Idora Park Chronology

1897

The Youngstown Park & Falls Street Railway (incorporated 1893) begins operation on Youngstown’s south side.

1899

Terminal Park opens on Decoration Day, May 30. The new amusement park features a dancing pavilion, theater, merry-go-round, and bandstand. A contest is held to pick the area’s most popular school teacher. Jessie Coulter, who placed second, chooses Idora as the permanent name for the Terminal Park.

1902

Idora acquires its first roller coaster, a Figure-Eight Toboggan Slide built by Frederick Ingersoll of Pittsburgh.

1910

A new ballroom opens, replacing the original dancing pavilion.

1914

The Dip-the-Dips, the park’s second roller coaster, is constructed by the T. M. Harton Company of Pittsburgh.

1920

The Firefly coaster replaces the Figure-Eight Toboggan Slide.

1921-30

Rex Billings serves as manager of Idora. He introduces 3-cent kiddie day and becomes nationally prominent in the amusement park industry.

1922

Idora purchases a magnificent new carousel from the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The same company constructs a fun house on the park’s north end.

1924

The Idora Amusement Company purchases Idora Park from the Penn-Ohio Power & Light Company. For the first time Idora is controlled by local interests. The new owners are Charlie Deibel, Rex Billings, Thomas Murray, Jr., Adolph Heller, and John W. Ford.

1924

A new swimming pool opens in the northeast corner of the park.     

The Lillian Desmonde Players begin the first of six seasons at the Idora Theater. The Dip-the-Dips is remodeled and becomes the Jack Rabbit.

1930

The Wildcat replaces the Firefly. This new coaster is built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, which also constructs a new water ride called the Rapids.

1933

Heidelberg Gardens opens. This restaurant is located in the original dancing pavilion built in 1899.

1948

Silver rocket ships replace the airplanes on the Circle Swing.

The swimming pool closes at the end of the season.

1949

Park ownership changes with Pat Duffy, Sr., Max Rindin, and Tony Cavalier assuming control.

1951

Kiddieland opens on the site of the former swimming pool.

1953

Dan Ryan introduces record hops at the Idora ballroom.

1955-56

The ballroom is remodeled. The ornate towers are removed from the exterior; the interior features a new dropped ceiling and indirect lighting.

1968

The Rapids is re-themed and renamed The Lost River; the fun house becomes the Whacky Shack.

1974

New rides include the Spider and Yo-Yo. New on the midway is the Cheyenne Shootout, an electronic shooting gallery.

1982

The owners put Idora Park up for sale but get no offers.

1984

Fire on April 26 destroys the Lost River ride, part of the Wildcat, the park office, and most of the game booths on the lower midway. Despite the losses, Idora opens on schedule for the 1984 season.

1984

In late August the owners announce that Idora Park will cease operation. On October 20-21, an auction is held to dispose of the rides and equipment. A New York City couple buys the carousel for $385,000.

1985

Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church buys the Idora property and announces plans for a religious complex.

1986

A fire at the abandoned park on May 3 destroys the old Heidelberg Gardens, Kooky Castle, fun house, and Helter Skelter bumper car buildings.

1989

Mt. Calvary loses the property in a foreclosure and sheriff’s auction.

1994

Mt. Calvary buys the Idora property for a second time.

1999

The Mahoning Valley celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of Idora Park.  Idora Park: The Last Ride of Summer by Rick Shale and Charles J. Jacques, Jr. is published.