Letter from the Chippewa Lake Bug.

9/28/06

Earlier last week, a letter with an attached snapshot was found in the park office. The letter was from the Tumble Bug that's standing at the long closed Chippewa Lake Park in Medina, Ohio.

Chippewa Lake Park was a traditional amusement park/resort, similar to Conneaut Lake Park. It had may of the same things we have here like a dance pavilion, restaurant, hotel, carousel, wooden coaster, and iron rides like the Tumble Bug. When the park closed in 1978 after its 100th anniversary, the place was shuttered and abandoned. Their Tumble Bug is still sitting idle.

Hello, . I just wanted to thank you for saving my brother. I know that it would have been much easier just to scrap him like all the other parks have done over the years but Conneaut Park showed everyone you're better than they are. I'm sure my brother appreciates that as much as me and everyone else who likes to ride him. . I remember back in the 20's when there were many parks across the country and most all of them had one of us. But the times have changed and now there's only a few of us left. Long gone with the Roaring Twenties are the pretty ladies called Flappers and the Big Band era. We made it through a really bad depression and that terrible World War 2. But most of those parks have vanished. . At least I'm not alone here. Sometimes people walk by and stand there and talk about how sad it is to see me here like this and how they wish they could help me but can't. I finally admitted to myself that there's no hope for me. My destiny is a long slow train ride through the clouds of indifference and lack of concern to the depot of oblivion. . I can remember seeing people who rode me as a kid come back with their kids for a ride and that made me so happy. Now I can look back on my memories but I have no future to look forward to and that makes me sad. . The next time you see my brother, please tell him I said "hi," that I'm doing well and I know that some of my weekend friends have been to Conneaut to go for a ride on him. That will make him happy and I see no reason to tell him the truth about me. . Well, I guess I've taken enough of your time so I'll go. . Farewell dear friends. Think of me sometime. ..................................... . ........................................Bug

Here is a shot of the Chippewa Lake Park Tumble Bug as it stands today.

See you at the lake!

• 9/13/2006 CLASSIC WOODEN COASTER CONSUMED BY GIGANTIC TREE!!
• 10/11/2006 These guys need a new home...AGAIN!