Stricker's Grove
Posted by: 
Web-ling
N 39° 17.787 W 084° 40.140
16S E 701011 N 4352265
Stricker’s Grove is open to the public four times a year, and is available for rental on other days.
Waymark Code: WM8C8B
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 03/10/2010
Views: 2
~ Description is quoted from
StrickersGrove.com.
Stricker’s Grove is a family owned and operated private amusement park. It is located at 11490 Hamilton-Cleves Road, which is also State Route #128 in Ross, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, Ohio. It is a park for families and children.
Stricker’s Grove was started in 1924 in Mt. Healthy, Ohio by Henry Stricker on 55 acres of property. Henry worked at Procter and Gamble and fellow workers asked if they could come out on weekends to picnic and enjoy the countryside. Henry planted three apple orchards on the property and people would picnic among the groves of trees, thus, the name Stricker’s Grove. Henry Stricker raised chickens for a hobby so when a dance hall was eventually added, it was built with the intention that it could be converted into a chicken coop if the park failed. In the 1940’s, a pony cart ride was added as well as a small horse and pony track. In 1954, the first mechanical rides were added which were the boats, rockets and a ferris wheel. Upon Henry’s death in 1960, the park continued to operate under the watchful eye of his three sons, Harold, Elmer and Ralph. In 1972, the property in Mt. Healthy, Ohio was sold and is now the location of Compton Groves Apartments. Ralph Stricker relocated the park to Ross, Ohio and became the sole owner. It is now located on 25 acres which were corn fields at the time the property was purchased and is still surrounded by corn fields today.
In January, 2007, Ralph Stricker passed away. Today, the park is owned and operated by Ralph’s daughter and three long time employees. Stricker’s Grove has 15 midway rides and two roller coasters. There is a shaded picnic area with numerous picnic tables in addition to a large covered picnic pavilion that can accommodate up to 768 people. There is also a large air conditioned hall for additional seating up to 500 people. Stricker’s Grove also features an 18 hole miniature golf course, game arcade, skee-ball arcade, concession stand, five horseshoe pits, baseball diamond, booths which can be used for raffles, etc., public address system and ample free parking. It is also home to the Tornado and Teddy Bear roller coasters that are the only two wooden coasters in Hamilton County.