Abandoned Big Dipper pics

[Paul Arthur]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellmutt/sets/72157602655023537/with/919712963/

[christianscoasters]

OMG there's a deer in one of those!!!

[downunder]

Wow, that looks freaky. That would be fun to check out.

[coastercrazed49]

Wow those were some really cool pictures.

How did you find that place?

[sfotkid]

I-rony! A wood coaster being destroyed by trees and moss....

[AllenA07]

Those pictures remind me of the show Life After Humans from a few months back.

[canadianfreak]

I find that really creepy. Would make a great attraction for halloween.

[pianojohn]

That is so sad. I went to the park as a kid and rode the Wild Mouse but was too chicken to tackle the Big Dipper.

[Paul Arthur]

Crazed 49: Unfortunately, I didn't get to go in person. These were forwarded on to me from a friend of a friend who shot them. I agree though... the idea that a wooden coaster gets consumed again by the woods is an eerie notion.

[verticalzero]

This shows the world what great enginering skills were had at that time, there were no Computers or Internet for the designers to get the track perfect but they did it.

 

A roller coaster which was build in the 1930's, s been closed for over 30 years and still standing within woods is amazing. The track which lies in the tunnel section is the best perserved till the whole thing caves in.

 

I would love to visit this coaster someday before it falls down, def pay my respects..

[DCody]

I've wanted to go on a pilgrimage to this coaster for so long. What a truly beautiful and poignant sight.

[jackskellington101]

Imagine walking in the woods and finding something like that. It's amazing it's still up. It seems like, with a little clean up, it could run again. Hauntingly beautiful.

[ebl]

One thing to remember about older woodies. They were built with "old growth" wood, which was more durable than the wood used today. That said, it's no wonder that this ride has been so well preserved.

 

Too bad so many such rides can't make the same claim.

 

Eric

[thrillrideseeker]

WoW! Those photos are amazing! That is a place that I would love to go and spend a day. It looks very interesting in pictures I can not imagine how amazing it must look in person.

~Matthew

[cathyJ]

It was both cool and sad to see what has become of the Big Dipper at Chippewa Lake Park but I am curious to know what became of the other rides that were there?

 

Some of the sites I have seen pics of a Ferris Wheel almost wipped out by trees, actually one pic I saw was that of a large tree that grew within that structure.

 

The flying cages, wild mouse, tumble bug ( with cars still on the track ) and I think there were a few other rides left behind. Wonder if they are still there? I would imagine they are still there.

 

Looking at these pics, kinda reminds me of a small fire house that is located near Keyser, WV. For YEARS behind the fire house they had a Ferris Wheel, Scambler, Tilt-A-Whrill, Swings and I believe 2 kiddie rides.

All just sitting there rusting away. After passing this place several times over the years, one day ( this was in 1990 ) I stopped by that Fire House and asked them why the rides. They told me they haven't ran since the 1968 when the fire house used to have their own carnivals. They kept them over the years hoping they would have another carnival in the future. I guess the insurance cost was too much for them.

 

I can kick myself for not taking pics of these rides as the next year ( 1991 ) driving by that place I noticed all of the rides were gone. I stopped by that Fire House and asked them what became of them.

 

The people there didn't know. But be idle for such a long time, I doubt they would have run and chances are they are pieces of metal by now.

[MonkeyPants]

I've got a couple shots of this place too...

 

 

 

Paul, wasn't it nuts in there? I felt like I was in a Scooby Doo mystery! It totally felt like a place I'd like to just spend the afternoon, have a picnic, that sort of thing.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the place is being sold / has been sold, and is slated to be redeveloped which means that stuff would be torn down.

[Purplepills]

It was both cool and sad to see what has become of the Big Dipper at Chippewa Lake Park but I am curious to know what became of the other rides that were there?

 

There's a site with photo's you may be interested in:

 

Abandoned but not forgotten

[AllenA07]

Imagine walking in the woods and finding something like that. It's amazing it's still up. It seems like, with a little clean up, it could run again. Hauntingly beautiful.

 

While the ride looks to be in decent shape considering, I can't only imagine how much damage there has been to the foundation from all the tree roots growing underneath.

[cathyJ]

It was both cool and sad to see what has become of the Big Dipper at Chippewa Lake Park but I am curious to know what became of the other rides that were there?

 

There's a site with photo's you may be interested in:

 

Abandoned but not forgotten

 

Thanks !!!

 

www.defunctparks.com

has a chapter on Chippewa as well.

 

I wish Joel who runs defunctparks would update his site soon. Its has been years since he did. Then again I heard elsewhere that he pretty much lost interest in amusement parks but his site continues.