Did you know that the village of Celoron, on the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake, was once the site of a major amusement and entertainment park? Opened in 1894 as one of the Broadhead family’s many business interests, and said to be modeled after parks at Coney Island and Atlantic City, it featured several amusement rides including a large ferris wheel known as “The Phoenix”, roller coaster and toboggan water slide as well as a theater, auditorium, bandstand and baseball diamond. The popularity of Celoron Park was tied largely to the passenger rail service connecting it to the City of Jamestown and the surrounding areas along Chautauqua Lake and beyond. However, as that transportation network declined during the first half of the 20th century with the increasing ownership of automobiles across the country, so too did the fortunes of Celoron Park. In 1952, The Phoenix was dismantled and sold. Other parts of the park soon followed until 1962 when it closed completely.

Reference Credit: Fenton Historical Society.