Hague Park, Then & Now 1890s-2020s: Jackson County, Michigan

Vandercook Lake’s Hague Amusement Park may not be remembered by anyone in this current day, but the old photos showing how it used to look stirs some wishful thinking of the fun that was once had.....and wish we had again.

In the early 1900s, people from all throughout Jackson County flocked to the park to enjoy the Jack Rabbit roller coaster, a giant toboggan slide, merry-go-round, skating rink, dance hall, balloon rides, bowling alley, sideshow games, steamboat rides and more.

The park had its genesis in the 1890s on farmland owned by Edrick Hague. He turned a section of his land along the lake into a picnic area which made for a nice afternoon getaway. Then along came three rich businessmen from Pittsburgh who leased – then purchased - 110 acres from Hague and turned the land into an amusement park.

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The park was at its peak for a good stretch during the 1910s, with summer time the busiest, jammed with close to 20,000 customers each weekend.

With all the hoopla, word-of-mouth, and popularity, it would all come crashing down beginning in 1923. A fire broke out and burned down the pump house, that was specifically made to fight fires. According to an Mlive article, “Jackson firefighters couldn't help because city leaders forbade them from fighting fires outside the city limits. Without much water to fight the fire, seven buildings were destroyed in less than an hour.”

The ruined buildings were never re-built, mostly thanks to expired insurance. The rides and concessions were basically all that were left.

In 1926, Eugene and Edmund Bethel bought the park, did some revamping, and changed the name to Lakeview Park but it was too late. Former customers had moved on to other things. Not only that, but the Great Depression didn’t help either. The park closed and became a regular public park in 1938.

If you pay a visit these days, there is one reminder of the old amusement park: a slab of concrete that was part of the base of the Jack Rabbit roller coaster.

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