by Ken Lahmers
Aurora Advocate Editor
Aurora -- At an executive committee meeting, American Coaster Enthusiasts voted to honor the former Geauga Lake Park's Big Dipper roller coaster as a landmark, a designation awarded to coasters of historic significance.
The coaster is one of a few structures still standing on the property. Most other attractions and buildings were removed after Cedar Fair officials announced in fall 2007 the closing of the amusement part of the park.
The Wildwater Kingdom water park remains open, and Cedar Fair is trying to sell the land where the former amusement park was situated.
The Big Dipper was bought for $5,000 at an auction in June 2008 conducted by Norton Auctioneers of Michigan. Tom Woosnam of APEX Western Machinery Movers in Akron said he bought it for an undisclosed person.
Cedar Fair officials have said they hope the coaster will be removed from the site in the coming months.
When Geauga Lake closed, Big Dipper was the 14th oldest roller coaster in the world and the 10th oldest in the United States.
Having opened in 1925 under the name Skyrocket, it was renamed the Clipper in the late 1940s and rechristened Big Dipper in 1969.
In 1980, a major restoration project was conducted, ensuring Big Dipper's survival.
Big Dipper also is one of the last built by John Miller, a designer whose inventions are still used on roller coasters being constructed today.
Although Miller designed hundreds of roller coasters, only a handful of his creations remain worldwide.
There currently are 13 standing Miller coasters, but only nine are operating. Big Dipper will join four other Miller coasters landmarked by ACE. It is the oldest standing coaster in Ohio.
"To permanently lose such a classic ride as Big Dipper would be a real loss for the region," said ACE historian David Hahner in a press release.
"Not only is it a historically valuable ride, it was tremendously fun -- one of the best wooden roller coasters in the state of Ohio"
According to ACE, its survival is an amazing accomplishment because nearly 1,200 coasters have been dismantled nationwide in the last century.
With ACE's landmark designation, the hope is to further support efforts to save Big Dipper for future generations, whether on the present site or elsewhere.
"They just don't make them like this anymore," said ACE Preservation Director Howard Gillooly. "There are so few left from this era, they need to be enjoyed for generations to come."
Big Dipper joins three other Ohio coasters which have received the landmark distinction -- Beast and Racer at Kings Island and Magnum XL 200 at Cedar Point in Sandusky.
Next year will mark Big Dipper's 85th anniversary.
Founded in 1978, ACE is the largest amusement park enthusiast organization in the world, with more than 6,000 members worldwide.
E-mail: klahmers@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3155