Mill Race (log flume)

Mill Race
Mill Race in the mid 1960s
Cedar Point
Status	Removed
Cost	$300,000
Opening date	1963 (1963)
Closing date	1993 (1993)
Replaced by	Raptor
General statistics
Type	Log flume
Manufacturer	Arrow Development
Height	28 ft (8.5 m)
Length	1,230 ft (370 m)

Mill Race was a log flume ride that operated between 1963^[1] and 1993^[2] at the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.

Opened in 1963, just months after El Aserradero [The Sawmill] at Six Flags Over Texas,^[3] it was the world's second log flume ride.^[1] In 1993, it was dismantled to make room for the Raptor roller coaster.^[2]

History

Park souvenir with an illustration of Mill Race

Built for about $300,000 ($2,985,652 today^[4]), ^[1] Mill Race opened during a period of transition at Cedar Point.^[5] In 1963, when Mill Race opened, Cedar Point had no operating roller coasters besides smaller wild mouse style roller coasters.^[5] Mill Race opened near the entrance of the park on the main midway^[6] and it proved to be one of the most popular rides in the entire park.^[7] The number of Cedar Point visitors rose following the installation of Mill Race.^[5]

Although Mill Race was popular, the log flume was ultimately removed in 1993 to prepare for the addition of the inverted steel roller coaster Raptor.^[2] A second log flume ride, White Water Landing, had also been built at Cedar Point in 1982. At 50 feet (15 m) in height,^[6] White Water Landing dwarfed the 28 feet (8.5 m) tall Mill Race.^[1] Snake River Falls, a third flume, opened in Mill Race's last year of operation.^[6] In the year following Mill Race's removal and Raptor's installation, Cedar Point admissions went from hundreds of thousands of visitor admissions to over two million visitor admissions in a single season.^[2]

Layout and ride experience

Mill Race had a simple layout, only having a single lift hill of 28 feet (8.5 m) in height.^[1] Mill Race had been selected as a top Cedar Point attraction in multiple years of the 1960s.^[7][8]

References

1. Francis, David W.; Francis, Diane DeMali (2002). Ohio's Amusement Parks in Vintage Postcards. Postcard History Series. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738519979. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
2. Pledger, Marcia (6 June 2012). "Cedar Point may be planning to add winged coaster next year". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
3. Ouellette, Jennifer (2010). The Calculus Diaries: How Math Can Help You Lose Weight, Win in Vegas, and Survive a Zombie Apocalypse. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0143117377. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
4. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
5. Samuelson, Dale; Yegoiants, Wendy (2001). The American Amusement Park. Hong Kong: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0760309817. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
6. Proudfood, Rona (4 September 2009). "Cedar Point unveils new water flume ride". The Chronicle-Telegram. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
7. Blade Staff Writer (13 May 1966). "Cedar Point rushing for 97th season opening". The Blade. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
8. Nofziger, Fred (15 May 1968). "Frontier Town emerging out west at Cedar Point". The Blade. Retrieved 29 November 2012.