Bay Beach Amusement Park – Green Bay, Wisconsin
Just across the road from the wildlife sanctuary is Bay Beach Amusement Park. Entertaining more than 1 million guests each season, the park has 16 amusement rides with ride tickets just 25 cents each. Bay Beach has been a summer tradition for 50 years. In addition to the fun rides, the park consists of approximately 45 acres with 7 shelters, a dance hall, rest rooms, picnic areas, and playground, softball and volleyball areas.
This park has a fascinating history that make it well worth visiting, along with the Amusement Park the history shows how a piece of land can take on a life of its own. Originally purchased in 1892 by Mitchell Negedlo to be developed into a private beach resort named Bay View Beach, the idea was sound according to today’s standards, but with the roads being in such poor condition and the land swampy and mosquito infested it just didn’t take off. Since the mode of transportation at that time was the horse and buggy getting through to the area after a rain was impossible. Due to this Nejedlo sold the land to Captain John Cusick in 1908.
Cusick bought a steamboat and began transporting passengers from their dock just south of the Walnut Street Bridge to the new dock at Bay View Beach. The boat could haul up to 400 passengers. The dock extended 570 feet into the bay and was 8 feet wide. At the end where the boat anchored, there was a covered pavilion 30 by 30 feet.
Swimming became popular at Bay View Beach and the rental of swimsuits at 10 cents apiece became a gold mine for Cusick. On a good day the bathhouse took in as much as $450.00, and even though the suits were never quite dry or free of sand, people kept wearing them anyway.
The original pavilion was two stories and had two large winds. The downstairs center portion housed the dining rooms and a kitchen. The west wing served as a roller skating rink and the east was a dance hall.
There was a roller coster built in 1901 and torn down and replaced in 1929 but it was dismantled in 1936 due to insurance issues. Along with the roller coaster there was a Shoot-the-Chutes ride which was an early version of the log ride that is at many parks today. It cost the rider 10 for the ride but due to disastrous freezing and ice breakups the ride was destroyed after the 2nd or 3rd season.
By 1910, Bay View Beach had become a favorite recreation spot. In 1911, Frank Murphy and Fred Rahr bought out Cusick and incorporated their park with Cusick as manager. Several rides were added including a large roller coaster and a merry-go-round. Cusick was willing to try anything to draw a crowd. His attraction included balloon ascensions, baseball games and nightly dances in the pavilion. When Cusick left Bay View Beach in 1916 the park fell into a slump. In 1920 Murphy and Rahr donated the 11.66 acres to the city with the stipulation that it had to be used as a park and playground. The city shortened the name to Bay Beach and leased out the operation until 1950 when the Park and Rec department took over control.
The facility was busy with dance night where teens from all over Green Bay would come to dance. It is said that as many as 1,759 dance tickets were sold in one evening. During the 40′s dances were offered two nights a week and for 15 cents teens could divide their time between roller skating in the west wind and dancing in the east. Such greats as Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Tony Pastor, Tiny Hill and finally Lawrence Welk played there. By 1972 teen dances had phased out and were discontinued.
Today the rides are for everyone but focusing on the little ones you can make plans for them to ride in the Pony ride, Lady Bugs, the boats, the Granny Bugs, the little jeeps in bright colors, a race car, or the Sky Fighters. For the adults there is the slide which slide down on a burlap sack on the 100 foot slide, the Bay Beach Train, the bumper cars, the Ferris wheel, the Helicopter, the Scat, the merry go round, scrambler, tilt-a-whirl and the Yo-Yo.
There is no admission charge and parking is free. Ride tickets are $.25 each, with the rides requiring one or two tickets per rider. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket office on the park grounds during regular operation hours.
Tickets for the live pony rides must be purchased at the pony ride site. Regular ride tickets will not be accepted at the live pony ride.
Hours for the park vary so check for times for the days that you want to attend.
Location: 1313 Bay Beach Road, Green Bay, WI
Phone: 920-448-3365
Email: jeanse@ci.green-bay.wi.us