Costello - Conneaut Lake Park

Conneaut Lake Park was originally known as Exposition Park when it was officially founded on August 15, 1892. This view shows the layout of the resort c . 1906.

This very early view of Exposition Park, taken from atop the auditorium, shows how primitive the resort was before any major development took place. In the distance is the Exposition Hotel, constructed in 1893. That site eventually became the location of Hotel Conneaut. The vessel docked at the boathouse was known as the Keystone . (Crawford County Historical Society.)

One of the boats that brought vacationers to Exposition Park was the Keystone , a wooden, side-wheeled vessel that operated from 1881 until 1893. Here, the boat is moored at the resorts boat docks. These passenger boats were large party boats, able to accommodate considerable numbers of people. (Crawford County Historical Society.)

This ornately decorated structure could quite possibly be the resorts original convention hall, which was built in 1893. It is also quite possible that this structure was eventually moved across the park and attached to the Exposition Hotel. If so, this structure was later used in the rebuilding of the Exposition Hotel into Hotel Conneaut in 1903.

One of the earliest refreshment facilities at Exposition Park was the Log Cabin. Proprietor R. C. Jackson advertised the Log Cabin as a wholesaler and retail dealer of gilt-edged ice cream, sweet milk, cream, and buttermilk. The resort has had the Log Cabin since these very early days. (Katie Hilton Collection.)

New for the 1903 summer season was this massive 300-room hotel known as Hotel Conneaut. This hotel was the center of accommodations at the resort, just as its predecessor, the Exposition Hotel, had been. Although considered the best the resort offered, it did not have bathtubs in the guest rooms, and instead offered community bathtubs in a little room at the end of each hall.

Pictured is a small sampling of the numerous types of glass souvenirs that were sold at Exposition Park. The glass souvenirs from Exposition Park seem to be as high in quality and variety as those sold at any other amusement park in the country.

This view from Conneaut Lake reveals what an impressive skyline the resort had at a time when amusement rides were a novelty. The structures seen on the shoreline are, from left to right, Hotel Conneaut, the icehouse, the Circle Swing, the boathouse (the Figure Eight roller coaster is behind it), an unidentified structure, the canvas-top carousel, the dance pavilion, and the bathhouse.

This view from the resorts original bowling alley shows the main drag, Park Avenueone of the first formations of a midway at the resort. Exposition Park looked more like a small town with streets and buildings than a park. The third building from the left housed the Rocky Mountain Museum.