The First Roller Coaster

In 1892 Switchback Railway was added to Cedar Point. It was the first roller coaster at Cedar Point and the second roller coaster in North America. The Switchback Railway was 25 feet tall and traveled ten miles per hour. The new ride thrilled guests of Cedar Point and it mapped out the coarse of Cedar Point's future. The old roller coaster had two side by side tracks one was for the down hill decent and the other was for the car to be hauled to the top. The car had to be hauled by man power, today cables or chains pull the cars back to the top (History of Cedar Point).
The success of Cedar Point brought competition to other islands in Sandusky. Cedar Point became the oldest and least attractive beach on Lake Erie, sales and profits plummeted and the Point was in trouble. This was when a new owner, George A. Beockling, took over the Point. He added a new roller coaster, The Three - Way Figure Eight Roller Toboggan, and the White House Hotel. These new additions made Cedar Point the place to be again, things where looking up (History of Cedar Point).