Besides, not knowing the specifics of ghostly happenings adds another layer to the park's spooky aura. Since eerily similar incidents have been reported by various guests, White wants to make sure that all the paranormal happenings reported are as authentic, genuine, and organic as possible (and as someone who has heard about the various reports, I can confirm that they are seriously strange and mysterious). In fact, White asked us not to reveal the nature of the paranormal activity reported at Lake Shawnee. Tours of the park often end with people experiencing something spooky and mysterious. According to White, the legends of it being a burial ground were corroborated by the fact that the Whites discovered a treasure trove of Native American artifacts when digging on the land.
Of course, Lake Shawnee is also the perfect setting for a Halloween ghost story. It's a great time to take some really rad pictures that will spook your Instagram followers, and it will give you and your friends a chance to meditate on the eerie juxtaposition of the innocent fun of the carnival rides and the creepy effects that time has had on the rusted attractions. When you visit Lake Shawnee Amusement Park (they offer tours on occasion, mostly around Halloween) you'll have a chance to explore the abandoned grounds on your own. It's believed you can still hear children laughing, and some people claim they see a swing moving all by itself. The second accident was a boy who drowned in the lake. A little girl died on the mechanical swings, when a truck backed out from a stand and struck and killed her. Several tragic accidents happened at the park when it was in operation. The land was later bought in the 1920s and developed into the amusement park.how lovely. Two of their children were killed in the attack and the third was burned at the stake. The Clay family were settlers who were attacked by Native Americans. It shut down in 1966 and has been derelict ever since.īefore it was a theme park, Lake Shawnee was the site of both a Native American burial ground and the massacre of the Clay family. This abandoned amusement park is pretty overgrown these days. People were intrigued by the creepy, eerie pictures of Lake Shawnee. The White family intended to re-open Lake Shawnee Amusement Park until they realized that there was a use for the park just the way it was- rusted, crumbling, and overgrown. The park lay abandoned and unattended for years before the White family purchased the property, which Chris White continues to manage today. It closed its gates in the 1960's after about 40 years of business bringing joy to most. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park is a thrill for more reason than one.
It's been the location of some kind of gruesome crimes, so there's a reason trespassing is strictly forbidden. Archbishop Henry Mansell replaced the original 56-foot cross with a 50-ft stainless steel one in 2008. In 1997 a bunch of Boy Scouts repaired the "Holy Land USA" sign as a community service project. Some want it torn down, some want it restored and others want it preserved as folk art.
Over the years there have been debates over the site's future. Trespassers have reported experiencing paranormal occurrences. Although it's not open to the public, the Waterbury Region Convention and Visitors Bureau receives tons of calls a year asking for directions. Originally built in the 1950s, the 18-acre, biblically-inspired theme park has been closed since 1984, but its catacomb replicas, Israelite village, stations of the cross and chapel remain intact, albeit in states of ruin. It's incredibly weird, strange and totally creepy. Holy Land USA is an abandoned theme park in Waterbury, Connecticut.