Located on a peninsula in northern Ohio, Cedar Point sits right on the banks of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes. Best-known for the amusement park that holds the same name, the location was originally a site for a lighthouse and a fisherman’s port. By 1867, the peninsula became part of a small railroad line, allowing developers to build attractions, including picnic areas and bath houses. The first official season of the amusement park was 1870 when different forms of entertainment was introduced.
But the reason why this amusement part is so famous actually came later in 1892 when the first roller coaster – the Switchback Railway – was built. The park went through many changes, including being purchased by the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort & Company, which opened new rides and offered overnight accommodations. In 1954, part of the area become a bird sanctuary. By 1965, the park had begun drawing more than two million visitors.
Since then, the park has steadily grown, and it has become known as the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World” and has held numerous roller coaster world records.
Historical Marker Inscription
Cedar Point
“The Queen of American Watering Places”
Cedar Point became a popular beach resort in the late 1870s when visitors traveled to the peninsula by steamboat from Sandusky. The Grand Pavilion (1888), the oldest building in the park, dates from this era. Promoter George Boeckling formed the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company in 1897 and vastly expanded the resort’s attractions. During the first decade of the 1900s, he built the lagoons, an amusement circle, and several hotels, including the landmark Breakers in 1905. The Coliseum, opened in 1906, became the centerpiece of the park and hosted many of the famous big bands through the Depression and World War II years. In the late 1950s, Cedar Point began its transformation into a modern amusement park.
The Ohio Bicentennial Commission
The Longaberger Company
Cedar Point Amusement Park/Resort
The Ohio Historical Society
2001
Location:
1 Cedar Point Dr, Sandusky, OH 44870
41.4822° N, 82.6835° W
Historical Markers of the World 