The Lake Shawnee Amusement Park is a defunct amusement park in Princeton, West Virginia, United States, located along Lake Shawnee. Hairburst is having a huge buy one get one FREE sale on their hair growth products (and the photos speak for themselves), Hurry! The park consisted of attractions, bumper cars, swing boats, a swing-carousel, and a Ferris wheel. People often claim to capture spooky photos and ghostly EVPs during their visits to Lake Shawnee. Rainfall around a half an inch. Staff photo by. Visit Atlas Obscura for more on Lake Shawnee Amusement Park. It seems to be uncertain what year the incidents occurred, but we know that the drowning of a boy in the swimming pool caused it to be closed off and later filled with sand; some sources say that his arm was caught in a drainpipe, and others say he was simply discovered floating lifelessly in the water. In 1926, C.T. [4][2] Two of the children had been killed while a third was captured and taken to Chillicothe and burned at the stake. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park was built in 1926 on the site of a Native American burial ground in Princeton, West Virginia. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park was a amusement park opened back in 1926 but was closed in 1966 because of many deaths and stuff. The doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo, the group behind the Sarin gas attacks[3] on the Tokyo subway, also had their headquarters and nerve gas production facility in the nearby village of Kamikuishiki. One hundred forty-three years after Mitchell Clay and his surviving family members fled the land, it was purchased by a man named Conley Snidow, Sr. As reported by Road Unraveled, the region had become a popular destination for coal miners and their families, who spent their summers vacationing along the banks of Lake Shawnee. Both of their scalps were taken by the Shawnee group. Between 1927 when the park opened and 1966 when it finally closed, six people died at the Lake Shawnee Amusement Park. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. This is probably the most well-known death and haunting on the property to this day, and was most likely the start of the parks haunted history. The White family estimates they saw tens of thousands of guests during the three years it was open again, and during 4th of July weekend in 1987, the estimate they saw over 10,000 people, with bands playing 24 hours a day on the stage. King was stabbed to death, and police arrested the men responsible, letting the two underage boys go, and brought charges up against Dwight Sayles and Victor C. Walker. They believe they left the children behind to prevent them from being infected. An optimistic entrepreneur, Conley T Snidow, bought the former Clay farm in the 1920s, put in swings and a ferris wheel, The ferris wheel is now abandoned and overgrown but in the 1950s and early 60s it rang with the cries and giggles of children. Lake Shawnee shut down in 1966 and sat idle until 1985, when a man named Gaylord White purchased the site and reopened the fun park. He wasnt scared, but the only thing he could think of was, Well, if you like this tractor so much, Im going to give it to you., So he got off of it and left it sitting there. Image by Jonathan HannaIn addition to skeletal remains, White says artifacts like this pot and pipe were discovered during the dig. Kochs wife Carol survived the attack by hiding under the trailer. A man who was captured on film dangling from a Utah amusement park ride has died after authorities say he sustained injuries from a nearly 50-foot fall. [1][2] It received public attention for at least 2 deaths that occurred on the premises during its operations, which led to urban legends regarding the park being haunted, in an early instance of the Indian burial ground trope. (Dustin via Flickr). Lake Shawnee: An Abandoned Amusement Park With a History of Death, This Belgian theme park closed down when a boy lost an arm, Jungle Habitatsaw animal attacks, escapes, and disease before shuttering, Sitges Aquatic Paradise is an abandoned waterpark turned counter-culture mecca. While excavating the track, they made discoveries that would uncover some of the darker secrets of Lake Shawnees past. The two had been friends for a couple years, and Chloe clearly thought they were just in for a night of creepy fun and underage drinking at the old park. White says experts from Marshall University say they believe the site is the final resting place for up to 3,000 people. The park may have been forgotten, but the land remembers. The park was thoroughly demolished in 2007, leaving nothing behind except for the strange memories and photographs and the questions as to why anyone thought it would be a popular attraction. A rusted swing set in the abandoned Lake Shawnee Amusement park in West Virginia, USA. The rusting skeletons of the Ferris wheel and swing ride still stand at Lake Shawnee. A rusted ferris wheel in the abandoned Lake Shawnee Amusement park in West Virginia. (Plus we all needed a bit of a break after the intensity of Harold the Doll, am I right?). He didnt know what it was, so one day he felt the weight and he turned around and the little girl from the swings was there. Referring to the girl who was killed on the ride in 1966, he said, " we believe that's her spirit." It remains uncertain as to the reason why the park closed. His son said he had even seen the little girl, in her pink dress covered in blood. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. The park included a swing set, a Ferris wheel, and a pond for swimming. However, looking back, most things appear clear. The swing on which she died is marked with a pink ribbon, and people often leave toys and other offering for her on the seats. Morbid. In 2010, Everyday Paranormal featured Lake Shawnee Amusement Park in Season 2 of Discovery Channel's Ghost Lab. Its sad, but Marshall thinks thats what wiped out this Shawnee tribe back in the 1700s., In 1773, Mitchell Clay, his wife Pheobe, and their sixteen children were the first to settle in the area; their farm and homestead was located where Shawnee Amusement Park would later be built. Do you think that the Clay children could possibly be haunting the area as well? A little girl in a pink dress was killed after climbing into the circling swing set. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park has been listed as one of the most terrifying places in the country. A wave of other settlers followed them. Your donations will help us continue to provide you with new episodes and content every week. The park closed that year out of respect for the families. Cruz, however, had different motives, and after Chloe refused to have sex with him, he raped and killed her, stabbing her in the neck, under the giant cross before throwing her body and belongings in the woods.[2]. Thirteen-year-old Sherri Lynn Depew was launched out of the parks Black Witch rollercoaster. 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However, tensions between the Clays and local Native American tribes, who previously occupied the land, never ceased. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park is located at 470 Matoaka Rd. A third son, Ezekial, was reportedly kidnapped. He said it was OK., It makes me happy, she said, watching the video with tears in her eyes. West Virginia's abandoned Lake Shawnee Amusement Park shut down back in 1966 and has laid in ruins ever since. Now, its tragic past has made it a draw for paranormal enthusiasts from across the globe. 10 Lake Shawnee Amusement Park. 1 In reality, Michell Clay, the nephew of Henry Clay, and his family settled along the Bluestone River at Clover Bottom in 1775. On the 4th of July weekend in 1987, the Whites had bands playing 24 hours a day, and with an admission of just $1, he said he thinks they saw close to 10,000 people. Now that the land is being treated with reverence, the spirits of the Shawnee seem to be mostly at peace as well, though they keep a watchful eye and occasionally raise the hair on your arms. Tracy spends her days writing and designing in a tourist town where she lives with her dog. In the mid-1990s, the park was closed and the land was bought by the neighboring campground, resulting in all of the buildings and rides to be completely demolished. He was charged with capital felony, murder, and sexual assault and sentenced to fifty-five years in prison for his brutal act, leaving the park with a more sinister reputation. West Virginia Antiquities Commission, Oct. 1976, "Abandoned West Virginia amusement park has a bloody history", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lake_Shawnee_Amusement_Park&oldid=1137531029, Defunct amusement parks in the United States, Reportedly haunted locations in West Virginia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 03:16. A man named C.T. Lake Shawnee is an unincorporated community in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. A Native American burial ground. In total, 6 people died inside the amusement park. The cheerful turquoise, red and green rides slowly faded and flaked. Send it to ResidualWhispers@gmail.com. The Shady History Of The Cursed Lake Shawnee Amusement Park. Deciding to leave well enough alone, and out of respect for the Shawnee tribe, the White family ceased their efforts to revive the land. The family who owns the park now also say that there was a little boy who drowned in the lake itself when his familys canoe capsized. It is very tiny with 1 small old swing ride and 1 small Ferris wheel and basically playground equipment. In 1966, Lake Shawnee Amusement Park was abandoned. Gaylord, his wife Jewell, and their eldest son Gaylord Jr., began offering campfire tales and tours during the week of Halloween. Lake Shawnee Amusement park was opened by C.T. Families dont vacation there or even spend a warm summers day swimming. They discovered artifacts from the Native American Shawnee tribe, who resided in the area before settlers arrived until at least the late 1700s. Its new owner claims that the amusement park is haunted and you can hear the wooden swings creak even if they don't move, while sometimes the seats start moving when you get near them. Eight years later a bloody clash with a Native American tribe led to several deaths. Each episode featured the legends and stories of several reportedly haunted locations throughout America.. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park - Princeton, West Virginia A Haunted Amusement Park 1926-1946 & 1985-1988 Written by Jeffrey Stanton In 1926, C.T. But Lake Shawnee is a tourist destination all the same. The Lake Shawnee Amusement Park, which started in 1926, lasted four decades before having to close in 1967. In recent years, those phone calls have increased significantly as people read about Lake Shawnee on the Internet. People still found a way in, though, and vandalism and trespassing occurred, destroying many of the parks statues and attractions. [5] White briefly reopened the park, but it was closed after three years. The park saw more than 50,000 visitors each year while it was open until owner John Baptist Greco closed the park in 1984 in order to expand it. Turns out tiny Lake Shawnee in Mercer County has developed quite a following in the Internet age. The park included a swimming pool with a water slide, a race track, concession stands, a dance hall, a swing ride, a Ferris wheel, and cabins for those wishing to stay overnight. In the field where the bones and artifacts were excavated, bodies still resting just under the surface, people leave offerings for the Shawnee tribe, such as tobacco and Native American crafts. The 14-year-old boy fell to his death from a ride at an amusement park in Orlando, sheriff's officials said. She couldnt get out and she was yelling for help, he said. Gaylord White II has not denied rumors that the abandoned Lake Shawnee Amusement Park is haunted. When we got here, we ran the serial numbers, and found it was the exact same swing that used to be here. a chilling coincidence. It was the 1966 death of a young girl on the swings, however, that led to Lake Shawnees closure. We had to visit Lake Shawnee while we were in West Virginia, an old abandoned amusement park where multiple.