Silver Lake’s popularity waned after World War I, when rail excursion traffic declined. The Lodge family sold the property in 1918 for residential development with the Village of Silver Lake incorporating on the site that same year.
Tag: chautauqua
Chautauqua Park – Train to Silver Lake Park
The Miniature Railway at Silver Lake Park was a 15 in gauge miniature railway opened in 1902. The main station was on the lakeshore at the boat landing dock. The inaugural route, which changed in later years, allowed passengers lengthy views of the lake and the zoo area.
Silver Lake Park – Chautauqua Auditorium
Created by Ralph H. Lodge, Silver Lake Park and Chautauqua Park were a popular regional resort accessible by streetcar and rail. Silver Lake featured boating, swimming, and a large pavilion with a 15,000 square-foot dance floor, a freshwater aquarium, an airfield, and the Chautauqua Auditorium (pictured here) that featured prominent speakers of the day.