Camden Park (amusement park)

Infobox Amusement park
name = Camden Park|

caption =
location = Huntington
location2 = West Virginia
location3 = United States flagicon|USA
opening_date = 1903
area = 26 acres
season = May through October
rides = 28
coasters = 2
water_rides = 2
owner =Boylin Family
slogan = "First in Fun Since 1903!"
homepage = [http://www.camdenpark.com Camden Park]

Camden Park is an amusement park located in Huntington, West Virginia. The park first opened in 1903 as a picnic spot along the Camden Interstate Railway street car line between Huntington and Ashland, Kentucky. It is one of the last traditional parks of its kind which features several classic rides. The park features two of the three remaining roller coasters built by National Amusement Devices. The Big Dipper, a wooden roller coaster constructed in 1958, features the original Century Flyer cars complete with headlights and detail work [http://www.coastergallery.com/2000/cam06.html] . The coaster is classified as an ACE Coaster Classic by the American Coaster Enthusiasts [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,2,3,26,4,5&order=1,2&category=107] . The park's second coaster, the Lil' Dipper was completed in 1961 and is also an ACE Coaster Classic. The Whip at Camden park is an original built by Coney Island, New York's William F. Mangels. It is one of a handful of these classic flatrides still in existence. The park is also home to several entertainment events which take place throughout the year: Children's Festival, Hot Summer Nights Concert Series, Coca-Cola Days, and Halloween Spooktacular.

New for 2008

For the 2008 season Camden Park recently added an 18 hole mini golf course. West Virginia Adventure Golf is designed by the world-renowned Castle Golf. The course features fountains, pounds, a gristmill, coveredbridge, cabin, chapel, animatronic figures and settings with various West Virginian themes. The course is complete with a Hatfield Field McCoy shootout by the Twelvepole Gristmill and a man who fishes while his dogs snacks on a catch. The putt putt course is a welcomed addition to an area of the park that has been considered an eyesore. The area once housed the decaying Thunderbolt Express. Also, the new resort style course replaces the smaller, mediocre course on the other side of the park.

List of current Camden Park Rides & Attractions

* Big Dipper
* Lil' Dipper
* Haunted House
* Log Flume
* Bullseye
* Hot Cat
* Train
* Swan Lake
* Penny Arcade
* Kite Flyer
* Tilt-A-Whirl
* Spider
* Scrambler
* Flying Scooters (New) 2006
* Dodgems
* Skydiver
* Carousel (Celebrates 100th year of operation in 2007)
* Skylift
* Whip (William F. Mangels)
* (Kiddie Land)
* Paratrooper
* Adena Indian Mound
* Discovery Center (Science Center)
* Adena Pavilion (Show Stage)
* Midway Stage
* Midway Games of Chance
* Several Classic Drink and Food Concessions
* Mini Golf
*Pen Island
*Rainbow

Notable Defunct Rides

* Enterprise - a fast, looping, and inverted "ferris wheel" like ride that featured a mural of the Star Trek The Next Generation's starship Enterprise behind it. The ride was closed after 50 people were injured on the ride after a hydraulic malfunction. [http://www.herald-dispatch.com/communities2/camdenpark/camden1.htm]
* Thunderbolt Express - a shuttle roller coaster once operating at Kings Island as the Screamin' Demon. It was moved to Camden Park in 1988. The ride fell into disrepair soon after and was closed in 1999. It was dismantled in 2004. [http://www.rcdb.com/id314.htm]

Trivia

* Camden Park is the only amusement park operating in the state of West Virginia.
* Camden Park has been host to many big names in Country Music, including Garth Brooks who mentions Camden park in his song "The Old Stuff".
* Camden Park is featured as a main focal point in Eric DeLee's short story, "The Carousel's Occupant" in the horror anthology The Fear Within (2003).
* The Whip was constructed by (William F. Mangels), an early amusement ride manufacturer based out of New York's Coney Island. Camden Park's Whip is one of a handful that are still in operation.
* The Big Dipper and the Lil Dipper feature their original National Amusement Device (NAD) Century Flyer trains.
* The Thunderbolt Express was originally King's Island's Screamin' Demon, Arrow Dynamic's first looping coaster.
* The park is built around a two thousand year old Adena Indian burial mound.

External links

* [http://www.camdenpark.com Official Website of Camden Park]