Dayton Fun Face: Lakeside Amusement park

Most Daytonians these days don’t know that Dayton, Ohio had several amusement parks years ago. One I wanted to focus on today was called Lakeside. If you can picture in your mind where Gettysburg Ave and Route 35 cross then you are right at the spot where Dayton’s first amusement park started.  It was the Lakeside Amusement Park which opened in the summer of 1890. It had a roller coaster called the Wildcat, a carousel and a water ride that let excited patrons ride wooden boats down a long slide into the water. It remained open until the mid-1960s

Of course, the highway was not there back then and the site is now unrecognizable as a former play zone. All that remains is the small lake from which it was named that eventually became overgrown and littered. The city of Dayton has recently invested in the lake and added a walking trail, dedicated parking and a floating dock. The revitalization has once again allowed the lake to be enjoyed by all. The next time you drive down Route 35 on the western side of Dayton be sure to take in your surroundings and you’ll get a glimpse of the lake. You can just imagine the happy screams of park goers and what a fun asset Lakeside was to the Dayton area. As a local Dayton Realtor I’m always happy to share our area’s rich history.