Norwood's (MOC#6-26)
- Description
- JOURNALING:
A fond memory I have growing up in Columbus Ohio in the 1950’s was summer time at Norwood’s Amusement Park located at Alum Creek Drive and Main Street. This was a small park named after the owner, Raymond A. Norwood. It was open only in the summers and featured 20+/- kiddie rides such as a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, Dodge-em cars, boats, and a caterpillar ride with a canvas hood that would close over the passengers during the ride. There was a small midway with the usual games to win a stuffed animal. The highlight for me was a ride on the steam-engine train that went along the nearby Alum Creek. Part of the ride took you through a stand of trees toward the river and I remember it was a little scary because the woods were dark and you no longer could see the other rides, although you could still hear the music and the laughter of the children. The park remained open until the late 1950s and was the last remaining amusement park in the Columbus area. Norwood’s was reportedly torn down to make way for the I-70 ramp off of Alum Creek Drive.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: TOP: Sanborn map showing location of park buildings. Top pink square is restrooms; blue is concessions, and yellow is “Dodge-em ride”. Many of the rides were temporary so weren’t shown on this tax map.
MIDDLE: Two little girls enjoy steering their boat on one of the 20+/- rides featured at the park.
BOTTOM: Today, the space where the park once stood is known as Pump House Park.
UNDER TICKETS: Printed on these “tickets” are Norwood ads found in a trade publication. They span from 1947-1958.
CREDITS: Photo of children in boat from columbusnavigator.com; Photo of plat map from davealthoff.com; Present-day photo by me 9/3/13; KIT: "Amusement Park", Kristin Aagard; FONTS: Coffee with Sugar Regular, Complete in Him