Cleveland has quite a bit of history that has gone by the wayside, but one legacy that remains strong today is that of one Euclid Beach Park.
Euclid Beach Park, situated on ninety-plus acres right on Lake Erie east of Cleveland at the end of E. 156th Street, began operations in 1895 and continued through good times and bad for 74 years until closing for good in 1969.
Meant to be Cleveland’s answer to New York’s Coney Island, its storied legacy almost did not survive its first five years, losing around $20,000 per year, making its continued existence shaky at best. The following is just how the park and its history was saved for generations to come.
The History of Euclid Beach Park
Euclid Beach began in 1895, but another Cleveland tradition that continues today is the Humphrey family’s business, which began with the selling of popcorn and poppers that led to the establishment of the Humphrey Popcorn Company in 1897.
The family, which had a stand at the park selling their treats, saw the potential of the grand property and took over its management in 1901, with an original lease set for five years. One thing's for sure, their vision for success was decidedly different from how the the park’s first five years had gone.
Being a family-owned and operated company themselves, they knew the park had to become more family-friendly. So, the first thing to go was alcohol. They felt it discouraged families from attendance because of the raucous behavior alcohol consumption led to.
They also felt the greatest asset, the beach itself, was not emphasized enough, so they worked to expand its potential by expanding facilities and bathing suit rentals while also adding a ride that swung its way out over the water.
The Iconic Euclid Beach Park Carousel
Have you been to Cleveland’s Western Reserve Historical Society? No? Well, you are missing out on an opportunity to ride what became Euclid Beach’s most iconic ride attraction installed in 1910: the carousel.
Sure, the park had a ballroom, roller coasters, a new and expanded beachfront and vaudeville acts, but the one thing people with actual memories of the park reminisce about the most is the carousel.
With its 58 dancing and prancing horses, its colorful designs and details, lights and music, the carousel remained one of the park’s strongest draws right up until closing, even though more thrilling rides came and went over the years. Other favorites that endured were the New Velvet Coaster that became the Aero Dips, the Rocket Cars (still in operation today and rentable for unique events), and, of course, The Flying Turns.
Over 400 words into this post and no mention of Laughing Sal, you say? Laughing Sal was the robotic presence within the funhouse that either scared, scarred, or thrilled park attendees. Laughing Sal was a fixture in amusement park funhouses all over the country and never failed to deliver.
It's safe to say that the Humphreys' vision for what the park could become became a reality. The park, which was easily accessible by streetcars before buses and cars came along, truly became a family tradition. First dates, family get-togethers, long days spent on the beach, company picnics, and military appreciation days were a part of every summer’s traditions and memories for the park for almost eight full decades.
However, Euclid Beach was not immune to the racial issues that were a sad part of society at the time, and throughout the 1940s African Americans were only allowed into certain areas of the park and only into the park at all on certain days. This eventually boiled over into protests that led to skirmishes with police that ultimately led to an interracial student coalition being evicted from the park on September 21st, 1946.
Despite that stain on its reputation, Euclid Beach continued to thrill attendees for another 20 years, and what was particularly rewarding for the Humphreys was that generations of families made Euclid Beach Park one of their annual summer traditions and vacation spots.
The Decline of Euclid Beach Park
Sadly, Cleveland overall began to suffer on a variety of fronts in the sixties and Euclid Beach was not immune to those challenges. City budget cuts saw bus service to the park cut, slowing attendance dramatically, and the Humphreys were forced to sell off some their most popular attractions to stay afloat. They were just delaying the inevitable, though, with the park closing for good in 1969 due to a combination of racial tensions, lake pollution, and a decreased lack of accessibility.
Today, if you take a drive along Lake Shore Boulevard at E. 156th Street, you will still see the majestic carved archway, seemingly still beckoning people to come inside and forget their cares, even if just for an afternoon.
Euclid Beach Park remains alive today for a variety of reasons. Many stores around town still sell the popular and unbelievably delicious Humphreys Popcorn Balls and their custard is still available if you are willing to venture to Cleveland’s west side. And I for one can vouch for the fact that Rocket Car rides are still available because I have seen them go through my neighborhood in Painesville Township as part of Lake County’s Annual Family Fun Days Event.
Folks, I have just given you some snippets about one of Cleveland’s past treasures. If you would like to take a look at more about Euclid Beach or other lost Cleveland treasures, pick up a copy of local writer Laura DeMarco’s book Lost Cleveland. It will be a trip down memory lane you will not soon forget.
Cheers!