Lake Shawnee Amusement Park – History

Lake Shawnee Amusement Park

470 Matoaka Rd

Rock, WV 24747

 

This macabre scene of a former amusement park stands as a grisly reminder of what happens when mother nature reclaims her land. Without the touch of human hands, this land is enveloping the decaying remnants of what once was a very happy location. It was once filled with joy and laughter, gathering families, and, on occasion, young love. Tragedy befell this particular spot time and time again forcing ownerships hands to keep the park permanently closed. This land was once home to Native Americans and, even though the tales of ancient curses or left over negativity are unconfirmed, there seems to be a recurring theme of the earth being protected and allowed to be overtaken by wildlife. Could there be a connection? Some believe so, but most of the otherworldly stories which are said to occur here stretch from full figured shadow figures to inanimate objects moving on their own. Regardless of which paranormal phenomena is experienced here, almost every single guest who steps foot on the property has some type of encounter that they could not truly explain.

 

 

Past

 

During the expansion of America, families moved west and south to settle on desolate plots of land. In the late 1700’s, the Clay family began an 800-acre farm on Native American ground. Mitchell Clay operated this venture with his wife and 14 children. While away on a hunting trip, natives murdered 2 of Mitchell’s children and burnt another at the stake. This sparked a war between settlers and Native Americans. The settlers hunted those natives and slaughtered them.

 

 

Following this tragedy, the land was abandoned allowing nature to reclaim it. Not until 1926 did the land attract anyone to pass near the property let alone purchase it. Conley Snidow, an entrepreneur, saw the land as a business venture as the local coal mining families needed entertainment. Snidow developed the land into an amusement park constructing a Ferris wheel, swings, water slides, and a pond.

 

Unfortunately, the land’s dark past caught up with the unsuspecting park-goers. During a 40-year span, the park claimed 6 lives. Two infamous deaths were those of children. The first occurred in the 1950’s when a girl was innocently swinging when a truck backed over the swing set, crushing her and ultimately killing her. A boy, playing in the pond, drowned with no supervision. The pond was filled in shortly after.

 

 

The park’s reputation and the limited coal miners left in the area forced the park to close in 1966. The amusement rides were left and again nature began to claim the land. In 1985, a former employee purchased the park and began reconstruction, that is until bones (mostly of children) and artifacts were uncovered. The park was confirmed to be an Indian burial ground. The construction was abandoned, as was the park, to leave the burial grounds and those interred there to rest in peace.

 

 

Paranormal Experiences

 

To this day, plenty of unnatural and unexplainable phenomena have been reported on the property. Former visitors recount feeling as if someone was following them all throughout the park. Some claimed to hear phantom footsteps and laughter randomly burst out around them practically engulfing them in the supernatural experience. 

 

 

The swings move on their own when there is no clear reason like wind or guests nearby. The last owner confirmed this, adding the sensation of cold air surrounding him during these occurrences. He has physically seen a little girl, covered in a bloodied pink dress just staring at him, only to  disappear moments later.