Historic Photos

Today's online version of the Detroit Free Press includes a series of black and white photographs of Cedar Point. I found them interesting and thought you might too.

Free Press Photos

I always like seeing photos of Avalanche Run. Thanks for posting.

The picture of Avalanche Run showing the coaster car is not Avalanche Run. Avalanche Run always had the side by side seating since it was new, never the inline seating as in the car in the picture.

Is the picture of the Antique/Cadillac cars at CP as well? I don't remember the cars ever been on a track the was guided on the sides and not a center rail. If that is CP, I'd love to know more about the ride then. Either way, that is a heck of a puddle to drive across.

I'm not sure about the Cadillac cars but I do know that the original Turnpike cars did not have a center guide, rather had guide walls on the side and bumpers all around the car similar to Dodgem car. The turnpike cars that most people remember came later in the 60s and we're built in the same spot as original Turnpike cars.

Pete said:

The picture of Avalanche Run showing the coaster car is not Avalanche Run. Avalanche Run always had the side by side seating since it was new, never the inline seating as in the car in the picture.

Yes, I think the model shown is the one that made it way around various Six Flags parks. It finally settled in Texas (because as they say, don't mess with Texas Bobsleds).

Where were those "Shaded Picnic Areas" in picture 19 located? They look nice and shady.

I'm curious where picture 9 is from. Pretty sure that isn't Cedar Point.

I wondered the same thing. Something tells me it’s actually Boblo.
The Cadillacs definitely had the side friction wheels, like all turnpike rides from the 60’s. I’ve studied that picture trying to figure out if it’s actually CP’s ride as theres not much background for reference and the track doesn’t look quite right. If I recall, that ride’s always had the same cloverleaf configuration. But to the right you can see supports for the bridge and that shot shows the tracks that would live underneath the bridge. And that area has always and forever flooded like that after a good rain. My first CP job was at The Surrey right next door. I would take my smoke breaks behind our little stand and I’d watch and listen to the Cadillacs go by all day, every day.
This is a good find. And I always encourage people to spend time in the Town Hall Museum looking at the photos of Cedar Point past. They are quite enlightening and can instantly answer questions and put any rumors or myths to rest. I especially enjoy the ones from the 50’s when my parents hung out there every night, and from the 60’s when I started going.
Thanks.

I love these threads and had to chime in. The Cadillac Cars had a different track configuration (pic 9 - along with guided sides!) from their debut in 1958 until 1964. The track configuration that we now know of as the "cloverleaf" was changed to that for the 1965 season (along with an added covered bridge) to allow for expansion of the Turnpike cars track back then. I have this exact, more expanded, "puddle" pic with the old track layout on my office wall currently. It's from 1961.

Also the shaded covered picnic area shown in the DFP pic 19 was in the area of the current Point Pavilion next to Raptor. Hope this helps.