Our History: 1940-1960

Unfortunately, another tragedy struck in 1941 when a fire destroyed the Hofbrau German restaurant. A dinner for 1,500 was underway at the time, and while everyone was safely evacuated, eleven people were injured and a waitress perished when she went back inside to retrieve her coat.

World War II limited Waldameer’s expansion, yet the park held benefit days for the Army-Navy relief fund. In response to the national mood, several rides were given patriotic names and paint jobs. For example, the train became the Victory Special. By end of the war in 1945, Waldameer’s rides included Airplane Swings, the Fun in the Dark dark ride, Carousel, Dodgem, Loop-O-Plane, Old Mill, Whip, Tumble Bug, Ferris Wheel, Flying Scooter, Miniature Train, and two kiddie rides: the Swings and the Blue Goose. Also in 1945, Alex Moeller, who had been leasing the grounds since the 1920’s, became owner of the park. He added a Streamliner train from the National Amusement Device Company in 1947.

As Waldameer Park entered the 1950’s, the Rainbow Garden’s roof collapsed under the weight of a heavy snowstorm. However, the park continued to expand, and in 1951 added the Comet, the first roller coaster to operate at Waldameer Park since the Ravine Flyer was demolished in 1938. The Comet is a junior-sized wooden roller coaster standing 45 feet tall, with a 1,400-foot long track length. The ride was placed in a grove of trees next to the Carousel, and features a unique circular loading station. The Comet is still in operation today.

In the mid-1950’s Waldameer was forced to close one of its long time attractions – Monkey Island – as the park could no longer replenish its monkey supply since the government reportedly bought up all of them for the space program.