Quassy Amusement Park and Waterpark

About:

Quassy was founded as an amusement park in 1908, originally called Lake Quassapaug Amusement Park. Located in Middlebury, Connecticut, the amusement park and waterpark sits on the south shore of the beautiful Lake Quassapaug.

Histroy of Quassy Amusement Park:

The "Big Pond"

Quassy was not always the amusement park it is today. Native Americans once populated this large area. The Native Americans translated Lake Quassapaug to mean "Big Pond" or "Big Rock". In colonial days King George (1690-1770) granted one Abel Wheeler control of the lake. During this time a fisherman could rent a boat and leave his horse in a stall with plenty of hay for as little as 50¢ a day. Fisherman enjoyed the lake because they claimed that they caught fish by the buckets full.

By 1888, a man named Mr. Richards opened a Grove House. Clambakes became his specialty and only non-alcoholic drinks were sold.

In 1905, the sea wall was put in and the Wallace Hotel replaced Mr. Richard's Grove House. By 1908, a trolley line was put through Middlebury and Lake Quassapaug became a summer resort. It featured swimming, a picnic grove, dancing and a carousel.

Expanding Quassy

In 1937, three Waterbury businessmen, John Frantzis, Mike Leon, and George Terezakis, bought the property. They soon added other attractions including paddleboats and restored the carousel. Within the next few years a hot dog stand and a tearoom were added. Roller skating also became popular in the huge open-air dance hall, which was built in 1915.

It was after World War II that Quassy established itself as a full-fledged amusement park with the addition of more rides. In 1952 the park purchased a complete kiddyland ride package from the Allan Herschell Company of North Tonawanda, N.Y.

Beginning in the late 1970s, new rides were added almost every year. The park has also designed its own clambake facilities and caters to business and organizational outings from 100 to 10,000.