George Arthur Boeckling (February 2, 1862 – July 24, 1931) was an American businessman who served as the president of “Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company of Indiana”, which later became Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. He is often credited for bringing

Cedar Point Cedar Point is a amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Opened in 1870, it is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the U.S. behind Lake Compounce. Cedar Point is owned and op ...

out of financial difficulties at the turn of the 20th century, and making it a nationally recognized amusement park and resort destination. G.A. Boeckling was born to German immigrants in Indiana in 1862. In 1897, he became part-owner and general-manager of the newly re-organized Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company (originally established a decade prior, in 1887, and first opened in 1888, according to numerous contemporaneous sources, 1887-1897). Under Boeckling’s leadership, Cedar Point resort was transformed from a summer picnic/swimming area to a thriving amusement park with wide appeal. In 1908, the steamer ''G.A. Boeckling'' began providing local transportation between the city of Sandusky and Cedar Point. Thousands of visitors also arrived at Cedar Point on the

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...

and

Lake Shore Electric Railway The Lake Shore Electric Railway (LSE) was an interurban electric railway that ran primarily between Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio by way of Sandusky, Ohio, Sandusky and Fremont, Ohio, Fremont. Through arrangements with connecti ...

An administration building was constructed by the pier in 1928. Known as the Boeckling Building, it features arches, a cupola, and other ornamental features. G.A. Boeckling was very public-spirited, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Elks Lodge, Aerie of Eagles, and was charitable to local churches, veterans organizations, and youth clubs of Sandusky. In 1922 the ''

Sandusky Register The ''Sandusky Register'' is a daily newspaper serving Sandusky, Ohio, as well as nearby Port Clinton and the Lake Erie Islands (collectively known regionally as Vacationland). History The ''Sandusky Register'' has been in production since 18 ...

'' called him "the man who made Cedar Point."

George A. Boeckling died from uremia on July 24, 1931, and is buried at Oakland Cemetery. The ''G.A. Boeckling'' steamship, Boeckling Home, and Boeckling Building are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The

Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad is a narrow-gauge heritage railroad and amusement park attraction located in the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. The railroad opened in 1963, making it one of the oldest operating rides at Ce ...

had a locomotive named the G.A. Boeckling built in July 1927 by the Davenport Locomotive Works.

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Cedar Point Historygravesite of G.A.Boeckling
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boeckling, George Arthur 1862 births 1931 deaths Cedar Point American amusement park businesspeople

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