Lake Shawnee is located in Mercer County, West Virginia. Way before this site became an amusement park, it was home to at least two Indian settlements. A man by the name of Mitchell Clay was the first of the European settlers to come to the area in 1775. In the year 1783 while the men were away hunting, Indians came down and killed a young boy and his sister. In 1926, C.T. Snidow opened an amusement park on the land and there it remained in operation until 1966. The amusement park contained carnival rides, concession stands, water rides, and a race track. During this time, a boy named Gaylord White worked there and then left for another job.

After the park shut down in 1966, White came back in 1985 to reopen the park. However, he would only be able to keep it open for three years due to insurance problems. He still owns the park but it has since been deserted and lays in ruins, as if a bomb has hit it. Most of the former structures amazingly still stand, but in a shell of what they once were. Those who dare to visit the old park have experienced much paranormal phenomena, including unexplained sounds and the sight of things we can’t just quite wrap our mind around, including seeing the old swings on one of the rides move on their own. Orbs are also prevalent in the area, and in one case an EVP was recorded.

Person Interviewed: Gaylord White
Title: Owner
Hours: By appointment, please call ahead
Location: Mercer County, West Virginia
Address: Junction of Route 19 and Route 10 in Mercer County
Phone: 304-921-1580
EMail: gaylordsigns@hotmail.com

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