Film has a fascinating history that dates all the way back to 1892. Since then, the technology has evolved leaps and bounds. If you're an Ohio history buff, you might be wondering what sort of footage was taken in Ohio more than a century ago during film production's earliest stages. Few people know that the first United States President to appear on film actually did so right here in the Buckeye State. In one of the earliest pieces of video footage ever taken in Ohio, President William McKinley is filmed at his home in Canton, Ohio in 1896. Check out the short film below, (provided by YouTube user Change Before Going Productions), in which a reenactment of William McKinley receiving the Republican nomination for President of the United States in September 1896 is captured:
What do you think of this footage? Pretty neat, right?
There is something hauntingly beautiful about abandoned places. Watching Mother Nature slowly reclaim her territory is a fascinating process that takes many years. Given enough time, she’ll always get her way.
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Geauga Lake amusement park was once a place where laughter echoed throughout the park but now sits abandoned. Let’s take a look at this abandoned amusement park in Ohio and how it came to be.
If you love creepy content, Only In Your State’s Vacant series – which partners with talented photographer Johnny Joo – explores a dozen other fascinating abandoned places just waiting to be discovered.
Editor’s Note: Due to the nature of abandoned destinations, many of the places featured in this series are off-limits to visitors or have actually been demolished. We do not condone trespassing and other illegal activity but rather encourage readers to enjoy learning about these fascinating destinations.
Photo by Johnny Joo – www.oddworldstudio.com
Geauga Lake is located between Bainbridge Township and Aurora, Ohio. Established in 1887, the park added its first amusement ride in 1889. The first ride was a steam-powered carousel.
Originally, the park was a fun little recreational spot that was popular for picnics and swimming. The lake was actually originally known as “Picnic Lake”.
Photo by Johnny Joo – www.oddworldstudio.com
The park’s first roller coaster, the Big Dipper, was added in 1925 and gradually expanded to include many more thrilling rides over the years. Six Flags purchased the park in 2000, and Geauga Lake became Six Flags Ohio. Shortly after that, Six Flags also purchased the nearby SeaWorld Ohio, and the whole package was rebranded as Six Flags World of Adventure.
Photo by Johnny Joo – www.oddworldstudio.com
However, Six Flags’ reign was short-lived, and the park was sold to Cedar Fair in 2004. Six Flags has a history of purchasing amusement parks and shutting them down. If you’ve ever driven around I-10 in New Orleans, you’ve likely seen the remnants of Six Flags New Orleans. This has been an eyesore since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I pass by it often.
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Photo by Johnny Joo – www.oddworldstudio.com
Once Cedar Fair purchased the park in 2004, it returned to its original name (Geauga Lake), and the SeaWorld section became a waterpark the following year. Together, the two parks were known as Geauga Lake and Wildwater Kingdom.
Sadly, this new rebranding didn’t pull in the numbers they had hoped, and the amusement park was closed in 2007. The remaining rides were sold at auction, and the amusement park shut its doors for good while the water park continued to operate until 2016.
Photo by Johnny Joo – www.oddworldstudio.com
The amusement park land sat for sale for many years. In 2020, A home construction company unveiled plans to turn the property into a housing development on the water park parking lot area.
As recently as September 2024, the Aurora City Council voted to purchase 48 acres of land along with the lake to turn it back into a recreational park—just like it was back in 1887.
If it goes to plan, Geauga Lake will return to the beginning of its story. Funny how things work out, eh?
Special thanks to Cleveland-based photographer Johnny Joo of Odd World Studio for the photos used in this article. To discover more creepy and abandoned places, check out his website, Architectural Afterlife.
Read on to check out our favorite road trip essentials to make any cross-country road trip a breeze.
If you think Ohio is a follower, think again. Some of the most notable Ohio firsts include everything from important steps in American history to common objects and services we take for granted every day. Ohio was often at the forefront of significant changes in society, as these famous things from Ohio will show. What is Ohio known for? The following are 11 things Ohio did first that you may not have known about.
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1. Ohio was the first state to enact laws protecting working women.
Were you aware of all of these Ohio firsts? Which of these inventions from Ohio surprised you? Are there any other things famous things from Ohio that we missed? Tell us your thoughts in the comments! Then, celebrate your Ohio state pride by picking up some gear from Wear Your Roots.
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If you know of any other fun facts about Ohio, send them our way for the chance to see your suggestion(s) featured in an upcoming article!
This list certainly makes us appreciate Ohio a little bit more. Another great thing about the Buckeye State is that it's brimming with quaint small towns. One of our favorites is Lebanon, and this video by us at OnlyInYourState highlights the perfect weekend in this charming, historic town:
