Editing Lake Orion, Michigan (section)

===Amusement park===
[[File:Lakeorionresort.jpg|thumbnail|left|Lake Orion as a [[resort]] and [[amusement park|amusement]] destination in the early 20th century]] Lake Orion was an amusement destination for residents of [[Metro Detroit]] in the first half of the century. The addition of the [[Michigan Central Railroad]] track in 1872 set the stage for Lake Orion as a major summertime resort for those traveling on the line, especially between Detroit and Flint. In 1874, several prominent citizens formed the Orion Park Association to capitalize on the growing number of travelers to the area.<ref name="oaklandcountyhistory.org">{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Paul M. |title=ORION SINCE 1818 |url=http://oaklandcountyhistory.org/aw-server/rest/product/purl/OCHR/s/4253ca16-8634-4969-a58c-bcf50f6ee0b0 |access-date=16 March 2025 |website=www.oaklandcountyhistory.org}}</ref> They developed a park on the shore of the lake (now Green's Park) near the train depot and operated a steam-powered boat for lake excursions and delivery to Park Island. Over time, the Park Island Amusement Park grew to include a [[penny arcade]], [[carousel]], souvenir booths, refreshment booths, lunch stands, dining rooms, [[dance halls]], and a [[wooden roller coaster]] named "The Thriller."<ref name="lakeorion.org"/>

The swimming beach on the north side of Park Island had both a men's and ladies' [[Public bathing|bathhouse]], a [[waterslide]], and numerous [[diving platform|diving boards]], the highest 42 feet above the water. Lake Orion was stocked annually with [[bass (fish)|bass]], [[Esox|pickerel]], and [[northern pike|pike]], and fishing tournaments and contests were held seasonally. Several double-deck boats, including the "City of Orion," offered lake excursions replete with bands and a dance floor on the upper deck. At night, Park Island was illuminated by strings of thousands of lights.<ref name="oaklandcountyhistory.org"/>

Once a premier destination among vacationers, the park suffered through the [[Great Depression]] and several fires, gradually losing business before closing in 1955. The park was owned by the [[Detroit Edison Company]] (via the purchase of a subsidiary, the Orion Power and Light company) from 1912 until closure. The island and park property were later purchased by a private real estate developer who built homes on the island in the 1960s. In many brochures and newspaper advertisements in the 1910s and 1920s, Lake Orion was advertised to potential travelers as the "Venice of the Middle West," "Paris of Detroit," and "Lake Orion, the One Best Resort".{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}