Fun Spot (Former) Amusement Park and Zoo

A slight headache due to the early morning wake up, the drive the day before and the beers from last night didn't help the mood set by the ominous rain and gray clouds that were going to make photography difficult. I had driven out of Cincinnati to visit family and once again meet up with my cousin Jeff to explore something abandoned, like we had done at Bush Stadium last year. The rain let up as we exited the gas station and ditched the "Corolla Rager." We traversed through the Vietnam-like waste high grass and swamps to "Fun Spot Amusement Park and Zoo." Despite the sudden stop of precipitation from the sky, the wet grass soaked our clothes and gear. By the time we had reached the inside of the park, the rain fell once again as we took cover from sight and nature in the picnic shelter of an abandoned amusement park.

- Rides without cars in a park without guests.

Fun Spot had originally opened as an amusement park in 1956, one of just a handful in Indiana. The family owned place thrived in a time where the local, small parks were a staple of American summers in small towns like this before the likes of Cedar Point, Kings Island and Six Flags were at their peak. In the wake of the proliferation of corporate theme parks during the mid 70's - present, many local parks met their demise and were abandoned. You may recall a similar story in the original QC/D post about Americana/LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park back in 2007.

Fun Spot was unique though. It's location didn't really allow it to be threatened by parks like Cedar Point and Kings Island. The local tourism of Indiana's northern lakes and numerous vacation homes in proximity to the park also helped. Over the years though Fun Spot would attempt to adapt and grow, eventually adding a waterpark and small zoo that featured white bengal tigers. In its later years though, the park had sporadic, irregular operating hours and eventually shut its doors blaming "the economy." 2008 was the park's last season.

- Cars from the "flying scooters" in storage under one of the park's picnic shelters.

As the rain continued to pour, we had a look around the shelter. Cars from the park's "flying scooters" ride could be found, still brandishing the Fun Spot name. Ironically, these cars had been purchased for Fun Spot's ride after the aforementioned Americana closed in 2002. Yet again, they were sitting in storage at a closed park.

- Jungle themed trash can tops.

Park benches, picnic tables and trash cans could be found amongst the numerous ride vehicles. The similarities to Americana were incredibly eerie, the owners of that park had done the same thing to store their property upon closure. Eventually the rain stopped and the forecast on my phone came true, sun was moving into the area. Still soaked in rainwater, we moved out to see the rest of the park.

- The abandoned park midway.

In an abandoned amusement park, the absence of people is ever more apparent to me. In all the factories, schools, train stations and countless other abandoned places I've been, its easy to imagine what those places might have been like when they were thriving, but I never experienced them firsthand. Amusement parks however, I'm plenty familiar with. I had spent many summers working at Kings Island and even at the end of the night after all the guests had gone home, the place was still usually bustling with employees going about after hours duties. An amusement park devoid of all people is a surreal place.

What I like about places like this though, and the carnival from last week's update, is what they represent and say about our culture. At one point, places like Fun Spot, Americana and the local fair that rolled through were regarded as getaways and entertainment destinations. They were a symbol of American culture. After the rise of the large theme park chains, places like this became almost second rate. Suddenly it was all about what blockbuster movie will the new ride be themed after and who can build it taller and faster. The large amusement parks kicked the charm the smaller parks had to the curb and became almost like the fast food restaurants of the industry. You certainly don't find attractions like "The House of Glass" at Cedar Point or Kings Island.

- Gordon Bombay and Jeff representing QC/D in "The House of Glass."

Strolling around to one of the former maintenance areas, we came across a graveyard of sorts. Old food carts and roller coaster cars laid rusting in the weeds, most had probably been sitting there since before the park had closed for good. We passed the arcade and other closed rides such as a small kids coaster, a swinging pirate ship and "The Zyklon."



Fun Spot had three roller coasters. Like many of the park's rides, "The Zyklon" was actually a "fair model," meaning it could be easily taken down and transported along with a traveling carnival or fair. Smaller parks often purchased these types of models and made them permanent installations. "The Zyklon" features a similar layout to the "Pepsi Python" at Cincinnati's Coney Island. Having ridden the Python before, I would assume that the Zyklon wasn't that good of a ride.

- The steel track of "The Zyklon."

As we browsed through the control boxes and operator booths of the rides, it was interesting to read the instructions and manuals that had been placed there by the park's management. As someone who is familiar with ride operations, its always interesting to compare and see how other parks operated their rides.

- "The Matterhorn," a ride that was supposed to simulate an olympic bobsled race?

The asphalt midways lead to more rides and the steel garage doors that when opened, had once revealed the games of the park. Here is where numerous kids could've forked over multiple dollars in an attempt to win a stuffed animal that probably cost two cents and came over on a boat from China.

- The shuttered games building.

- The "Tilt-A-Whirl" and Ferris Wheel.

I don't really remember visiting Fun Spot very much as a kid when going to see my grandparents, aside from some vague memories of riding the little boat ride. One thing I did remember perfectly though, was the sign that advertised the park's main attraction. Brandished with an F-15 Eagle fighter jet, the sign presented the name: "The Afterburner: The All American Coaster."


A locked gate was no match for our climbing skills as we raced up the stairs to The Afterburner. If you're a dork like me and know too much about roller coasters, you'd know that this coaster is historically significant. It was the first working prototype of it's kind and many Cincinnatians who can remember, have probably ridden one similar to it. A similar model existed at Kings Island between 1977 and 1987. Named "The Screamin' Demon," Kings Island's had been the first model to open at a park and was considered the first modern looping roller coaster.

- The "Screamin' Demon at Kings Island. Photo from Cincinnati Views.

The Afterburner at Fun Spot had originated as Arrow Dynamic's first looping prototype at their headquarters in Clearfield, Utah. Eventually they opened the Demon at Kings Island and sold their original prototype to a park in Florida. Once that park closed, Fun Spot purchased it, moved it and re-branded it as "The Afterburner." (The Kings Island model would be sold to Camden Park in West Virgina in 1987 and eventually scrapped by that park in 2004)

- "The Afterburner."

Known as "Shuttle Loop Coasters," these models could be found at many parks throughout the country in the late 70's. Arrow Dynamics quickly came out with bigger and better designs and the Shuttle Loops were soon found to be obsolete. Not many still operate today. Originally this prototype had featured an elevator to bring guests to the station. Over the years though, it had been removed and replaced with stairs. If you're wheelchair bound and wanted to ride The Afterburner, well, you were shit out of luck



Up in the station, the ride still featured its original trains. One notable difference from the Kings Island model though, was that all the seats on the cars faced forwards, meaning every rider would be turned backwards on the trip back to the station. At Kings Island, half the seats faced forward, the other half backward, a concept unheard of at the time. If you visit Kings Island today, you can still see very similar trains on the park's Vortex roller coaster, which also features a similar style track.

- Front seat on "The Afterburner."

Until 2008, this was the only looping roller coaster in the state of Indiana. While unimpressive in comparison to the massive coasters at the larger parks today, the single loop and fading white track do stand out on the skyline above the surrounding fields and treetops.

- Layout.

- Operator panel.

Making our way down from the station platform of The Afterburner, we still had see one more thing. Both Jeff and I could remember riding a kid's ride where you sat in little boats, pretended to drive and went in a circle. The boats had a little bell you could even ring. I don't know, that was pretty cool when you were a kid. Jeff remembers riding a lot of the rides in the park, then the boats, and getting off and vomiting. I can remember riding it while visiting the park with my grandmother and mom when I was really young.

- A sign of a bygone era, these horse and buggy rides are few and far between.

We searched through the park relics in another picnic shelter, coming across the cars to a horse and chariot ride, a ride that is really rare to find in parks these days. Finally we came across the last thing we wanted to see, the little boats:

The boats had "God Bless America" stickers slapped on their backs, carrying on the park's theme of "The All American Coaster" and the numerous other "God Bless America" stickers that could be found throughout. Just for old time's sake, throwing back to the one memory I have of this place when it was open, I had to reach out and ring the bell on one of the little boats. The soft "ding" echoed through the closed park.

To see the full set of photos from Fun Spot, check out the full QC/D Photo Gallery.


-----------------------------------

Previous Update :: July 19, 2010 - "Where have you been? What's the plan? What were you doing? Where do you go from here?"

Like what you see or read here? Follow the adventures of Gordon Bombay on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook