Mill Race (log flume)

Mill Race
Mill Race in the mid 1960s
Cedar Point
StatusRemoved
Cost$300,000
Opening date1963 (1963)
Closing date1993 (1993)
Replaced byRaptor
General statistics
TypeLog flume
ManufacturerArrow Development
Height28 ft (8.5 m)
Length1,230 ft (370 m)

Mill Race was a log flume ride that operated between 1963[1] and 1993[2] at the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.

Opened in 1963, just months after El Aserradero [The Sawmill] at Six Flags Over Texas,[3] it was the world's second log flume ride.[1] In 1993, it was dismantled to make room for the Raptor roller coaster.[2]

History

Park souvenir with an illustration of Mill Race

Built for about $300,000 ($2,985,652 today[4]), [1] Mill Race opened during a period of transition at Cedar Point.[5] In 1963, when Mill Race opened, Cedar Point had no operating roller coasters besides smaller wild mouse style roller coasters.[5] Mill Race opened near the entrance of the park on the main midway[6] and it proved to be one of the most popular rides in the entire park.[7] The number of Cedar Point visitors rose following the installation of Mill Race.[5]

Although Mill Race was popular, the log flume was ultimately removed in 1993 to prepare for the addition of the inverted steel roller coaster Raptor.[2] A second log flume ride, White Water Landing, had also been built at Cedar Point in 1982. At 50 feet (15 m) in height,[6] White Water Landing dwarfed the 28 feet (8.5 m) tall Mill Race.[1] Snake River Falls, a third flume, opened in Mill Race's last year of operation.[6] In the year following Mill Race's removal and Raptor's installation, Cedar Point admissions went from hundreds of thousands of visitor admissions to over two million visitor admissions in a single season.[2]

Layout and ride experience

Mill Race had a simple layout, only having a single lift hill of 28 feet (8.5 m) in height.[1] Mill Race had been selected as a top Cedar Point attraction in multiple years of the 1960s.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Francis, David W.; Francis, Diane DeMali (2002). Ohio's Amusement Parks in Vintage Postcards. Postcard History Series. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738519979. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Pledger, Marcia (6 June 2012). "Cedar Point may be planning to add winged coaster next year". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  3. ^ Ouellette, Jennifer (2010). The Calculus Diaries: How Math Can Help You Lose Weight, Win in Vegas, and Survive a Zombie Apocalypse. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0143117377. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  4. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Samuelson, Dale; Yegoiants, Wendy (2001). The American Amusement Park. Hong Kong: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0760309817. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  6. ^ a b c Proudfood, Rona (4 September 2009). "Cedar Point unveils new water flume ride". The Chronicle-Telegram. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  7. ^ a b Blade Staff Writer (13 May 1966). "Cedar Point rushing for 97th season opening". The Blade. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  8. ^ Nofziger, Fred (15 May 1968). "Frontier Town emerging out west at Cedar Point". The Blade. Retrieved 29 November 2012.