Midway State Park

Midway State Park
Slogan Continuing the Tradition
Location Maple Springs, New York, United States
Owner New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Opened 1898
Operating season May – September
Rides
Total 20
Website

Midway State Park

Midway Park

Carousel (1946), July 2012
Location NY 430, Maple Springs, New York
Coordinates 42°12′14″N 79°25′14″W / 42.20389°N 79.42056°W / 42.20389; -79.42056Coordinates: 42°12′14″N 79°25′14″W / 42.20389°N 79.42056°W / 42.20389; -79.42056
Area 44 acres (17.8 ha)
Built 1898
Built by Allan Herschell Carousel Company; W.F. Mangels Company
NRHP Reference # 09000133[1]
Added to NRHP March 13, 2009

Midway State Park, located in Maple Springs, New York, was established in 1898 by the Jamestown & Lake Erie Railway as a picnic ground. Today, it is recognized as the fifteenth-oldest continually operating amusement park in the United States, and the fifth-oldest remaining trolley park.

History

At its origin, Midway Park offered a baseball field, dance pavilion and dining hall, and a sandy beach for bathing. Today, the park uses the original picnic shelters with several more modern additions. The concession building was built in 1915 and still houses the refreshment stands, as well as the Carousel Museum and roller rink.[2]

In 1951, the park was purchased by Martin "Red" Walsh, and was later operated by the next generation of the Walsh family, Michael and Janis Walsh, affectionately known as Mr. and Mrs. Midway to the staff and "park regulars." After the 2006 season the park was transferred into the New York State Parks system.[2][3]

Several notable people have visited the park since its opening, including Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr., Lucille Ball, and Jack Paar, former host of NBC’s The Tonight Show. In 1960, the Glenn Miller Orchestra conducted by Ray McKinley played at the park.

Midway State Park has been voted the Best Travel Destination in Chautauqua County by the readers of the Dunkirk Observer.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009, as a national historic district. Its 44 acres (18 ha) encompasses 12 contributing buildings, one contributing site, and one contributing object.[1] They include the Lakeside Pavilion (1915), arcade (1930), carousel (1948) and shelter (1924), park office (c. 1950), ice house (c. 1900), owner's residence (late 19th-century), Pavilion 1 (c. 1900), Pavilions 4 and 5 (c. 1920s), and a number of kiddie rides, many of which were built by the Allen Herschell Company.[2]

Timeline

Facilities

Currently, Midway Park has 18 child-oriented rides, plus miniature golf, Go-Karts, a climbing wall, and water games. Many of the kiddie rides were manufactured by the Allan Herschell Company of North Tonawanda, New York.

Guests use the picnic shelters for their family reunions and company picnics. The family arcade, meanwhile, includes games such as skeeball, Pac-Man and Galaga.

Midway operates from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with a limited June schedule.

Current rides

Gallery

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Cultural Resource Information System (CRIS)" (Searchable database). New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2016-02-01. Note: This includes Kathleen LaFrank (November 2008). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Midway Park" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-02-01. and Accompanying photographs
  3. ↑ John F. Bonfatti, "'Continuing the tradition': State plans few changes at Midway Park to preserve Chautauqua County 'jewel'", Buffalo News, 23 June 2007
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Gustafson, Ron (1996). Midway Park: A Century of Fun (1898-1998). Nashua, NH: Midway Museum Publications. p. 3. ISBN 1-880545-04-7.
  5. 1 2 Gustafson, Ron (1996). Midway Park: A Century of Fun (1898-1998). Nashua, NH: Midway Museum Publications. p. 5. ISBN 1-880545-04-7.
  6. 1 2 Gustafson, Ron (1996). Midway Park: A Century of Fun (1898-1998). Nashua, NH: Midway Museum Publications. p. 9. ISBN 1-880545-04-7.
  7. 1 2 Gustafson, Ron (1996). Midway Park: A Century of Fun (1898-1998). Nashua, NH: Midway Museum Publications. p. 11. ISBN 1-880545-04-7.
  8. 1 2 Gustafson, Ron (1996). Midway Park: A Century of Fun (1898-1998). Nashua, NH: Midway Museum Publications. p. 15. ISBN 1-880545-04-7.
  9. ↑ Gustafson, Ron (1996). Midway Park: A Century of Fun (1898-1998). Nashua, NH: Midway Museum Publications. p. 19. ISBN 1-880545-04-7.
  10. ↑ "About the Friends of Midway State Park". Friends of Midway State Park. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  11. ↑ Kindberg, Scott (July 2, 2016). "Midway's New Miniature Golf Course Opens". The Post-Journal. Jamestown, NY. Retrieved July 7, 2016.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Midway State Park.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/25/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.