KY’s First Amusement Park? That’s Actually Up for Debate

Before I ever visited Holiday World, Opryland, Six Flags Over Texas, or even Disney World, there was the bright, shining star known as Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green. An hour's drive, it was a frequent destination for my family when I was a child.

Beech Bend Park

Beech Bend opened in 1898 as a picnic area but, in 1942, began evolving toward the amusement park it is today. That's when Charles Garvin took over ownership of the property from William Brashear and added rides and other activities. It's only grown exponentially since the business switched hands. Here's a look at the park today. You'll want to jump to the 3:35 mark.

Now check out some rare photos of Beech Bend from the 1960s.

You'd think with an opening date in 1898, Beech Bend would claim the title of "first Kentucky amusement park," but read on. Another park also came up in a search.

Fontaine Ferry Park

I asked Google "What was Kentucky's first amusement park?" Fontaine Ferry Park in Louisville was my answer. According to WHAS11, it promoted itself as "Kentuckiana's million-dollar playground." Featuring around 50 attractions that included multiple wooden roller coasters, Fontaine Ferry Park was open from 1909 until 1969. In addition to rides, it offered guests unique promotions, as well as a swimming pool and a skating rink.

Unfortunately, the sad history of Fontaine Ferry Park includes the fact that from 1909 through 1964, the park was segregated. And WHAS11 confirms that problems arose after that 1964 integration. As for the park's untimely end, a riot broke out on opening day in 1969, forcing its closure. Fontaine Ferry Park would never reopen.

Kentucky's First Amusement Park? Take Your Pick

In my quest to learn the identity of Kentucky's first amusement park, I got a healthy dose of fascinating, if problematic, history, AND I learned that Google/Gemini likely understands that Beech Bend really didn't become a theme park until ownership changed hands in 1942.

What was Kentucky's first amusement park? Well, now you have your answers.

With an "s."