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Below
are photos taken in January 2007 highlighting the
conversion taking place by new owner Jerry Couch.
The area will become a part of a new campground slated
to supplement Couch's Camper Sales, located on the
LeSourdsville Lake property. |
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| This
building served as Fantasy Farm's maintenance building
and as the home of Streco Manufacturing, the maker of
turnpike cars for parks around the country. [photo:Scott
Fowler] |
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| The
log cabin still stand in the middle of rubble.
[photo:Scott
Fowler] |
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| The
park's former resturant. [photo:Scott
Fowler] |
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| On
the right hand side, you can make out the fireplace
that once kept the Three Bears House warm and cozy.
The barrels are resting on the site of the former Stage
Coach Inn that was recently torn down. The building
in the background is the former LeSourdsville Fire Department
structure, still owned by the city of Monroe. [photo:Scott
Fowler] |
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| This
was the site of the former giant red barn that featured
a circular slide. The structure collapsed in recent
years and could not be salvaged. [photo:Scott
Fowler] |
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Edger Streifthau, founder of LeSourdsville
Lake Amusement Park, reluctantly sold his interest in the
park in 1960. Edger also maintained his hardware store in
downtown Middletown but the amusement park stayed with him.
"
While I was mulling over what to do next, to keep busy,
I realized I had my house and 20 acres of land next to the
park (LeSourdsville Lake) that had not been sold. I started
thinking about putting it to use. It could be used as a
family park for children, 12 years and younger. The more
I thought about it, the more I got fired up," said
Edger from his autobiography, "Edger Streifthau; His
Story" by Irene Wright.
Technically,
Edgar was prohibited from owning an amusement park within
100 miles of LeSourdsville due to a 10-year non-competitive
clause in the LeSourdsville sale. Edger recruited a business
acquaintance, Paul House to be park president. Hal and Tootie
Stevens, friend of Edgar agreed to become the owners. Edgar
put up the money for the park to be built and served as
a consultant.
The
name, "Fantasy Farm" was coined by Edgar's daughter
Donna Switzer. Within weeks of installing a construction
fence, neighbors and the new owners of LeSourdsville Lake,
found themselves in court. The judge ruled that they had
waited to long in the construction process to make a legitimate
complaint and dismissed the suit. Construction continued
and the park opened to the public on Memorial Day, 1963.
Fantasy
Farm catered to small children and their families.
In
1965, the Fantasy Farm motel opened next door to the park.
By 1972, Edgar had taken over full ownership of the park.
The park featured five food stands, four gift shops, 33
rides and over 50 head of deer, cows, horses, goats and
sheep, in addition to a variety of ducks, geese, guinea
hens and peacocks.
In
the fall of 1982, Edgar sold Fantasy Farm to Fairfield,
Ohio carnival owner, William Johnson.
Johnson
closed Fantasy Farm in 1991 citing high insurance premiums
and labor costs. In November 1991, an auction was held to
sell all of the park's rides. In 1996, Johnson sold the
park land to Billy Barker and Billy Barker, Jr. who operated
Middletown Motor Sports on the site until about 2003.
In
March 2001, neighborhood children accidentally set fire
to the former carousel building and damaged a portion of
the Three Bears House.
In
October 2006, LeSourdsville Lake/Americana owner Jerry Couch
purchased the Fantasy Farm property (except for the motel)
and began converting the area to a campground to supplement
his camper sales business.
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This
marque proclaimed the location of Fantasy Farm and
helped distinquish it from the entrance to its neighbor,
LeSourdsville Lake. The sign and entrance to the Lake
can be seen just through the planter on the left side
of the sign supports. [photo: park
archives] |
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