Wenona Beach Amusement Park facts for kids

Wenona Beach Amusement Park was a fun place to visit! It was an amusement park located in Bay County, Michigan. The park sat right along the Saginaw Bay, near Bangor Township and the Saginaw River. It opened way back in 1887 and closed its doors in 1964.

History of Wenona Beach

Before Wenona Beach Amusement Park, there were other resorts in the area. These included O-at-ka Beach and the Bay View Resort, which opened in 1876.

How the Park Started

The Wenona Beach Entertainment Center, which later became Wenona Beach Amusement Park, was started in 1887. It was founded by important business people called "lumber barons." Some of these founders were Spencer O. Fisher, Henry H. Aplin, and Theodore F. Shepard.

They hired John Rabid to design the park. It had a big building called a pavilion, which was the main part of the park. There was also a long pier that went out into the Saginaw Bay. The owners also owned the Bay City Street Car Company. They built a railway line that went by the Kawkawlin River. This railway took people from the west side of Bay City, Michigan right to the park. Later, electric trolleys and then motor buses also made regular trips to the park from the city.

Park Operations and Popularity

For the first half of the 1900s, the Bay City Traction and Electric Company ran the park. By the early 1900s and 1920s, Wenona Beach became a very popular spot. People from many nearby counties loved to visit it.

In 1907, the park even got attention for a speedboat race. Two boats, the Arrow and W.J. Oulette's Secret, raced there. The Secret set a new world record at the time, going 26.6 miles per hour!

By 1942, H. M. Smart and Otto Pierce owned the park.

The Big Storm of 1947

In March 1947, a big storm hit the park. Strong winds, blowing at 70 miles per hour, pushed huge piles of ice from the Saginaw Bay onto the park's shores. These ice piles were as tall as 40 feet! The storm completely destroyed the park's bath house, which was near the water. The Roller Coaster and other buildings were also damaged by the ice pushing against them.

Park Closure

In its last few years, fewer and fewer people visited the park. Because of this, Wenona Beach Amusement Park closed down in 1964. Since 1965, the land where the park once stood has been used for a trailer park.

Fun Attractions at Wenona Beach

Augustus H. Gansser wrote a book in 1905 about the history of Bay County, Michigan. He called Wenona Beach Amusement Park "the 'Coney Island' of the Lakes." This means it was a very famous and exciting amusement park, just like Coney Island in New York.

Rides and Entertainment

The park had many fun things to do:

• A casino building
• Vaudeville shows, which were live performances with different acts
• Boating
• Carnival games
• Bath houses for changing and getting ready for the beach
• Docking areas for boats
• A boardwalk for walking along the water

There were also exciting rides! These included:

• Circular Swings
• A Joy Wheel right on the shoreline
• A Steam Carousel
• The Roller Coaster
• The Jack Rabbit, which was another roller coaster
• The Bullet, a ride that used centrifugal force to spin you around
• Bumper cars
• The Roll-O-Plane
• A ferris wheel that offered great views of the Saginaw Bay

A large ballroom was a popular spot for dancing and roller skating.

Famous Performers

The park, especially the casino, often had live shows with famous entertainers. Some of the well-known stars who performed there included:

• Jack Benny
• Perry Como
• Bob Crosby
• The Dorsey Brothers
• Marie Dressler
• W. C. Fields
• Woody Herman
• Isham Jones
• Guy Lombardo
• Ozzie and Harriet
• The Marx Brothers
• Red Nichols and His Five Pennies
• Ted Weems

A local performer named Harry Jarkey also appeared regularly.

Food and Drinks

You could find many food stands at the park. There was a very popular french fry stand at the north end. Other places included Wright's Cafe, an ice cream parlor, and a restaurant inside the casino.

Events at the Park

Wenona Beach Amusement Park had a large picnic area. This made it a great place for big social gatherings. Many family reunions and company outings were held there. The park also hosted a yearly 4th of July fireworks show, which was a big event!