located in Maple Springs, New York. It first opened way back in 1898! It was started by a railway company as a fun picnic spot.
Today, Midway State Park is one of the oldest amusement parks in the whole United States. It's the fifteenth-oldest park that has been open non-stop. It's also one of the few "trolley parks" still around. Trolley parks were popular parks built at the end of trolley lines to encourage people to ride the trolleys.
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Discovering Midway State Park's History
When Midway Park first opened, it had a baseball field and a dance hall. There was also a dining room and a sandy beach for swimming. Today, you can still use some of the original picnic shelters. The park has added many new things over the years.
The main concession building was built in 1915. It still has places to buy snacks and drinks. You can also find the Carousel Museum and a roller rink inside.
In 1951, a man named Martin "Red" Walsh bought the park. Later, his son Michael and his wife Janis ran it. They were known as Mr. and Mrs. Midway! After the 2006 season, the park became part of the New York State Parks system.
Many famous people have visited the park. These include Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr., actress Lucille Ball, and TV host Jack Paar. In 1960, the famous Glenn Miller Orchestra even played music there.
Midway State Park has won awards too! Readers of the Dunkirk Observer voted it the Best Travel Destination in Chautauqua County.
The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. This means it's a special historic place. It covers about 44 acres and has many old buildings. These include the Lakeside Pavilion (from 1915) and the carousel (from 1948).
Midway Park's Journey Through Time
- 1894 – The name "Midway" was first used. This was when a new steamboat dock was built between two older docks.
- 1898 – Midway Park opened as a picnic spot for the Jamestown & Lake Erie Railway. It had 17 acres, including woods and a sandy beach.
- July 12, 1898 – Midway Park officially opened! People could enjoy music, dancing, baseball, tennis, and boating.
- August 1898 – Train tickets to Midway Park cost only 25 cents from Jamestown or Mayville.
- 1914 – The train tracks to Midway Park became electric. This made it easier for people to visit.
- April 10, 1915 – The Chautauqua Lake Navigation Company bought Midway Park.
- July 31, 1915 – A huge new building was finished at the park. It had roller-skating and dancing upstairs. Downstairs, there was a bath house and a restaurant.
- 1924 – A big wooden roller coaster called the Jack Rabbit was built. It was taken down less than 20 years later.
- March 1, 1951 – Martin "Red" Walsh bought the park.
- 1953 – Martin Walsh and his brother Frank started adding new rides and attractions.
- October 1984 – Martin's son Michael and his wife Janis bought the park.
- July 12, 1998 – Midway Park celebrated its 100th birthday! They gave out free cake and had a big dance.
- 2005 – The park owners agreed to sell the park to New York State. The state officially took over after the 2006 season.
- May 25, 2007 – A big Grand Opening Ceremony was held under state ownership.
- March 13, 2009 – The park was named a Historic District.
- 2010 – A group called "Friends of Midway State Park" was created. They help support the park.
- July 1, 2016 – A brand new mini-golf course opened at the park!
Fun Things to Do at Midway Park
Midway Park currently has 18 rides that are great for kids. You can also play miniature golf, ride Go-Karts, climb a climbing wall, and play water games. Many of the smaller rides were made by the Allan Herschell Company. This company is famous for making amusement park rides.
Families and companies often use the picnic shelters for their gatherings. The park also has a family arcade. You can play classic games like skeeball, Pac-Man, and Galaga there.
Midway Park is open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day. It has a shorter schedule in June.
Exciting Rides at Midway Park
Images for kids
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Arcade (1930), July 2012
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Carousel Shelter (1924), July 2012
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Lakeside Pavilion (1915), July 2012
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Tilt-A-Whirl at Midway Park
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Midway Bumper Boats 2016
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Midway Kiddie Boats 2016
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Midway Helicopters refurbished in their new location 2016
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Midway Tidal Wave 2016
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Midway Train 2016 in the new station house (2015)
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Midway Bumper Cars 2016
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Midway Tugboat Paddlers 2016
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Midway Tubs of Fun 2016
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Midway Handcars 2016
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Midway Water Wars 2016
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