Originally a picturesque lakefront picnic area, the area has grown into a theme park with more than 35 rides and attractions.
According to the Library of Congress, Lake Compounce is the oldest continually running amusement park in the country and the oldest amusement park in the United States, according to the National Amusement Park Historical Association.
The theme park is regarded as the fifth oldest in the world by the National Amusement Park Historical Association.
The ones that come before it include Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark; Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom; Bakken in Klampenborg, Denmark; and Prater in Vienna.
When did Lake Compounce open?
On October 6, 1846, Bristol scientist Samuel Botsford convinced landowner Gad Norton to host “a series of beautiful experiments in electricity,” according to the theme park’s website. This show eventually brought thousands of people to Lake Compounce.
The account states that the first permanent structure, a casino with a restaurant on the ground floor and a ballroom on the upper, was constructed in 1895. At the time, dinner cost fifty cents.
Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the oldest church in the continental United States.
Opened for operation in 1914, the Green Dragon was the first roller coaster to run on electricity.
