tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post6246991562934548168..comments2024-03-20T05:28:18.440-05:00Comments on Doug Dawgz Blog: SpringlakeDoug Dawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287287108412180656noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-16457578839939898082018-04-13T18:17:00.288-05:002018-04-13T18:17:00.288-05:00I was 9 years old when Springlake closed. I rememb...I was 9 years old when Springlake closed. I remember having several fun filled day at that park. My most vivid memory is of riding the skyride. That was always my favorite. Vagabond Artisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01653765429949108441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-13639418340294321622018-03-15T10:03:44.621-05:002018-03-15T10:03:44.621-05:00I love the pictures! I am the niece of the former ...I love the pictures! I am the niece of the former Marvin and Hilda Staton and i never saw the park in it's full glory. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-62884830105819598742015-07-16T10:44:23.011-05:002015-07-16T10:44:23.011-05:00Does anyone have a list of performers who appeared...Does anyone have a list of performers who appeared at Springlake with the dates they appeared? I lived in OKC 1959-1963 and saw many great shows there -- Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, Marty Robbins, The Four Preps, Osmond Brothers are some that I remember. I would love to see a list of who performed and when!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00609108495098754102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-67960523632775699582015-07-16T10:40:02.639-05:002015-07-16T10:40:02.639-05:00Does anyone have a list of the performers who appe...Does anyone have a list of the performers who appeared at Springlake with the dates they appeared? I lived OKC 1959-1963 and saw many great shows -- Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, Marty Robbins, The Four Preps, Osmond brothers are some I remember. I would love to see a list of who performed and when!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00609108495098754102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-84887876279728375332014-05-14T09:48:35.654-05:002014-05-14T09:48:35.654-05:00All this is great! I see that OKC boast of having...All this is great! I see that OKC boast of having "3" Amusement Parks in it's history; Springlake; Wedgewood, and Frontier City. All of which were segregated. But there was another park,not mentioned, which was located at N.E. 23rd St. and I-35, called Blackhawk Park. This was the only amusement park in OKC that Blacks could attend, in the 50's and early 60's.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-48774385235870134922012-08-19T12:23:01.720-05:002012-08-19T12:23:01.720-05:00About the closing of the park:
Dale Thomas, Owne...About the closing of the park: <br /><br />Dale Thomas, Owner of Thomas Shows, was then the owner. Dale lived in the old Staton house, adjacent to the park. The fire, at the Arcade, had already come and gone. There had been a fire, too at the Staton, home, with a fatality, as I recall. At any rate, one day while driving to pick up State Inspection Decals for my service station, then at 91st and Western, I passed the park. <br /><br />One of these very small plastic signs at Springlake and Lincoln read Garage Sale with an arrow. Curiously, I followed down Springlake, near the picnic pavillion, another small garage sale sign. I wheeled in, and there in the pavillion, Thomas and associates, were selling the entire park, piecemeal, via garage sale! It could have brought much much more at auction, however, It appeared, they were trying to avoid publicity of some nature. At any rate, I bought gate and Amphitheater signs, kiddie cars, the hy-stryker, and many other items, some of which were regrettably left behind. But most, I still have today! Thomas sold the horses off the carousel, then the lighted sconces and paintings, then the turntable and mechanics, finally all that was left was the huge electric motor. He offered to give it to me, if I'd take it...but how?? It was huge! The Wild Mouse went to Peru, as did the train. Other rides went hither and yon. A friend bought a ride and used the wood and steel to make a building, which stands behind Frontier City. <br />The Big Dipper, was sold to a guy from Arkansas, he hauled it away, a small trailer load at a time, three or four trips a week. <br />One day, while I was there, watching from the Fun House, they were pulling timbers out of the big hill, all of a sudden..CRASH!!!!<br />The whole big hill collapsed in a heap! With a big cloud of dust and dirt! The guys escaped almost certain death, by taking shelter in the mechanical shed that housed the machinery to pull the coaster up the hill. Wow! What a deal that was!! Those two guys crawling out of the huge pile of wood and timbers. <br />I wound up having keys to the place for a time, and it was fun going through the place, most of which was boarded up. But the fun house was still accessable, and the long metal slides. We grabbed some sacks and slid down, about half-way...as the slides were rusty by that time...Took several trips to get just one working again, and then it was just not as before. Of course the power was off, and the rest was like a scene in an old Twilight Zone episode. <br />Well, the one big reason, that Thomas closed the park. Do you know, that since Springlake, was a municipality unto itself at that time, that OG&E had a different arrangement, on selling them power? They paid a flat fee of $1,500 a month to OG&E, whether or not one light was turned on. If current was used, the bill could be much much more!!! That's pretty stout for 1980 even. Thomas explained this all to me and showed the bill!!!<br /><br />Thomas who was in the TRAVELING carnival business, ran shows, in parking lots, county fairs, etc. He was accustomed to such, and being gone the next day to another locale. Springlake, and it's obligations, and inherent problems, were just too much for the new owner. <br /><br />There are many items buried in a big pit, located just South and West of the lake about 125 feet. Part of it is covered now by a building that is shown in the aerial view. Scooter cars, the old original Big Dipper cars, big wheels, of ride tickets, big electic motors mentioned earlier, and much much more! Some day a future archaelogist may dig into this...what a treasure!!! <br />My Favorite memory of this swell place, was sitting in the observation area near the pool. There were bleachers, and you could sit and watch the antics going on below at poolside. It was nice and cool there, day or night.<br />All for now,<br />Steve Davis OKCStevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-26956455416046742382012-08-19T11:06:33.950-05:002012-08-19T11:06:33.950-05:00There was another Amusement park which operated un...There was another Amusement park which operated until the late 50's. This was Black Hawk Park, located on N.E. 23rd at Grand Blvd. The Interstate 35 project, took a chunk of this park, and as well, they were suffering from the racial problems that are commented on here. It closed for good, sometime prior to 1961. I recall seeing the park sitting vacant, and going to ruin, for some years before it was dismantled. In it's place, an apartment complex, that has had big problems with maintenance and upkeep to this minute. Our train, from the Oklahoma Railway Museum, passes by the back fence to this project, sadly enough. Right past where the roller coaster once stood. <br />Steve Davis, CityStevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-91283898624582298882012-06-22T20:54:46.234-05:002012-06-22T20:54:46.234-05:00I'm 58 now, But when I started at Springlake I...I'm 58 now, But when I started at Springlake I was 13 of age my dad would take me to work. I was with Marvin Station and his wife the son of Roy Station. I worked for them untel I was 17. I was there the day of the race riot (1971) because me and my boss Ted Beville was pulling money out of the root beer stand when we was aproch by 6 people, they got around us wonted us to drop the money bags. We did and about that time Bob and the K-9 dogs (salt & pepper) got them about the time they was going onto the Fince with the money. Springlake was a City of its own until that day, Okc annexed it in to Oklahoma City. I have a lot of history of Springlake. It was my 2rd home. I remember I was one of the workers that test ride the big dipper morning on week ends. And too do yall remember Marvin Station own 14 flag drive-in when I turn 16 he had me and some of the workers to go out there and cleanup the lot to get ready for the night. 14 flags was located south part of town on western. But I loved and miss Springlake and I miss all that I knowTerrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-5400526695805162011-10-24T23:31:41.992-05:002011-10-24T23:31:41.992-05:00Wow, all the comments do get a big smile. I remem...Wow, all the comments do get a big smile. I remember a friend of my father's son ran the tilt a whirl in 1963 or 1964 and some friends and I went on it several times and got really sick, but caught our breaths and were off again to the arcade and fun house which was most everyone's favorite I think with the slides and all and the potato sacks and racing each other down, then going home and being dizzy from being in the room that the floor seemed to tilt or the walls of something. Anyway it was always a blast and I, like most everyone was scared to death of the big dipper, especially the last car whom everyone said would jump off the track. Only rode it once, that was enough for me! Love this website. Saw Bobby Vee in the ampitheatre and we screamed to the top of our lungs. Good ol' days. Loved Springlake. Wish my grandchildren could have experienced it.Mary Stonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-88903306032050941342011-07-06T14:17:50.598-05:002011-07-06T14:17:50.598-05:00That "wheel thing" in the funhouse might...That "wheel thing" in the funhouse might have been one of a kind. It was a motorized wooden disc about 25 feet or so in diameter, raised about a foot in the center, and polished to a high shine by the seats of many thousands of kids' pants. Kids would rush to find a seat anywhere on it, as near the center as possible, and try to stay on the disc as long as possible. When it started revolving, kids would slide off because of the centrifugal motion and land gently up against a low wooden barrier, curved to catch them. The disc would spin faster and faster until maybe only the lucky kid who placed himself right in the center of the disc would be able to hold on until the end of the ride. To make it more interesting, there was a series of tack-head sized metal pieces spaced a few inches apart running in several rows from the center to the edge. These were wired to a low voltage electrical source with a control switch at the operator's station. If he felt the kids were having too much luck in clinging to the wheel, he could send a little jolt of current through them. Us old pros wouldn't get our bare skin near them, but the new kids would lift their hands when they felt the shock and off they went!<br /><br />These days a ride like that would probably have more lawyers on it than kids, but I fun every time I went there trying to stay on that darned wheel and laughing like crazy when I was thrown off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-57597281351900924402011-03-16T19:32:34.489-05:002011-03-16T19:32:34.489-05:00The comment from Marvin Herrin, my first cousin, a...The comment from Marvin Herrin, my first cousin, along with his sisters, all grew up to young teens on the Northeast side of OKC; later, sad to say and just at that generation's time, we were part of the "white flight" from that quadrant of OKC.<br />I was still a young teen but I recall another park called "Blackhawk" located around 23rd and Eastern Street at the time and before I-35 was built through that area. Blackhawk had a good sized pool, nothing as big as Springlake's pool, and a dancing area. Remember some pretty tough kids growing up around oil patches and hanging out at the Blackhawk but it was almost gone as I was growing up in the 50's. Thanks Doug, Bob LaMascus, born and raised OKC living in Tulsa since '83.Bobby Cox LaMascusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-79877167472071770332011-03-16T16:25:17.726-05:002011-03-16T16:25:17.726-05:00Thanks, Marvin, for that great comment. The import...Thanks, Marvin, for that great comment. The importance of this place to Oklahoma City is highlighted by the fact that you've been away -- apparently for many years -- but still had Springlake on your mind long after you've moved. Yes, it was indeed the place for many to be and enjoy the pleasures of life as kids and as adults. Thanks again for you comment.Doug Dawghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14287287108412180656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-50410428420772016482011-03-16T14:57:19.513-05:002011-03-16T14:57:19.513-05:00WOW what a sight this is and I'm glad I found ...WOW what a sight this is and I'm glad I found it. Brought back a lot of Nostalgic Memories. I was Born in 1947 and grew up going to Spring Lake with my 2 older sisters every summer. I lived at 2138 North Jordon across the back fence from Mike and Joyce Staton. Never new they were related to the Statons that owned the park. They were best of freinds. I loved the Penny Arcade and all the games. Enjoyed the 4th firworks. I remember as a teenager seeing "Sam Sham and the Pharoahs" with a couple of cousins I took to the park. Front row and what fun. Still talk about it when they play on the radio. I now live in Dallas never new about the riots until I read this site. Too bad. It was a great place to Swim and hang out. I swam there with my wife of 45 years and kissed under the towels to the "Kissing Tone from KOMA". Wow. What Memories. Very sad to see it closed. It was an OKC icon.<br />Marvin HerrinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-3691935065500212092011-02-27T19:45:00.523-06:002011-02-27T19:45:00.523-06:00Yes, it did happen on the Big Dipper. My dad witn...Yes, it did happen on the Big Dipper. My dad witnessed the white kid pushing the black kid off the coaster and after all of that happened, my dad hurried to the area where the black kid fell to his death and took some pictures. We still have those pictures of the black kid laying dead on the ground.Kristina Highlandnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-87692708697015438372011-02-02T17:24:05.734-06:002011-02-02T17:24:05.734-06:00Doug, thanks so much for posting these and writing...Doug, thanks so much for posting these and writing your book about Springlake. I remember as a young child going to the Arcade and viewing these old French postcards of scantily clad women. There were many machines which allowed you to do this, it seems. I was only 8 or so, so it was a thrill. It was so exciting! And there was a game where you shot this big bear and it would go back and forth if you hit it. I think about that arcade also, and the big slides it had inside it, and the mirrors. It seemed like Conway Twitty played there every weekend until he got famous. The grass was always so green in that ampitheater area also. So nice to sit on the hill and view the concerts or events.Mike Frynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-35139911236070875432011-01-18T23:07:10.511-06:002011-01-18T23:07:10.511-06:00Our large Baptist church would have a yearly summe...Our large Baptist church would have a yearly summer gathering at Spring Lake on a Sunday afternoon and night. That was a safer time when mom and dad gave you a fist full of quarters and let you and your brothers and sisters go it unsupervised. I had my Sunday school buddies to hang out with. It was so much fun. The fun house was the best. Then the dark ride with the large gorilla. The nickel arcade was called The Casino. It had some items in it that would be rather priceless today. I remember it had some really old Kinetoscopes and mutoscopes. I read where it had a fire so much of that was probably destroyed. I remember the chicken that played a piano when you dropped in a coin. I think a light bulb came on and it pecked out a tune on a toy piano. It's reward was a few pieces of grain. I felt sorry for the poor thing. We all know the rides and they all had mythical back stories. At least every one of my friends knew someone who saw someone get mortally wounded during a track or other horrendous failure. I was not aware of the racial problems that it had. I just know they built a prison style guard tower and mom would not let us go any more. That was sad because our other park, Wedgewood, had already closed. It was not until my high school years that Frontier City came into its own. I remember going out there and it had like 5 rides total. It had a tower ride that was more scary that anything out there today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-84947210658738562272010-09-04T14:20:59.315-05:002010-09-04T14:20:59.315-05:00In 1968, when I was in 8th grade at St. Francis Xa...In 1968, when I was in 8th grade at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Stillwater, we went on our end-of-the-year class trip to Springlake Amusement Park. What fun we had going to the BIG CITY and to Springlake! I loved the Tilt-a-whirl and the Ferris Wheel. I rode the Big Dipper, but was scared the whole time! What fond memories I have of that class trip some 42 years ago! Maureen MooreAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-17393019816122428342009-07-05T10:04:07.206-05:002009-07-05T10:04:07.206-05:00I remember crying as a kid because my brothers and...I remember crying as a kid because my brothers and sister tried to get me on the Big Dipper. We always heard rumors of flying out of the cars and people dying on it. I finally had the nerve to ride it one day and thought I was gonna die too cuz I rose from my seat down over the hills. The next year the park closed down and now I am proud to say that I was able to ride the Big Dipper and survived...lol <br />Thanks for the website...it brought back a lot of memories!<br />Brad CassAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-11120341713089761332009-06-23T22:41:21.932-05:002009-06-23T22:41:21.932-05:00I loved Spring Lake! I moved away from there befor...I loved Spring Lake! I moved away from there before the bad things started happening there so I only had good memories of it. <br />The Funhouse was my favorite part. <br />The Rooms where you came in with the weird mirrors and where it looked like you where going uphill but were going down or the opposite, were cool. The moving barrel that you walked through and if you fell down a monkey on top laughed at you. The slides were the best though. The wood slides that you went down on burlap bags. Even adults could do it. There's only one place I have seen that reminded me of those slides though not near as good. There is a park in San Francisco that has large cement slides that you can go down on flattened boxes. Of course the waxed wood was better to slide on. <br /> I love the pictures that you have. I think some of the pool must have been take before my time (I was born in 1947) because there was something that I don't see in the pictures that may have been put in later. That was a kind of a wheel type thing that you held onto while you sat around it. You pulled it around until you all went flying off.<br /> I've seen lists of people who performed there FREE. I've never seen "Jan and Dean" on that list but I saw them there. <br /> I was afraid of most rides there were guys who talked me into riding the Big Dipper, Tilt-a-whirl and the Ferris Wheel. I even went on the Wild Mouse once. Can't believe I lived through that one! <br />Anyway, thanks for the walk down Memory Lane! Shelly Watson IlesShelly Watson Iles (went by Shirley back then)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-10009644120144085532009-06-22T17:01:47.326-05:002009-06-22T17:01:47.326-05:00I too, visited Springlake Park during my high scho...I too, visited Springlake Park during my high school days. Our Putnam City Senior Class Picnic was held there in 1962.<br /> Roger Miller was also an entertainer that performed at Springlake. Danny Williams was with Roger on one of the appearances. Danny knew me, but did not know Roger and I were friends. Danny tried to warn Roger that I was a cop, but he was really surprised when he found out that Roger and I were friends. Springlake was a great amusement park and entertainment spot in it's day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-29227060354921877512009-01-27T00:46:00.000-06:002009-01-27T00:46:00.000-06:00I used to go to Springlake with my family in the 7...I used to go to Springlake with my family in the 70's and enjoy many a family outing at the park. My favorite roller coaster to this day is still the Big Dipper.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-9222571374246799842009-01-11T15:21:00.000-06:002009-01-11T15:21:00.000-06:00I loved the Fun House at Springlake. I would stay...I loved the Fun House at Springlake. I would stay in there for hours sliding down on the burlap sacks and trying to stay on the spinning wheel. Also loved the Wild Maus (sp). Scared the daylights out of me everytime. Saw Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, David Nelson (brother of Ricky)with the Flying Walendas. Tre' cool !! Too bad those days had to end. Great memories of wholesome American fun.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-83883019501734556442008-10-21T10:26:00.000-05:002008-10-21T10:26:00.000-05:00I worked at Springlake as an employee in 1967. I r...I worked at Springlake as an employee in 1967. I ran the rides on the East end. The big dipper, spook house, an upside down farris wheel, and the bummper cars.It was a fun place to work. Stephen OrrAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-2290242537142032772008-10-01T09:29:00.000-05:002008-10-01T09:29:00.000-05:00It would be neat if there were an OETA documentary...It would be neat if there were an OETA documentary produced about Springlake... Doug, you would be a perfect source/resource for a project like this! Any chance this type of show might be made in the future??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-50775825469283775102008-09-29T12:38:00.000-05:002008-09-29T12:38:00.000-05:00I pre-ordered my book from Amazon, and I’ll be ver...I pre-ordered my book from Amazon, and I’ll be very anxious to get it!!<BR/><BR/>I'm the one who wrote above asking about the Wild Mause (always my fave ride!) As a member of the “younger” set, I only remember the park in its declining years, the mid- to late-1970s. I, too, remember hearing horror stories about the Big Dipper (people falling off, someone dropping a baby from it—anyone else remember that one??) I only rode it once, and that was enough for me! It felt SO rickety! I remember the fun house, Little Dipper, Calypso, the train, the sky ride, the little cars (weren’t they right at the entrance?), and that horrible, beastly ride, the Turbo!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com