Community Corner

Local Author Explores Rich History of High Bridge Glens

Mary McClure's book, 'High Bridge Glens of Cuyahoga Falls,' will draw attention to the meteoric rise and fall of the 19th century tourist attraction.

 

"High Bridge Glens of Cuyahoga Falls," a pictorial book compiled by author Mary McClure, took 10 years to develop and will hit local bookshelves on Monday.

According to McClure, the little-known, Victorian-age amusement park is regarded as a historical afterthought, and her aim is to change that perception, she said.

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With a wide collection of vintage images, McClure has woven together a story that may surprise some, given the meteoric rise and fall of the former Midwest attraction.

After its construction in 1879, the park quickly drew attention with its assortment of leading musical acts, international trapeze artists and acrobats, and extravagant fireworks displays, said McClure. At its height, the park pulled in over 8,000 visitors per day from around the state, roughly two to three times the city’s population, said Leigh Scott, of Arcadia Publishing.

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It’s widely rumored that the park had one of the first roller coasters in the nation, she said. Local reporters dubbed it “The Niagara of Ohio,” and people predicted it would become a global attraction.

However, reports of widespread drinking, brutal fistfights and major accidents drove the park into a rapid decline, said McClure.

The drunkenness and rioting didn’t bode well with the city’s “genteel” population, and in 1895, High Bridge Glens was shut down, she said.

Due to dam construction, the park’s featured caves and trails were flooded, and by 1912, very little could be seen of the tourist destination that once spanned both sides of the Cuyahoga River off Front and Prospect Street.

“The thing that most excites me about this book is the fact that the history will be preserved for future generations to enjoy,” she said. “This is just one of many great stories in Cuyahoga Falls.”

McClure will hold a book signing on Sunday, March 18 from 2-4 p.m. at the Cuyahoga Falls Historical Society Museum, located at 2083 Cook St.

The local author said she’ll also be working with the historical society over the next several months to contribute photos and accounts of the city’s past to promote the upcoming Bicentennial celebration.


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