Hague Park - Jackson MI

Address: Vandercook Lake Park
City: Jackson
State: MI
Zip: 49203
County: Jackson
Number of visits to this page: 35743
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:

Source: Marc R.

I grew up in Vandercook lake in the 60's and 70's, spent alot of time at the lake and used to listen to the old timers tell stories about the park there, they told me at one time it was called Wolverine Park. I lived in the subdivision behind the church on Francis and Probert road, thats where the old Girl Scout camp was, we knew every inch of every trail that went thru the camp.

We spent our summers terrorizing the poor girls who would come there to spend a week. From what I remember there was a mill on the creek there at Francis and Probert , on the opposite side of where that old closed bait shop is (or was) not sure if the shop is still there, have not been thru there in 15 years. I have collected cards from Hagues Park for years and have most everything from the interurban garage in jackson, to the photo shop souvineers at the park, anyone remember when the interurban tracks used to run down the middle of Francis? that's why that street has a grass median in it.

Info Updates:
6/1/2011 - Mark Greenwood
I was delighted to find this site on Hague Park. I have been researching the park as part of searching my family tree. My great great grandfather was Edrick H. Hague who developed the park in the early 1900's. My grandfather, Emmett Greenwood, used to tell stories of an idyllic life living and working at the park. His father died at a relatively early age so his family moved back to live with his grandparents. We have several family photos from that era. I would like to hear more from any of you who have more details about the heyday of the park and what happened to the property after the fire in 1923.
3/22/2011 - Larry J.
I have completed a 500 page novel that incorporates one perfect day at Hague Park (July 4, 1912) as a central theme of a fictional story. It should go into publication soon. During my research I've talked to so many people that provided little snippets and pieces of information that have helped me (hopefully) recreate a perfect day there. If anyone has any other little stories or ideas, I would love to hear them!! What has been amazing are the urban legends. Where one person 'swears' the paddle boat was scuttled in the lake, another is just as sure it was sold for scrap. Where one group swears the Ferris wheel was lowered into the lake and now rests rightside up, another group maintains no such thing ever happened! It's been an amazing ride! If anyone has any thoughts or stories, e-mail me! LJ.
1/15/2011 - Helen Decker
According to the information that previously have been posted. I take it that the roller coaster had fell into the lake, and some people on it was killed. Do anybody know if the track to the coaster had extended out into the lake. The picture displayed below does not show it going out into the lake. I have heard similar stories about the roller coasters at the Lake Lansing Amusement park, and the Lakeside park in Flint. It is mention in a Merry-Go-Round up, a magazine publish by the National Carousel Association , that when the roller coaster at this park was torn down the wood was use to build the carousel pavilion at Lake Lansing. Do anybody know if there was a carousel at this park? The National Carousel Association is attempting gather information on carousels of the pass. Any information, and/or pictures of it would be greatly appreciated.
7/29/2010 - Mark Spitler
Hi - I volunteer at the Jackson County Genealogical Society. We are working on a project on Hague Park. We are looking for pictures , scrapbooks , souvenirs , memorabilia , any old memories. I would really like to talk to Marc R. who grew up in Vandercook Lake in the 60's and 70's. Also anyone with info on the Hague , Emmons , James Albert O'Dell , Charles F. Gillespie and Eugene and Edmund Bethel families. Thank you , Mark S.
2/21/2010 - Herb Fowle
We lived at Vandercook Lake when I was about 3 or 4 years old (1923-24) and I remember riding on the street car out Francis street from my aunt's house in Jackson to the park where they turned around. Sometime during this time I remember the roller coaster jumped its tracks and ended up in the lake. A number of people drowned as a result.
12/23/2008 - Phil G.
Avenue C has been paved for years. I lived on 5th st for many years, just one street over from park. During my digging and landscaping I discovered dozens of large bolts (1-2inches) that had been cut in half. Old gentleman across the street told me they were dropped when they disassembled the last of the parks rides. As a kid in the 50's we played in the Vandercook county park daily and we had no clue that an amusement park had been located there. The large concrete structures in the water were just diving platforms for us.
8/13/2006 - June (Wood) ( Tripp) London
I lived on Vandercook Lake ever since I was 3 years old. My Grandparents lived on the other side of the lake. They were Oatley & Barbara Wood & Oatley and Jessie Wood. I have a picture somewhere of my grandfather standing on the ferry that took people around the lake. Not sure just how old my dad was when him and my uncle use to ride the trolley car from town out to the lake before my grandparents lived on the lake. Our house was 3 houses from the park and the road use to run along side it. When I was 3 1/2 years old on the weekend in the evening a car came racing down the road called Lakeshore Drive and almost hit me. So my dad and a neighbor named OB Reynolds put up a fence and the road was closed off and then i guess they went to court to have the fence left there.When I got married my & I husband and I bought the House next door to my parents. When we would dig in the yard we found lots of old bottles and spikes and misc. things that were from the old bowling alley I was told that was in our backyard. We lived next door to the Lees. Ellen grandfather was a Cure and he owned most of the land around Vandercook Lake..I still live in Vandercook and I guess always will. There were many drownings that I can remember and one I personally dove down and brought up a 5 year old little girl that we could not bring back to life. The other little girl lived.It still syas really fresh in my mind today ! People at the park don't know the lake well ,and they don't watch there children well. Little ones use to wander in our yard all the time and my mom would find their parents down at the park sleeping in the sun. My grandpa and Dad always said that Hauge Park was a grand park in its day !! We had an old movie film that my dad took one time ,in it the DNR used netting and removed many many carp from the lake. They dragged the net up to shore and threw the good fish back. Also one time they had a big crane down by the boat launch that brought up old antique cars & trucks and a man took pictures of them and then put them back in the lake. When I was 5 years old I remember the circus that came to the park.. It was so exciting to get up and see elephants drinking from the water. Good Times !!
6/27/2006 - Susanne M. Weible
I researched the steamboat at Hague Park. I am the history writer at the Jackson Ciizen Patriot. The boat, the R.E. Emmons, never went to the bottom of the lake. The owners, (father-and-son team of Eugene and Edmund Bethel,) sold the boat along with the House of Fun to Charles Gillespie of Jackson. This was during the late 1920s or early 1930s when the park fell on hard economic times. The wood was salvaged to build docks and porches on the lake. Part of it was used to build a section of a house at 517 Cass Ave in Vandercook Lake. The boat and Ferris Wheel are not in the lake. That is just local legend.
10/25/2005 - Joe Kemler
Wait a mintue, There was a whole park in Vandercook Lake?!?! I thought there was only one roller coaster in a community park. Thats amazing! I really wish that they would rebuilt this, I would like it!
7/29/2005 - Al Edwards
Its been rumored that the old paddle boat was sunk in Vandercook Lake and is still there, although nobody has been able to locate it
3/28/2005 - James Lenton
The park burned down in 1923 and was never rebuilt.
 Photos:27
Hague Park - Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Hague Park - Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Hague Park - Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Hague Park - Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Hague Park - Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Hague Park - Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Hague Park - Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Hague Park - Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Hague Park - Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Nice Selection Of Old Post Cards
Hague Park - Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster
Hague Park - Jack Rabbit
Jack Rabbit
Hague Park - Ferry Boat
Ferry Boat
Hague Park - Landing
Landing
Hague Park - Water Slide
Water Slide
Hague Park - Water Slide
Water Slide
Hague Park - Water Slide
Water Slide
Hague Park - Park
Park
Hague Park - Vintage Photo
Vintage Photo
Hague Park - Park
Park
Hague Park - Park
Park
Hague Park - Landing
Landing
Hague Park - Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster
Hague Park - Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster
Hague Park - Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster
Hague Park - Shoreline
Shoreline
Hague Park - Shoreline
Shoreline
Hague Park - Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster
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