HomeAmusement ParksMichigan's Adventure (Deer Park)

Michigan's Adventure (Deer Park) - Muskegon MI

Address: 4750 Whitehall Rd
City: Muskegon
State: MI
Zip: 49445
County: Muskegon
Number of visits to this page: 29685
Disclaimer:

Please note that location entries may feature older photos or post card views that may not represent the current appearance, features, addresses, phone numbers, or contact names of the attraction. This site is intended to be a historical as well as current record of various attractions but it is not always possible to have up-to-date information due to the vast number of locations featured here. We ask you consult the propietor for current information.

General Information:

From Wikipedia

The park was founded as Deer Park in 1956 by L.R. Beardsley, Dr. E.S. Gillam, Hardin Dey and Martin Kasichke. The park originally featured a petting zoo with deer, llamas, monkeys, chickens and ducks, as well as a children's area called Storybook Lane. The first ride was built in 1958, an Alan Herschell 16-gauge train called the Deer Park Special.

In 1968, Roger Jourden purchased the park from then-owner Benny Bensinger for $115,000. After purchasing attractions, the park was eventually renamed Deer Park Funland in 1972. That same year, he added the first three flat rides: Tilt-a-Whirl, Merry-Go-Round and Ferris Wheel. Every few years he would add a few more attractions, with the Scrambler opening in 1975. 1976, the park's 20th anniversary, introduced the Spider, a car ride named Mutley's Putt Putts, and two rides for children.

The park's first roller coaster opened in 1979, a standard model Corkscrew from Arrow Development. The park continued their relationship with Arrow when in 1983 they introduced Logger's Run, an Arrow Hydroflume. The Chance-manufactured Sea Dragon opened in 1987, along with a new C.P. Huntington Train circling the park. 1987 also marked the final year for the Spider, which was sold to Michael Jackson for his Neverland Ranch complex.

Info Updates:
1/8/2009 - Jon Roost
The park opened in 1956 as Deer Park. The name was changed to Deer Park Funland in 1972, and then to Michigan's Adventure in 1988.

The park has seven roller coasters:
-Corkscrew (1979)
-Wolverine Wildcat (1988)
-Zach's Zoomer (1994)
-Shivering Timbers (1998)
-Mad Mouse (1999)
-Big Dipper (1999)
-Thunderhawk (2008)

If anyone would like to know more about the park's history, feel free to send me an e-mail, I used to run a Michigan's Adventure history website and had an article about the park's history published in Rollercoaster! Magazine a few years ago. And I'm always looking for people to share their stories on the park's history. :o)
6/4/2007 - Garrett Pierce
Gail, you are exactly right about it being called Deer Park Funland. I used to have a T-shirt from there that proclaimed; "I Rode Muttly's Putt Putts" which I got back in the early eighties. I was told that the scrambler & tilt-a-wirl along with a small ferris wheel were moved there from Lake Lansing, which closed about a year before Deer Park opened. Can anyone confirm this?
3/29/2004 - Gail Hartfield-Supina
This park used to be nothing more than a small midway-ish park called Deer Park Funland back in the 1970s. Growing up in North Muskegon, it was a big deal when I was able to take a friend and go to Deer Park for my birthday celebration. The big attraction was the deer that we could feed, and a little train that encircled the park. My favorite rides were the Tilt-a-Whirl and the Scrambler. They built a corkscrew coaster sometime in the early 80s, I believe, then the park grew by leaps and bounds from there.
8/7/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland
This park is the last open park of its type in the state. There is a good selection of rides here, with several good roller coasters and and other thrill rides. There is also a pretty extensive selection of water rides. This site is owned and operated by the same folks who run Cedar Point, so it is a good, clean and safe park. The fact that is smaller is actually a benefit because it is not as overwhelming as some of the mega-parks are. Plus it is usually not as crowded. The nearby Getty 4 Drive-In and Thunderbird Raceway/Dragway make Muskegon a great weekend destination.
 Photos:15
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - Old Brochure
Old Brochure
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - Vintage Flyer
Vintage Flyer
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - Flying Trapeze
Flying Trapeze
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - Old Postcard
Old Postcard
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - Old Postcard
Old Postcard
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - Rides
Rides
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - Rides
Rides
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - 1960S Postcard As Deer Park
1960S Postcard As Deer Park
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - 1960S Postcard As Deer Park
1960S Postcard As Deer Park
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - 1960S Postcard As Deer Park
1960S Postcard As Deer Park
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - 1960S Postcard As Deer Park
1960S Postcard As Deer Park
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - 1960S Postcard As Deer Park
1960S Postcard As Deer Park
Michigans Adventure (Deer Park) - 1960S Postcard As Deer Park
1960S Postcard As Deer Park
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