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t the end of a seven-and-three-quarter mile peninsula in northern Ohio lies the renowned and beautiful Cedar Point resort. The once well-vegetated area is part of the historic city of Sandusky and owes much of its existence to it, along with the graceful white sand beach that runs along its northern shore. But how could this narrow plot of land go from a modest beach to a world-class amusement park? The answer lies within antique postcards, past brochures and the fascinating people whom enjoyed the park in its early years.
The Erie Indians first inhabited the one-mile long and one-half mile wide area in the late 1600's. The Indians on the peninsula lived among many wild animals there, including wild deer and large eagles. It is believed the peninsula got the name "Cedar Point" as early as 1805. It was first documented by that title on a map from 1823 and was named for the groves of cedar trees that once covered the peninsula.
When several resorts started popping up in America in the 1830's, they were very proper with only the wealthy being able to visit them. Not until after the Civil War, when hotels were built with moderate prices, could the middle class enjoy these types of resorts.
Louis Zistel, a German immigrant, built two boats for use during the Civil War to transport Confederate officer prisoners to a prison on Johnson's Island, near Cedar Point. After the war in 1870, he used the boats again to transport visitors to Cedar Point and opened a bathhouse near the beach accompanied with a beer garden and dance floor. In its inaugural year, the majority of visitors were the neighboring Sandusky residents. The following summer, the beer garden at Cedar Point didn't re-open for a second season and remained closed for the next few years.
James West opened the area again when he opened a grouping of bathhouses with bathing suit rentals, in 1878. Besides bathing, a visitor to the resort could enjoy picnicking and the many acres of seclusion that the park offered, which was a delight to several couples.
In 1882, Benjamin F. Dwelle and Captain William Stackfore leased the property from the peninsula's owners. They started their first year with the addition of picnic tables, a dancehall, eight new bathhouses and wooden walkways, which were laid on the beach. This first season under their direction was so successful that it was likely to see over one hundred people on the beach and sometimes even one thousand on some warm summer days. Over the next five years after they leased the peninsula, the two partners built up the resort. They built a restaurant that offered lunches and ice cream, and a large dance floor over the restaurant. Acres of brush were cleared with more picnic tables added. Near the newly expanded picnic grounds they constructed a baseball diamond for their guests to enjoy. Also guests could enjoy firework displays at Cedar Point for the first time ever. Even more bathhouses were built in this period where bathing suits were available for rental for a mild fee of 25 cents.
Charles Baetz headed a new partnership of five men, which was formed at the end of the 1887 summer season that ran the potentially successful resort. Their biggest project for the 1888 season was the construction of the massive Grand Pavilion. This two-story building, which was 110 feet wide and 168 feet long, contained a theatre, concert hall, photographer's studio, bowling alleys, and a bar. In the center of this new building was a large cupola where guests could peer into Lake Erie. After a period of seasons, this distinctive tower was removed from the Grand Pavilion. Near the new Grand Pavilion they constructed a Music Pavilion and a Ladies Pavilion, which offered cakes, fruits, ice cream and a soda water bar.
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