Idora Park , Youngstown Idora Park ( 1899 – 1984 ) was a northeastern Ohio amusement park popularly known as " Youngstown ' s Million Dollar Playground . " Built by the Youngstown Park and Falls Street Railway Company , the park ' s expansion coincided with the growth of the South Side of Youngstown , Ohio , in the Fosterville neighborhood . Prior to its closure in the wake of a devastating fire , Idora Park was one of the nation ' s few remaining urban amusement parks . Opening and early development . The park opened as Terminal Park on May 30 , 1899 which was Decoration Day . At that point in American history , it was common for trolley park s , or amusement parks , to sprout up at the end of trolley lines to generate weekend revenue . Without an admission fee , anyone who had the money for the trolley fare could go . The park ' s first season presented its guests a bandstand , theater , dance pavilion , a roller coaster , a circle swing , and concession stands . By the end of 1899 , it was renamed " Idora Park " as a result of a contest . When a bridge spanning the Mahoning River opened on Youngstown ' s Market Street on May 23 , 1899 , the entire South Side was unrolled for development . The trolley line linking the downtown to Idora Park ran south on Market , west on Warren , south on Hillman Street , Sherwood west to Glenwood Avenue , then cruised through Parkview Avenue ( west ) into the Idora terminal . Major attractions . Primary rollercoasters : the Wild Cat and Jack Rabbit . One of the park ' s many attractions was a wooden roller coaster called " The Wild Cat " , which was built in 1929 . The state - of - the - art , three - minute ride was hailed by roller coaster connoisseurs across the country . The Wild Cat was designed by Herbert Paul Schmeck , who held 100 patents for roller coaster innovations . In 1984 , the Wild Cat was still ranked among the top ten roller coasters in the world . Another famous attraction to the park was the " Jack Rabbit " , a wooden roller coaster built in 1910 by TM Harden . It was tall and long , had a ride time of two minutes and thirty seconds , and was lengthened and recountered in the 1930s . In an attempt to bring people back to the park for the 1984 – 1985 season , park owners reversed the trains of the Jack Rabbit and renamed it the " Back Wabbit . " Kiddieland . The " Kiddieland " area was originally a concrete swimming pool . When the park was built , it included a giant swimming pool and a large bath house . A large hole was drilled into the pool to connect to an underground salt - water spring , creating the only salt - water pool in the country . To address the park ' s space concerns , the pool was filled in during the 1950s and replaced with a children ' s rides section . The bath house remained a shelter and storage area . Ballroom . The Idora Park Ballroom opened June 30 , 1910 . The open - air ballroom was based on one in Coney Island , New York , and was billed as the largest dance floor between New York and Chicago . The hardwood - floored ballroom eventually became enclosed to allow for year - round use . Idora Park ' s house band played in the Ballroom until the advent of radio in the 1930s . Radio increased the level of listener sophistication , and Idora Park soon began to hire to big - name bands . The future decades brought glorious entertainment to the ballroom : dances , concerts , New Year ' s parties , and Presidential campaign visits from John F . Kennedy . Famous musical acts that played the Ballroom included : the Glenn Miller Orchestra , the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra , the Eagles , Ray Charles , Maynard Ferguson , Blue Öyster Cult and The Monkees . Decline . Idora Park thrived through the decades , yet it also faced continual competition from larger state and national amusement parks . Landlocked on its , Idora had no options for expansion . As the automobile became the preferred mode of transportation , trolley lines died out , and so did many trolley parks . The primary reason Idora had survived was it had become the preferred location for ethnic , church , and company picnics . Until the steel mill s closed , Youngstown had one of the highest rates of home ownership in the country . Youngstown Sheet and Tube , one of the largest employers in the Mahoning Valley , announced the closure of one of its largest mills . The overnight loss of nearly 5 , 000 jobs impacted Idora Park directly . Sheet and Tube ' s annual picnic was the largest at Idora . During the hardship the community was suffering , Idora Park still boasted existing rides . The Idora Park Merry - Go - Round was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 . In 1976 , Idora Park was named one of the nation ' s 100 best amusement parks in Gary Kyriazi ' s book , " Great American Amusement Parks " . By 1980 , the Wild Cat and Jack Rabbit were recognized as some of the best coasters in the country . Nonetheless , by the early 1980s , the park was a relic that also housed relics : it now housed rides from other parks that met their end in the 1960s , such as Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland and West View Park outside of Pittsburgh . 1984 fire . A devastating fire on April 26 , 1984 destroyed the Wild Cat coaster , the Lost River ride , eleven concession stands , and the park office . Employees scrambled to save park records , but only some of the most current files were pulled to safety , while older files and historical records were lost . Investigation later determined that a welding torch ' s heat or sparks may have ignited leaves or roofing material on the Lost River , which stood next to the Wild Cat . Employees tried to extinguish the growing flames with hand extinguishers , but soon realized that the fire was out of control . Twelve fire companies responded to the fire , which spread quickly as winds carried it across concession stands and on to the midway . Many off - duty firefighters also responded to the call to help contain flames that spread along the Wild Cat ' s wooden tracks and threatened the merry - go - round , which was scorched but ultimately saved from destruction . Firefighters found themselves at a disadvantage with a lack of in - park hydrants , poor water pressure , and aged wooden rides and buildings . They finally tamed the blaze by running lines to hydrants outside the park . Final damage was estimated in millions of dollars ; the replacement of the Wild Cat was estimated at $ 1 . 5 million . Intense heat melted paint in various areas of the gazebo . The south horseshoe of the Wild Cat was destroyed , but repair cost was prohibitive . Park owners acknowledged that the loss of the Wild Cat was disastrous . The Wild Cat was Idora ' s biggest attraction . The park operated through the summer of 1984 , but with the premier ride gone , a decision was made to close permanently . Idora Park welcomed its last visitors on September 16 , 1984 . On October 20 – 21 , 1984 an auction was conducted by Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater , Michigan to dispose of the rides and equipment . While a couple from New York bought the merry - go - round , the remaining coasters ( Wild Cat , Jack Rabbit , Baby Wild Cat ) , and many other buildings ( Ballroom , Kiddieland complex , French Fry stand ) were left as crumbling reminders of the park that once was . Very little had been torn down , people could sneak into the park , walk across the midway and trample over the weeds poking through the concrete . With the park still in sight , it was still in many people ’ s minds . New ownership . In 1985 , Mt . Calvary Pentecostal Church in Youngstown bought the Idora property and announced plans for a religious complex , to be named the " City of God " . The Ballroom remained open for various events until Memorial Day 1986 . The church lost the property in 1989 after accumulating more than $ 500 , 000 in debt on the land . Deterioration . In an interview with the Youngstown " Vindicator " on October 16 , 1984 , former Idora Park owner Max Rindin was asked what would happen to the Park after it closed . “ In time , ” he said . “ It ’ ll all be torched . ” Gradually , his prophecy came true . Another fire at the abandoned park on May 3 , 1986 destroyed the Heidelberg Gardens , Kooky Castle ( haunted house ) , Laffin Lena ' s ( fun house ) , and the Helter Skelter bumper car buildings . But until this fire , there was always a tangible reminder of Idora Park . Over time , Mt . Calvary failed to build their religious complex , the property decayed , and it was not secured from trespassers . The former Idora Park ' s remaining structures were eventually vandalized , destroyed by natural elements , or succumbed to arson . Calls for preservation . A group of preservationists got Idora Park listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 , and put together a bid to buy the property and restore it , but — at the eleventh hour — the church got the property back for a reported $ 300 , 000 mortgage . By 1999 , a local group , Conneaut Lake Park Management Group ( which had taken over Conneaut Lake Park in Pennsylvania ) , attempted to negotiate the purchase of either the Jack Rabbit or Wild Cat from the property owners . Blueprints for both rides were still available , so they could be refurbished at Conneaut . The group also planned to purchase the complete merry - go - round from the owners in New York . These plans never came to light . The Idora Ballroom , Jack Rabbit coaster , and Wildcat coaster would remain unpreserved on the property . 2001 fire . On March 5 , 2001 the final chapter to Idora Park ' s history was written when the Ballroom burned down . The fire reportedly started in the basement and was suspicious in nature . The Jack Rabbit and other remaining wooden structures were not destroyed by this fire . Days after the fire , an interview with the property owners stated that they " offered to allow ( preservation groups ) to take the roller coasters down as long as they funded it and had proper insurance and bonding " . However , on July 26 , 2001 the Wild Cat , Jack Rabbit , and all other decaying structures ( all unsalvageable ) were demolished by bulldozers to prevent any future fires . City officials had asked that the coasters be removed since they were hazardous to the public . Both the Jack Rabbit and Wild Cat roller coasters were listed on the American Coaster Enthusiasts ( ACE ) preservation list . Inaction by the park property owners to preserve these remaining Idora Park historic structures ultimately led to their destruction . In a 2001 news conference following the Ballroom ' s messy asbestos cleanup , Mt . Calvary Pentecostal Church restated that : " This future complex ( City of God ) will only help the entire community but especially youth . . . hopes to break ground no later than next spring ( 2002 ) . The entire project should take at least two years to complete . " As of July 16 , 2009 , Mt . Calvary Pentecostal Church has yet to break ground on the " City of God " project . Future development possibilities . The property still belongs to Mt . Calvary Pentecostal Church . The land is now vacant of buildings and City of God project was never realized . By 2006 , Mt . Calvary Church had accumulated delinquent taxes on the twelve parcels of Idora Park land totaling over $ 25 , 000 . The City of Youngstown filed for foreclosure on the property September 13 , 2006 . Yet , according to the Warren " Tribune Chronicle " ( Jan 8 , 2007 ) , " " The Mahoning County Common Pleas Court dismissed the delinquent tax case against the owners of the former Idora Park . . . The case was dismissed because one of the parties named in the suit , Teen Missions International , Inc . of Merritt Island , Fla . , paid the delinquent taxes on behalf of Mt . Calvary Church . Teen Missions International helps churches and other religious organizations with financing different projects . Teen Missions has loaned nearly $ 1 . 2 million to Mount Calvary over a period of time to help develop the Idora property . Teen Missions has recently filed a new court case asking for over $ 1 . 5 million they say the Mt . Calvary Church owes them , said their attorney Charles Wilburn . " " The " Youngstown 2010 " redevelopment and city revitalization plans have also stated their interest in acquiring the property to utilize it as a " green - space " extension of nearby Mill Creek Park . These plans are on hold until the city can obtain the property from the Church ( possibly through eminent domain ) , or alternative ownership acquires the property from the Church ' s outstanding $ 1 . 5 million lawsuit . A coda for the carousel . An enduring glory of Idora Park remains in its wooden merry - go - round ( or " carousel , " PTC # 61 ) , which was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1922 , and featured forty - eight carved horses attributed to Frank Carretta . At Idora ' s 1984 auction , the merry - go - round was sold to Brooklyn , New York , residents David and Jane Walentas , who purchased the thirty " jumpers , " eighteen " standers , " two chariots , and the band organ facade . Walentas had the merry - go - round restored over the ensuing 22 years , the culmination of which was revealed on October 13 , 2006 , when it was rechristened " Jane ' s Carousel . " Mrs . Walentas had made it known that she wanted the Carousel to be given a permanent place in Brooklyn Bridge Park , going so far as to pay a $ 500 , 000 fee for a pavilion to house it designed by Pritzker Prize - winning architect Jean Nouvel . Opinions differ on whether the master plan for Brooklyn Bridge Park ( which abuts Empire - Fulton Ferry State Park and borders the East River ) can — or was ever designed to — accommodate the Carousel . On June 20 , 2009 , New York Governor David Paterson announced that " Jane Walentas has agreed to donate her restored 1920s carousel , along with a pavilion and $ 3 . 45 million toward landscaping and improvements to [ Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation ] . The Carousel will be located on the western edge of the Empire - Fulton Ferry State Park inside the pavilion designed by Pritzker Prize - winning architect Jean Nouvel . Ms . Walentas will also establish a non - profit entity , ' Friends of Jane ’ s Carousel , ' responsible for carousel operations , expenses and revenue collection . " The merry - go - round is fully operational , and visitors may view , and sometimes ride , it in a " gallery space " at 65 Water Street in Brooklyn during the months of April through October .