City - OH - The Chester Park Club House 1909 Business Card

Colourized photo from 1909 Original title: Chester Park, Club House Photographer: Detroit Publishing Location: Chester Park, Spring Grove Avenue & Mitchell Ave, Cincinnati, OH Chester Park opened in 1875, it started as a horse racing track, and Chester was the name of the owners horse. The land was bought in 1896, and turned into an amusement park. They turned the track into a big lake, supplied by city water. They added that Colonial style club house, and had a number of rides such as the Tickler, The Blue Streak and the Hilarity Hall Fun House. People were encouraged to bring bathing suits so they could have fun in the lake. There was another nearby park called Coney Island (probably named after the original version), but this particular park was more accessible. The park survived till 1935, where they had problems with money, and their main attraction, that large lake, they couldn't afford to keep supplying water to it. While the park itself closed, the lake was still used by the city as a large pool. Eventually the Greater Cincinnati water works took over this spot in 1957. The only thing left is a small plaque talking about it.