The End of Americana/LeSourdsville Lake

[Gordon Bombay]

Hi folks, 

So, eleven years ago, I was a lot more active in this website. Not just the forums, but its production, content, etc. as well. Helping out with that shaped a lot of what I studied in school and what I do now. Love that this site still has an active, great community. Made a lot of good friends from here, have met a lot of great people over the years. 

Back in 2007, myself and some of KIC's staff had the chance to visit Americana/LeSourdsville Lake five years after its last season. We documented the closed park and what might become of it. That story launched my website: http://queencitydiscovery.blogspot.com/2007/10/lesourdsville-lakeamericana-revisited_29.html

Since then, I've had the chance to photograph a few other abandoned amusement parks (among a lot of other subjects). With the demolition of Americana/LeSourdsville almost complete, I decided to go back. My buddy Scott helped out with his drone. Thought some of you might enjoy the video, photos, and history. 

Ryan, Dane, Gabe, Robbie (and yes, even you Bill (but not you Dan*): hope you're all doing well. 

Here's the story: The End of LeSourdsville Lake/Americana

*Just kidding, Dan. 

[BoddaH1994]

I’m fine. Been busy. I promise I’ll return your calls one day when things settle down. 

Very cool article! I visited Americana (as I knew it) twice as a young child. My parents didn’t want to go to KI because you couldn’t bring your own food, like you could there. Once my aunt brought me and my sister to KI for the first time in 1991, we never returned as a family. 

I remember my sister and I were very fond of the Electric Rainbow, which is now at Stricker’s. I rode my first coaster ever - the Little Dipper there. It was essentially the Great Pumpkin Coaster - maybe even a clone. I also remember my first “big” coaster, The Serpent (although I want to say it went by a different name at the time).  I also remember riding the Log Jammer, which was known for a while as the world’s best log flume. 

I returned in 2002 during their brief reopening. It was dollar days - $1 parking, admission, food, etc. it still wasn’t that busy. That was the first and only time I rode the Screechin’ Eagle. That ride was intense!

It’s incredible how much talent passed through that place: Jeffrey Siebert, Bill Mefford, Matt Shafer (I think) and even arguably Vic Nolting and Mike Howard through the Coney Island Group.

This article is very good. Sad, but sometimes progress comes at a cost. The new park will allegedly utilize some of the existing structures, so hopefully you can get a small taste of nostalgia when visiting.

[Gordon Bombay]

7 hours ago, BoddaH1994 said:

I’m fine. Been busy. I promise I’ll return your calls one day when things settle down. 

Very cool article! I visited Americana (as I knew it) twice as a young child. My parents didn’t want to go to KI because you couldn’t bring your own food, like you could there. Once my aunt brought me and my sister to KI for the first time in 1991, we never returned as a family. 

I remember my sister and I were very fond of the Electric Rainbow, which is now at Stricker’s. I rode my first coaster ever - the Little Dipper there. It was essentially the Great Pumpkin Coaster - maybe even a clone. I also remember my first “big” coaster, The Serpent (although I want to say it went by a different name at the time).  I also remember riding the Log Jammer, which was known for a while as the world’s best log flume. 

I returned in 2002 during their brief reopening. It was dollar days - $1 parking, admission, food, etc. it still wasn’t that busy. That was the first and only time I rode the Screechin’ Eagle. That ride was intense!

It’s incredible how much talent passed through that place: Jeffrey Siebert, Bill Mefford, Matt Shafer (I think) and even arguably Vic Nolting and Mike Howard through the Coney Island Group.

This article is very good. Sad, but sometimes progress comes at a cost. The new park will allegedly utilize some of the existing structures, so hopefully you can get a small taste of nostalgia when visiting.

Ryan! Glad you're doing well! 

I remember you talking about the Little Dipper when we visited Americana/LL back in 07. While it was similar to Great Pumpkin, I don't think it was an exact clone. I never rode The Serpent, but if it's anything like The Python at Coney, it was probably terrible. I still have never ridden the Electric Rainbow, despite all the times you and I went to Stricker's. I remember being at Americana as a really young kid, then going once in that 2002 season as well. Like you, I remember the Eagle being really good. I had assumed that it would be "bad," since it was at a small park. 

Progress definitely comes at a cost and I'm sad to see this place go, but there certainly was ample opportunity to save it if the right person was interested. It just seemed that person never quite came along. In the original 2007 article, the comment section has been filled with people claiming all kinds of conspiracies about how things happened behind the scenes to keep the park from returning, but I don't believe most of that is true. The park had been struggling since 1996. 

[Rustbucket]

Even though we lived in Liberty Township for 16 years, I never got to go to this park.  We moved to Liberty Township in 2002 just after the park closed early for the season. Then it never reopened. 

For years, I saw Screechin' Eagle driving by the park without being able to ride it. It is ironic how I never got to ride a coaster that was closest to where I lived. 

[beastfan11]

Thanks for sharing. Never had a chance to make it to the park. I really dig QCD, keep up the good work, man.

[Gordon Bombay]

9 hours ago, beastfan11 said:

Thanks for sharing. Never had a chance to make it to the park. I really dig QCD, keep up the good work, man.

Thanks, man.  Not sure what's going to happen with the site in the next few months. Appreciate you checking it out and hope you're well!

[shark6495]

Thanks, man.  Not sure what's going to happen with the site in the next few months. Appreciate you checking it out and hope you're well!

I hope the options are more articles weekly or monthly, and nothing terrible!

In all seriousness your blog has been a constant weekly read for me for what feels like 10 years. I found it when I was living in NY and was miss my home and wanted to know about Americana actually. This was in 2009ish.

Just wanted to let ya know that it is a great addition to society!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Outdoor Man]

On 10/15/2018 at 12:37 AM, BoddaH1994 said:

I’m fine. Been busy. I promise I’ll return your calls one day when things settle down. 

Very cool article! I visited Americana (as I knew it) twice as a young child. My parents didn’t want to go to KI because you couldn’t bring your own food, like you could there. Once my aunt brought me and my sister to KI for the first time in 1991, we never returned as a family. 

I remember my sister and I were very fond of the Electric Rainbow, which is now at Stricker’s. I rode my first coaster ever - the Little Dipper there. It was essentially the Great Pumpkin Coaster - maybe even a clone. I also remember my first “big” coaster, The Serpent (although I want to say it went by a different name at the time).  I also remember riding the Log Jammer, which was known for a while as the world’s best log flume. 

I returned in 2002 during their brief reopening. It was dollar days - $1 parking, admission, food, etc. it still wasn’t that busy. That was the first and only time I rode the Screechin’ Eagle. That ride was intense!

It’s incredible how much talent passed through that place: Jeffrey Siebert, Bill Mefford, Matt Shafer (I think) and even arguably Vic Nolting and Mike Howard through the Coney Island Group.

This article is very good. Sad, but sometimes progress comes at a cost. The new park will allegedly utilize some of the existing structures, so hopefully you can get a small taste of nostalgia when visiting.

 

sorry... i've been keeping you busy.

Conference call at 2.  Looks like they're keeping this one...

 

[Gordon Bombay]

9 hours ago, shark6495 said:

I hope the options are more articles weekly or monthly, and nothing terrible!

In all seriousness your blog has been a constant weekly read for me for what feels like 10 years. I found it when I was living in NY and was miss my home and wanted to know about Americana actually. This was in 2009ish.

Just wanted to let ya know that it is a great addition to society!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you so, so, so much for keeping up with the site! I really appreciate it. I'm definitely going to keep writing and shooting and adding to it, but I need to update it, get a better interface, etc. It really needs to be better for mobile use as well. Blogger is a dinosaur that Google never updates.