Camden Park (amusement 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 traditional park home to over 30 rides and attractions. 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 [1]. The coaster is classified as an ACE Coaster Classic by the American Coaster Enthusiasts [2]. 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 flat-rides 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.

West Virginia Adventure Golf

For the 2008 season Camden Park 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.

New for 2010

For the 2010 season, the park added a new flat ride. The ride is called "Camden Princess", and is a Zamperla "Rockin' Tug" ride. The ride features a half-pipe track design and friction wheels.

Current rides & attractions

• Big Dipper
• Lil' Dipper
• Haunted House
• Log Flume
• Bull's Eye
• Hot Cat
• Rockin' Tug
• Train
• Kite Flyer
• Tilt-A-Whirl
• Spider
• Scrambler
• Flying Scooters
• Dodgems
• Carousel
• Skyliner
• The Whip
• Kiddie Land
• Paratrooper
• Adena Indian Mound
• Discovery Center (Science Center)
• Mound Builder Pavilion (Show Stage)
• Midway Stage
• Midway Games of Chance
• Several Classic Drink and Food Concessions
• Mini Golf
• Swan Lake
• Penny Arcade

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. [3]
• 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. [4]
• Skydiver - a "looping ferris wheel" type of ride. Replaced with the Rockin' Tug, although in a different location, for 2010.
• Hurricane - a Hurricane ride manufactured by Dartron Industries.
• Tip-Top - a flat ride in which six tubs with a wheel in the center of each tub to control spinning of the tub, the ride starts spinning, and bounces upwards by compressed air.
• Camden Park Zoo - The zoo was located North of the train station. It was removed in the early 1970s.

External links

• Official Website of Camden Park
• Photos of Camden Park