24 replies to this topic

[N1Hawk]

I went to Chippewa Lake and took some pics, I think there under the Ohio section. It only got demoed last year. RIP Chippewa Lake

[Urban_Explorer]

RIP to the Screechin Eagle, they demolished it. sigh

Quote

MONROE — The Screechin’ Eagle has been torn down, but parts of it will live on in Texas.

The wooden roller coaster, one of the most popular attractions at LeSourdsville Lake/Americana amusement park, was removed earlier this week, park historian Scott Fowler said Friday.

“Where the coaster was, it’s not there. The skyline of the park is clear, let’s put it that way,” Fowler said.

Park owner Jerry Couch, who runs the RV dealership at the park site, said Friday he had safety concerns about the coaster remaining standing, and that parts of the track and the cars will be donated to a roller coaster museum.

That museum is the National Roller Coaster Museum & Archives, based in Arlington, Texas, said William Robinson, the former vice president of operations and marketing for Americana. Robinson now owns an marketing company for small amusement parks.

For several years, Robinson has looked for a way to preserve the roller coaster and had hoped to move it to a park in Chattanooga, Tenn. called Lake Winnepesaukah.

“Because of all the changes in the laws, when you move a coaster, it has to be built to (new) specifications. It would have been cheaper just to take it down and build a new one,” Robinson said.

Therefore, he decided it was best to keep the memory of the old coaster alive.

Couch said, “I can’t keep people from breaking in the park. I was worried about something terrible happening to someone,” Couch said.

“He (Couch) did the right thing by tearing it down,” Robinson said.

The park, built in 1922, went through several ownership changes before Couch bought it in 2000, closing it after running it for one season in 2002. The coaster has not operated since.

The coaster was originally built by John Miller for a park in Zanesville, Ohio. The coaster, then called the Cyclone, moved to LeSourdsville in 1940, according to Fowler’s book “LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park,” published last year. The coaster was later called the Space Rocket, then the Screechin’ Eagle and was well-regarded by coaster fans.

Fowler was saddened but not surprised by the Eagle’s demise.

“Considering it hadn’t been maintained since 2002, it was probably due to come down ... it was one of the landmarks of the park.”

Source: Middletown Journal

[Urban_Explorer]

So for 8 years it was unmaintained, yet I still climbed on it lol.

[Chaindrive]

Go figure.

[Urban_Explorer]

He knows people are still gaining access to the park, as he said that he can't stop anyone from breaking in, so he don't care if we explore the park lol.

[Lurch]

Is this park still around? Id like to check with you guys before i leave since you seem to know a lot more about it and its about 160 miles from me so id like to save that gas

Urban_Explorer, on 30 August 2011 - 07:49 PM, said:

He knows people are still gaining access to the park, as he said that he can't stop anyone from breaking in, so he don't care if we explore the park lol.

[Urban_Explorer]

Sources have told me the roller coaster is gone, and majority of the buildings have been demolished, I believe Couch is going through with his plan to convert it. Others have told me its not worth the trip now - since the roller coaster was the main attraction: Pics can be viewed HERE

[Chaindrive]

Dammit!

[Ricey]

I got to Chippewa a year before it was gone. I'll upload my pictures after school today.

[Urban_Explorer]

Ricey, on 02 April 2012 - 07:28 PM, said:

I got to Chippewa a year before it was gone. I'll upload my pictures after school today.

Welcome to the forum - yeah, I'd love to see those pics!