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Status: Former Battlefield, Former Amusement Park, Municipal Park
History
During the War of 1812 between the British and the United States this area was used as a landing point and encampment point for the American troops that took Fort Erie (the actual Fort, not the city, now known as Old Fort Erie).
It is also possible that the British used part of this area as a field hospital during their siege of the Fort in 1814 after the Americans occupied it.
By the late 19th Century this area was used as a popular picnic and relaxation spot by both Canadians and Americans. American accessed the park via the Fort Erie-Buffalo Ferry Railway – the ferries landed at a huge quay, the ruins of which can still be seen today. The Peace Bridge was not built yet; in fact, there was no need as the mass production of the automobile hadn’t begun yet.
As the 20th Century began rides were added as well as a stadium, a hotel and a casino. Erie Beach Amusement Park reached its pinnacle in 1910 with 3 ferries traveling between downtown Buffalo and the park’s aforementioned quay.
By the 1920’s the park began to wane – especially with the construction of the Peace Bridge in 1925 – as the automobile began to be easily available to the average family. Once Americans drove over the Canadian border, they wanted to go further than just a park only 2 minutes away.
The real death knell for the park was the creation of the more modern Crystal Beach Amusement Park just a few more miles to the west took away many visitors. The Stock Market crash of 1929 was the final end of the park already having financial issues.
Most of the rides were sold off, in 1935 the hotel (once at the western end of the park) burned down and by the 1980’s even the ruins of the casino were gutted. The once largest outdoor pool in the world is now filled with trees and sediment although the concrete that formed its walls can still be walked on.
There are ruins of the former park strewn throughout the area including concrete paths, a former water ride, the footings for a former airplane ride, a raised hill that’s all that’s left of the former railway, the cement pad that once held a restaurant, the footings for the carousel, an outdoor dance floor that’s now buckling and disappearing under the lake and much more.
Paranormal Activity
This area seems to be more active at night although that is most likely due to the high level of alive human activity in the day.
Mediums on the site have identified multiple spirits numbering at least 50.
There are reports of very intense feelings of being watched reported thought to be the ghosts of soldiers forever watched the perimeter of their encampment – or perhaps phantom snipers lining you up for a head shot.
The apparitions of soldiers dressed in both American and British uniforms are seen crossing the paths in the woods. They are generally only seen for a second or so and quick to disappear.
Apparitions of people dressed in late 19th and early 20th century clothing are seen along the former waterside promenade. In 2008 a new promenade was built by the city but the ghosts still walk on the old one. These ghosts have been known to interact with the living.
The ghosts of fire victims – probably from the hotel but rumors persist of a fire in the former casino on a high school’s grad night – standing in the forest watching the living. The apparitions are still in the burned clothes and show the terrible wounds and burns that killed them. They are said to give off hostile energy but never actually approach or attack the living.
Time slips have been reported where people suddenly find themselves in the amusement park during its heydays. Ghostly ferries have even appeared and docked at the now ruined quay and disgorge their phantom passengers.
Unexplained noises are very common here – many related to the amusement park – including; screams, yells, a woman calling out for her children, someone yelling “woo hoo” outside of the former casino, hisses, bangs and sounds of heavy things being moved.
Phantom screams of a young boy are heard around the ruins of the former boat ride – concrete troughs dug into the ground are all that’s left – that a medium has identified as a boy who was dragged under the boats while boarding the ride resulting in his drowning death.
Vertices and unexplained mists have frequently been photographed at this site.
Other Activity: shadow figures, cold and warm spots, touches, tugs and pushes by unseen entities and light anomalies.