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| {{Short description|Amusement park in Ohio}} | |||
| Formerly located in ] in the area of ], in the early years of the 20th century '''Olentangy Park''' was the largest amusement park in the United States. | |||
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{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} | ||
| {{Infobox amusement park | |||
| | name = | |||
| | previous_names = | |||
| | logo = | |||
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| | logo_alt = | |||
| | logo_caption = | |||
| | image = OlentangyParkTheatre cc.jpg | |||
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| | caption = Olentangy Park Theatre | |||
| | slogan = | |||
| | resort = | |||
| | location = | |||
| | coordinates = {{Coord|40.020747|-83.014705|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | |||
| | mapframe = yes | |||
| | status = Defunct | |||
| | opening_date = 1880 | |||
| | closing_date = 1937 | |||
| | theme = | |||
| | owner = | |||
| | operator = | |||
| | general_manager = | |||
| | season = | |||
| | attendance = | |||
| | area = | |||
| | area_ha = | |||
| | area_acre = | |||
| | rides = | |||
| | coasters = | |||
| | water_rides = | |||
| | other_rides = | |||
| | shows = | |||
| | homepage = | |||
| | footnotes = | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Olentangy Park''' was a ], a type of ], in ], ], operating from 1880 to 1937. | |||
| ==Location== | ==Location== | ||
| Olentangy Park was located in what is now the southwest corner of ]. The park boundaries on its west and east sides were the ] and north High Street, North Street on the south, and nearly to West Tulane Road on the north. | |||
| {{Empty section|date=June 2011}} | |||
| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| ] | |||
| ===The 1880 to 1899 "The Villa"=== | |||
| ===Robert M. Turner (1880–1895)=== | |||
| Olentangy Park originated in 1880 when Robert M. Turner acquired a wooded area of land along the Olentangy River. A Mill already existed on the property on the edge of the river just north of what is now Ackerman Road, and the area was popular for picnics and swimming. The first development of this property was a formal picnic ground and swimming area in 1881. Soon a tavern was built on the site, and Mr. Turner named the area "The Villa." | |||
| Prior to 1880, Olentangy Park was a wooded area on the ] which was popular for ]s and swimming. There was a mill in the area north of Ackerman Road. In 1880, Robert M. Turner purchased the area. The first development of this property was the building of a formal picnic ground and swimming area in 1881. Then a tavern was built on the site and Turner renamed it "The Villa."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Lentz|first=Ed|title=Columbus' amusement parks once were entertainment hot spots|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/10/04/columbus-amusement-parks-once-were-entertainment-hot-spots/5886060001/|access-date=2022-02-11|website=The Columbus Dispatch|language=en-US}}</ref> Between 1881 and 1895, little changed. A few small amusement rides, a ], and possibly some pony rides were added. | |||
| ===Columbus Railway, Power and Light Company=== | |||
| Little changed for "The Villa" between 1881 and 1895, apart from the addition of a few small rides, a carousel, and possibly pony rides. In 1895 the Columbus Railway, Power and Light Company purchased "The Villa" from Mr. Turner. The land was at the extreme northern end of their North High Street trolley line, and just across the street from the companies trolley house, located on the northeast corner of North High Street and Ackerman Road. The company hoped to use "The Villa" to attract riders to it North High Street trolley route. The first noticeable changes were the addition of electric lighting to the park area around 1896, and the inclusion of the park to the list of trolley stops located on North High Street. The company also continued to operate the tavern on the site. | |||
| ] | |||
| In 1895, the Columbus Railway, Power and Light Company purchased "The Villa" at the northern end of the company's North High Street ] line.<ref name=":1" /> The company hoped to use the park to increase the ridership on the weekend.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-10-18|title=Things Are Going Swimmingly: The History of Columbus Pools|url=https://columbusneighborhoods.org/video/things-are-going-swimmingly/|access-date=2022-02-11|website=Columbus Neighborhoods|language=en-US}}</ref> Electric lighting was added to the park in 1896.<ref name=":1" /> That same year, the company held a naming contest resulting in the park being named "Olentangy Park" by an anonymous "Volunteer."<ref>"The Villa Named at Last." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 2 May 1896. Pg. 7.</ref> | |||
| ===The Dusenbury brothers (1899–1929)=== | |||
| ===1899 to 1909=== | |||
| In 1899, around 50 acres were purchased by the Dusenbury brothers of ].<ref>"Olentangy Park: The Theater." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 3 June 1899. Pg. 14.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Columbus Bicentennial: Amusement Parks of the Past|url=https://ohiomemory.ohiohistory.org/archives/735|access-date=2022-02-11|website=ohiomemory.ohiohistory.org}}</ref> They immediately added a large casino with a theater<ref>"Olentangy Park Casino." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 4 March 1899. Pg. 6.</ref><ref>"Location is Changed." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 27 March 1899. Pg. 7.</ref> just north of the ravine, more bowling alleys, and a fun house attraction called the "Crystal Maze."<ref>"Olentangy Park: The Crystal Maze." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 30 June 1899. Pg. 11.</ref> Later, they built a "Water Toboggan"<ref>"Toboggan Slide for Pleasure Parks." ''The Street Railway Review.'' Vol. 11. 1901. Published by Chicago: Street Railway Review Pub. Co. Pg. 89. </ref><ref>"Bathing at Olentangy Park." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 17 June 1906. Pg. 2.</ref> and a roller coaster called "The Figure Eight."<ref name=":1" /> The 1904 ] was held in ]. At its conclusion, the Dusenbury brothers purchased the "Japanese Gardens" exhibit and installed it at Olentangy Park as "Fair Japan."<ref>"Geisha Girls are to be Attraction." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 2 January 1905. Pg. 5.</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Columbus Neighborhoods {{!}} Olentangy Park {{!}} Season 3 {{!}} Episode 18|url=https://www.pbs.org/video/columbus-neighborhoods-olentangy-park/|language=en|access-date=2022-02-11}}</ref> In 1907, they opened the second Dancing Pavilion, expanding it in 1914 and 1920, making it the largest in the state.<ref>"Improvements in Park." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 18 March 1906. Pg. 31.</ref><ref>"Olentangy Park Opens." ''The Lantern.'' 29 April 1914. Pg. 4. </ref><ref>"At the Dance Pavilion." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 2 June 1920. Pg. 28.</ref> | |||
| ] | |||
| 1899 saw one of the most important changes to occur for the park. That year 100 acres of the park was purchased from the Columbus Railway, Power and Light Company by the Dusenbury brothers of ], and the area renamed Olentangy Park. The brothers quickly set about to turn their purchase into a major amusement park. Soon the Park's first roller coaster arrived. Known as the "Figure Eight," it was small and tame compared to rides still to come. | |||
| ===Leo and Elmer Heanlein (1929–1937)=== | |||
| In 1929, the brothers Leo and Elmer Heanlein purchased the park. They expanded the zoo and added the Mysterious Sensation, a fun house attraction,<ref>"Columbus, Ohio, Amusement Park Sports All Sheet Metal Fun House." ''American Artisan.'' United States: Keeney Publishing Company. 31 July 1926. Pg. 197-198.</ref> to the Midway, and experimented with short-term attractions like the "Lindy-Loop"<ref>"Variety Club at Olentangy Fiesta." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 26 July 1932. Pg. 8.</ref> and "Flight Tutors."<ref>"Flying to Be Park Feature." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 5 April 1931. Pg. 10D.</ref> They ultimately closed the park during the ].<ref name=":1" /> | |||
| At the end of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair the Dusenbury brothers purchased the World's Fair's "Japanese Gardens" and relocated the entire gardens and buildings to Olentangy park. The gardens soon became a beautiful, tranquil retreat from the Park's rides and noise. | |||
| ===After Closing=== | |||
| By 1910 the brothers had added considerably to Olentangy Park. A zoo, complete with monkeys, bears, and even eventually elephants was built near the Park's southern end. A boat house, known as the "Canoe Club" was constructed along the banks of the Olentangy River, from which visitors could rent a canoe for a quiet afternoon of boating on the Olentangy. An Arcade was constructed along the northern end of the Park which featured rows of enclosed rides such as "The Olde Mill," and the "Tunnel of Love." A restaurant replaced the former tavern, though more importantly an enormous theatre was built near the river, the largest theatre in America at the time. A formal picnic area was cleared in the ravine separating the north end of the park from the south and wooden walking bridges were built over the ravines connecting the Park's various points. | |||
| Olentangy Park closed at the end of its 1937 season. In 1938, the L.L. LeVeque Company purchased the Olentangy Park property to build Olentangy Village.<ref>"400 Apartment Units Will Be Constructed." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch''. 1 April 1938. Pg. 1. Accessed through Columbus Dispatch Digital Archives.</ref> The Haenlein Brothers sold some of the park's rides and equipment while moving the Grand Carousel, the remaining ], the Airplane ride (the Circle Swing),<ref>"Airplane Ride Is Razed." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 24 April 1956. Pg. 8B.</ref> the ], the Rifle Range, and others to their Zoo Park<ref name="barrett">Barrett, Richard E. 1984. "Olentangy Park: Four Decades of Fun." ''Columbus and Central Ohio Historian No. 1." April 1984. Page 11.</ref> in ]. The ] became the offices of Zoo Park.<ref>Stout, Ned. "Zoo Park Season Starts with Look to Past." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 23 April 1975. Pg. 27.</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=708O451918|url=https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/ohio/id/10487|access-date=2022-02-11|website=digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org|language=en}}</ref> Zoo Park was sold to the Gooding Amusement Company in 1956 after Leo Haenlein's death.<ref>"Gooding Buys Amusement Park at Zoo." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 8 April 1956. Pg. 3.</ref> After a few attempts to purchase Zoo Park,<ref>"Zoo Abandons Plan to Buy Gooding Amusement Park." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 10 March 1976. Pg. 14.</ref> the ] in 1981.<ref>"Flashy Ride To Be Added At Zoo Park." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 20 March 1981. Pg. B13.</ref> The grounds were turned into Wyandot Lake Amusement Park in 1984 and later ].<ref>Hoholik, Suzanne. "Park rechristened Zoombezi Bay - Former Wyandot Lake to reopen in May." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 12 July 2007. Pg. 03B.</ref> | |||
| ==Olentangy Park remnants== | |||
| Electric lighting was added throughout the Park, and the North High Street Trolley was now diverted directly into the Park. Trolleys could exit North High Street at North Street, traveling through a large "castle gate" before arriving at the Park's exclusive trolley stop. Olentangy Park had become one of a growing number of "Trolley Parks" appearing in the United States, parks that blossomed with the arrival of trolley lines capable of transporting visitors from every corner of the city. | |||
| In 1940, a bowling alley, the Olentangy Lanes, was constructed on the site of the Park's parking lot. It was destroyed by fire on Oct. 27, 1980.<ref name="fire">“Fire Destroys Olentangy Village Bowling Lanes” ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' Home Final Edition: 27 Oct 1980. News Section. Pg. 1.</ref> | |||
| ===The |
===The 1914 Mangels-Illions carousel=== | ||
| Olentangy Park's 1914 Mangels-Illions carousel was moved in the 1930s to Scioto Ranch Park/Zoo Park,<ref name="barrett" /> the location that later became part of ] Amusement Park near the Columbus Zoo.<ref name="Switzer 2000">Switzer, John. “Changes Destroy Stadium’s Look.” ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' Home Final Edition: 18 Feb 2000. News Section. Pg. 12D.</ref> It continued to operate, though in deteriorating condition. In 1999 it was removed from Wyandot Lake and Carousel Works Inc. was commissioned to undertake a costly restoration. The carousel resumed operation in spring 2000, housed in a climate controlled building at the ].<ref name="Switzer 2000" /> There, in the first month of operation, 42,000 customers paid $1 each to ride it. | |||
| On July 28, 2004, the carousel celebrated its one millionth rider since being restored and moved to the zoo.<ref> "The Columbus Zoo Carousel Spins its One Millionth Rider"</ref> | |||
| ===Swimming pool=== | |||
| The 1910s was a period of rapid growth for Olentangy Park, and saw the arrival of some of the Park's most famous rides. One of the first looping coasters ever built, the "Loop-the-Loop," was added. The "Loop-the-Loop" did not last long, due to the stress it placed upon riders, but two other major coasters were soon to follow, the "Whirlwind" and the "Red Devil." The "Red Devil" was built only a few feet from North High Street and once soared dozens of feet above the west side of the road. A fabulous ], swing ride and pony rides arrived as well. | |||
| The Olentangy Park swimming pool added in 1917.<ref name="pool">"New Park Pool Second Largest of Its Kind in United States." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 15 July 1917. Pg. 42.</ref> It was halved in 1996 and completely filled in during 2002, to allow expansion of residential areas. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| A spacious Dance Hall was constructed along the Arcade, and throughout the Park's life the Dance Hall would bring Columbus residents performances by virtually every ] of the era, including ], and the ], as well as many famous comedy and vaudeville acts. An open air amphitheatre was built near the theatre allowing local ] to perform open air concerts. | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| "Shoot-the-Chutes," a tall water slide popular at many amusements parks at the time, was added in the center of the Park's Arcade. Riders could board a wide, flat bottomed boat that traveled up a side chute then shot down the slide at great speed, creating an enormous wave that would douse riders with water, as well as many spectators. In time, an elephant was trained to ride down the slide, to the delight of Park visitors. | |||
| In 1914 a magnificent Mangels-Illions carousel was purchased for the Park. With 52 horses and 2 chariots hand carved by the Lithuanian master carousel carver Marcus C. Illions and Sons, this "Grand Carousel" was one of only a few manufactured by the ] Company as a Mangels-Illions carousel. (The restored carousel is now in operation at the ]) | |||
| By the end of the 1910s Olentangy Park had become the largest ] in the United States, dwarfing other trolley parks such as Pittsburgh's "]," and even ]'s now famous "]." | |||
| ===The 1920s=== | |||
| The single most noticeable addition to Olentangy Park in the early 1920s was the construction of the world's largest ]. Located near the Park's theatre, the pool was several hundred feet long, and able to accommodate hundreds of bathers. In an effort to simulate an "ocean side setting" like that found in ], hundreds of tons of ] were trucked in and dumped around the pool's edges, allowing sunbathers their own ]. The pool would remain the largest in the world for many years, and even today remains the third largest ever constructed in the United States. | |||
| All this building placed enormous financial strains upon the Dusenbury brothers, and following a poor turnout in the 1923 season the brothers were forced to sell Olentangy Park to a group of investors under the name "The Olentangy Amusement Company," and placed under the management of Max Stern. The investors continued to operate the Park successfully throughout the remainder of the 1920s, though little changed and few new rides or attractions were added. | |||
| In 1929 two new brothers would take control of Olentangy Park, when Leo and Elmer Heanlein signed a lease on the Park from 1929 to 1938. Under the Heanlein brother's control the Park's zoo was expanded, and a fun house added to the Arcade, but ] was taking its toll on amusement parks across the country, and only the constant booking of popular bands and acts for the ballroom and theatre kept Olentangy Park operating. | |||
| ===1930 to 1939=== | |||
| In 1937 the L.L. LeVeque Company purchased Olentangy Park. The purchase was made mostly to sell off the Park's rides and equipment. In 1938 the carousel, ] airplane ride, dodgem and rifle range was sold to the Gooding Amusement Company, which also owned the ]. Many of the rides were relocated to the Wyandot Lake Amusement Park. | |||
| 1938 would be Olentangy Park's last season, and the Park closed for good that September. By the spring of 1939 most of the Park's buildings, rides, coasters and gardens were leveled to make way for the building of the Olentangy Village apartment complex. The complex was built by the L.L. LeVeque Company and designed by Washington D.C. architect Raymond Snow. In 1940 a large bowling alley, known as Olentangy Lanes, was constructed on the site of the Park's former parking lot. It would stand until destroyed by fire in 1980. | |||
| ===Olentangy Park survivors=== | |||
| The last standing structures from inside the Park were the "castle gate" and the Park's huge theatre. Both stood until 1940 when they were destroyed in separate fires. The only building still standing today is the Park's large office and zoo keeper's quarters. This large stone house is located at the curve of North Street and has since been divided into six apartments. | |||
| Some of the Park's original wrought iron fencing can still be seen along the northern side of North Street from High Street to the curve at the stone office house, the same portion of North Street that also served as the Park's original walk up entrance. This fencing, with its distinctive "O" pattern, was duplicated in the 1950s along North High Street and can still be seen there today. | |||
| If one were to walk along the Olentangy River north from the Ackerman Road bridge they would eventually come across a concrete foundation partially submerged on the banks of the river, and a set of concrete steps going half way up the bank. This is the foundation of the Park's "Canoe Club" and the steps that once led up to the Park's theatre. The concrete foundations of the wooden walking bridges crossing the picnic ravines are still visible on either side of the ravine's streams. The former picnic ravine is now located behind a tanning salon on North High Street and is overgrown and filled with garbage. | |||
| Olentangy Park's magnificent 1914 Mangles-Illians carousel was moved in 1939 to ] Amusement Park near the Columbus Zoo where it continued to operate, though in deteriorating condition. In 1999 it was removed from Wyandot Lake and Carousel Works Inc. was commissioned to undergo a million dollar restoration, returning it to its former glory. This beautiful carousel resumed operation in the spring of 2000 in its new climate controlled home at the ], where 42,000 riders paid $1 each to ride it in just the first month of operation. On July 28, 2004, the carousel celebrated its one millionth rider since being restored and moved to the zoo.<ref></ref> | |||
| The Olentangy Park swimming pool survived for decades as a functioning part of the Olentangy Village apartment complex. In 1996 the pool was reduced to half its former size to make room for new apartment buildings, and finally in 2002 the remainder of the pool was filled in to create new village space. | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
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| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| {{commons category}} | |||
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| *{{RCDB|5764}} | |||
| *http://www.carouselworks.com/ | |||
| *http://hti.osu.edu/OldColumbus/content/rec.htm | |||
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Latest revision as of 01:46, 6 January 2025
Amusement park in Ohio
 Olentangy Park Theatre | |
| Coordinates | 40°01′15″N 83°00′53″W / 40.020747°N 83.014705°W / 40.020747; -83.014705 |
|---|---|
| Status | Defunct |
| Opened | 1880 |
| Closed | 1937 |
Olentangy Park was a trolley park, a type of amusement park, in Clintonville, Columbus, Ohio, operating from 1880 to 1937.
Location
Olentangy Park was located in what is now the southwest corner of Clintonville. The park boundaries on its west and east sides were the Olentangy River and north High Street, North Street on the south, and nearly to West Tulane Road on the north.
History
Robert M. Turner (1880–1895)
Prior to 1880, Olentangy Park was a wooded area on the Olentangy River which was popular for picnics and swimming. There was a mill in the area north of Ackerman Road. In 1880, Robert M. Turner purchased the area. The first development of this property was the building of a formal picnic ground and swimming area in 1881. Then a tavern was built on the site and Turner renamed it "The Villa." Between 1881 and 1895, little changed. A few small amusement rides, a carousel, and possibly some pony rides were added.
Columbus Railway, Power and Light Company
In 1895, the Columbus Railway, Power and Light Company purchased "The Villa" at the northern end of the company's North High Street trolley line. The company hoped to use the park to increase the ridership on the weekend. Electric lighting was added to the park in 1896. That same year, the company held a naming contest resulting in the park being named "Olentangy Park" by an anonymous "Volunteer."
The Dusenbury brothers (1899–1929)
In 1899, around 50 acres were purchased by the Dusenbury brothers of New Lexington, Ohio. They immediately added a large casino with a theater just north of the ravine, more bowling alleys, and a fun house attraction called the "Crystal Maze." Later, they built a "Water Toboggan" and a roller coaster called "The Figure Eight." The 1904 World's Fair was held in St. Louis. At its conclusion, the Dusenbury brothers purchased the "Japanese Gardens" exhibit and installed it at Olentangy Park as "Fair Japan." In 1907, they opened the second Dancing Pavilion, expanding it in 1914 and 1920, making it the largest in the state.
Leo and Elmer Heanlein (1929–1937)
In 1929, the brothers Leo and Elmer Heanlein purchased the park. They expanded the zoo and added the Mysterious Sensation, a fun house attraction, to the Midway, and experimented with short-term attractions like the "Lindy-Loop" and "Flight Tutors." They ultimately closed the park during the Great Depression.
After Closing
Olentangy Park closed at the end of its 1937 season. In 1938, the L.L. LeVeque Company purchased the Olentangy Park property to build Olentangy Village. The Haenlein Brothers sold some of the park's rides and equipment while moving the Grand Carousel, the remaining Ferris wheel, the Airplane ride (the Circle Swing), the Dodgem, the Rifle Range, and others to their Zoo Park in Powell, Ohio. The skating rink became the offices of Zoo Park. Zoo Park was sold to the Gooding Amusement Company in 1956 after Leo Haenlein's death. After a few attempts to purchase Zoo Park, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in 1981. The grounds were turned into Wyandot Lake Amusement Park in 1984 and later Zoombezi Bay.
Olentangy Park remnants
In 1940, a bowling alley, the Olentangy Lanes, was constructed on the site of the Park's parking lot. It was destroyed by fire on Oct. 27, 1980.
The 1914 Mangels-Illions carousel
Olentangy Park's 1914 Mangels-Illions carousel was moved in the 1930s to Scioto Ranch Park/Zoo Park, the location that later became part of Wyandot Lake Amusement Park near the Columbus Zoo. It continued to operate, though in deteriorating condition. In 1999 it was removed from Wyandot Lake and Carousel Works Inc. was commissioned to undertake a costly restoration. The carousel resumed operation in spring 2000, housed in a climate controlled building at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. There, in the first month of operation, 42,000 customers paid $1 each to ride it. On July 28, 2004, the carousel celebrated its one millionth rider since being restored and moved to the zoo.
Swimming pool
The Olentangy Park swimming pool added in 1917. It was halved in 1996 and completely filled in during 2002, to allow expansion of residential areas.
See also
References
- ^ Lentz, Ed. "Columbus' amusement parks once were entertainment hot spots". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- "Things Are Going Swimmingly: The History of Columbus Pools". Columbus Neighborhoods. 2017-10-18. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- "The Villa Named at Last." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 2 May 1896. Pg. 7.
- "Olentangy Park: The Theater." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 3 June 1899. Pg. 14.
- "Columbus Bicentennial: Amusement Parks of the Past". ohiomemory.ohiohistory.org. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- "Olentangy Park Casino." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 4 March 1899. Pg. 6.
- "Location is Changed." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 27 March 1899. Pg. 7.
- "Olentangy Park: The Crystal Maze." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 30 June 1899. Pg. 11.
- "Toboggan Slide for Pleasure Parks." The Street Railway Review. Vol. 11. 1901. Published by Chicago: Street Railway Review Pub. Co. Pg. 89.
- "Bathing at Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 17 June 1906. Pg. 2.
- "Geisha Girls are to be Attraction." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 2 January 1905. Pg. 5.
- Columbus Neighborhoods | Olentangy Park | Season 3 | Episode 18, retrieved 2022-02-11
- "Improvements in Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 18 March 1906. Pg. 31.
- "Olentangy Park Opens." The Lantern. 29 April 1914. Pg. 4.
- "At the Dance Pavilion." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 2 June 1920. Pg. 28.
- "Columbus, Ohio, Amusement Park Sports All Sheet Metal Fun House." American Artisan. United States: Keeney Publishing Company. 31 July 1926. Pg. 197-198.
- "Variety Club at Olentangy Fiesta." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 26 July 1932. Pg. 8.
- "Flying to Be Park Feature." The Columbus Dispatch. 5 April 1931. Pg. 10D.
- "400 Apartment Units Will Be Constructed." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 1 April 1938. Pg. 1. Accessed through Columbus Dispatch Digital Archives.
- "Airplane Ride Is Razed." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 24 April 1956. Pg. 8B.
- ^ Barrett, Richard E. 1984. "Olentangy Park: Four Decades of Fun." Columbus and Central Ohio Historian No. 1." April 1984. Page 11.
- Stout, Ned. "Zoo Park Season Starts with Look to Past." The Columbus Dispatch. 23 April 1975. Pg. 27.
- "708O451918". digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- "Gooding Buys Amusement Park at Zoo." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 8 April 1956. Pg. 3.
- "Zoo Abandons Plan to Buy Gooding Amusement Park." The Columbus Dispatch. 10 March 1976. Pg. 14.
- "Flashy Ride To Be Added At Zoo Park." The Columbus Dispatch. 20 March 1981. Pg. B13.
- Hoholik, Suzanne. "Park rechristened Zoombezi Bay - Former Wyandot Lake to reopen in May." The Columbus Dispatch. 12 July 2007. Pg. 03B.
- “Fire Destroys Olentangy Village Bowling Lanes” The Columbus Dispatch. Home Final Edition: 27 Oct 1980. News Section. Pg. 1.
- ^ Switzer, John. “Changes Destroy Stadium’s Look.” The Columbus Dispatch. Home Final Edition: 18 Feb 2000. News Section. Pg. 12D.
- "The Columbus Zoo Carousel Spins its One Millionth Rider"
- "New Park Pool Second Largest of Its Kind in United States." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 15 July 1917. Pg. 42.