Puritas Springs Park facts for kids

Puritas Springs Park was an old amusement park in Cleveland, Ohio. It sat high above the Rocky River Valley. The park opened around the year 1900. It closed in 1958 because it became too expensive to run. Today, houses stand where the park once was.

Park History: From Springs to Thrills

Early Days: Bottled Water and Picnics

The land where Puritas Springs Park was built first belonged to a railway company. In the 1890s, this company bought the land. They started bottling and selling water from the natural springs there.

The railway company and its vice president, Albert Akins, soon had an idea. They decided to create a park at the Puritas Springs site. They hoped to bring more visitors to the area. This would also help them sell more train tickets. The railway started bringing people to the park gates on June 10, 1900.

In its very early days, Puritas Springs was not like modern amusement parks. It did not have big rides like a merry-go-round or a Ferris Wheel. Instead, it offered simpler fun. There was a dance hall, places to camp, and picnic areas.

John Gooding's Vision: Adding Rides

John Gooding was a key person in the park's story. It's not clear if he started the park or joined around 1908. But by the end of 1915, he owned the park completely. He made many big changes until he passed away in the 1930s.

John Gooding began to change the park by adding mechanical rides. These included fun merry-go-rounds. In 1922, he added an indoor roller skating rink. It even had a special band organ that played music.

The Cyclone Roller Coaster

A very exciting ride came to the park in 1927. It was called the Cyclone. This roller coaster was designed by a famous coaster builder, John Miller. The Cyclone opened on June 10, 1928. It quickly became the most popular ride at the park.

John Gooding died in the mid-1930s. But his family continued to own and run the park. They kept it going until it finally closed.

Park Closure and a Mysterious Fire

In 1958, Puritas Springs Park faced some challenges. The cost of insurance went up. More houses were being built nearby. Also, fewer people were visiting the park. Because of these reasons, the park was sold to people who wanted to build homes there.

Less than a year after the park closed, a large fire broke out. It destroyed much of the park. No one ever found out what caused the fire.

What Remains Today

Even after the fire and many years, some parts of the park remained. This included pieces of the famous Cyclone roller coaster. Today, a special plaque stands at the park's old entrance. It was put there by local history groups to remember the park.

Fun Attractions at Puritas Springs

Dance Halls for Everyone

Throughout its history, Puritas Springs had three different dance halls. The first two were sadly destroyed by fire. The very first dance hall opened in 1900. It burned down ten years later.

The second dance hall opened in 1911. It had a tall ceiling, a stage for bands, and a balcony. In 1946, this one also caught fire and was lost. The third and final dance hall was an open-air building. It was simpler than the second one.

Roller Skating Fun

The roller skating rink at Puritas Springs was built in 1922. It was very popular with visitors. The rink had a special band organ that played lively music for skaters.

The Thrilling Cyclone Roller Coaster

The Cyclone was the most famous ride at Puritas Springs. John Miller designed it in 1927. The coaster used the natural hills and dips of the land. People often said it was super fast. Its actual speed was about 50–55 miles per hour. But it was still the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the Cleveland area at that time.

The coaster was known for being very intense. Some riders felt they got hurt on it. Because of this, the park changed the Cyclone in 1946. They made the first big drop and the climb afterward less extreme. This made the ride a bit smoother.