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ST. CLAIR SHORES — In April 1955, 70 years ago last month, a fire began near the fortune teller’s booth and soon spread to many of the other attractions at the Jefferson Beach Amusement Park, as seen in this photograph.
Fire Chief Phillip Eckhout and the 26 men of the St. Clair Shores Fire Department responded with five trucks and 4,500 feet of hose. Fire departments from nine other neighboring communities also responded, lending men and equipment.
The park, which had opened in 1927 at 24400 Jefferson Avenue (between Nine and 10 Mile roads) contained numerous wooden buildings: the children’s area known as “Kiddie Land,” concession stands, adult rides such as the “Tunnel of Love” and the fun house, as well as the 1,000-foot-long wooden roller coaster.
The fire was extinguished, and the damaged buildings were razed, but the park never fully recovered. Jefferson Beach Amusement Park closed permanently in 1959, and the property was converted to use as a marina.
To view this and other historic photographs, visit https://sbrb-montage.auto-graphics.com.
— Submitted by Heidi Christein, archivist, St. Clair Shores Public Library
