I grew up very close to Meyer's Lake Amusement Park. Walking distance, took maybe 10 minutes to get there on foot.

It was a fabulous. So much fun. Benny Goodman and the Marx Brothers actually performed there.

It closed when I was nine once the bigger amusement parks started opening up. Now the lake is surrounded by condos and apartments. I miss the park. I have SO many great memories from there. My kids don't believe it ever existed. And sometimes I even wonder.

Please Note: I call 'dibs' on the first name of Canton's founder (see below).

Meyer's Lake includes both a lake and an amusement park. The lake itself was an American Indian encampment through the early 1800s. It was originally named Wells Lake after Canton's founder Bezaleel Wells. The name was changed in 1815 when Andrew Meyer bought a large tract of land including the lake. Until the Civil War, Meyer's Lake was a secluded spot, surrounded by oak forests and frequented mainly for fishing and ice harvesting.

In 1869 the Eclipse Boat Club was built, followed by the Lake Park Hotel, an upscale resort. The Casino was built later and was considered a fashionable place to go. President and Mrs. William McKinley attended numerous receptions there and often took walks along the grounds.

Meyer's Lake added an amusement park in the 1880s. In 1886 there was a roller coaster (highest point 20 feet), roller skating rink, bowling alley, billiard and pool tables, and dance halls. The Sinclair family purchased it in the 1920s and built the Moonlight Ballroom in 1926. However, with the rise of large-scale amusement parks, smaller amusement parks were not able to compete and Meyer's Lake closed in 1974.