Thinking back to your childhood summers, what’s your favorite memory? For many Hawkeyes, romping around Arnolds Park at Lake Okoboji was the highlight of their year. Take a look at what Arnolds Park looked like back in the day to see how much one of our favorite places has changed.

Every Iowan knows what it's like to walk around Arnolds Park in the summertime.
Facebook / Arnolds Park
This family-friendly amusement park has been open on Lake Okoboji since the late 1800s.
In the 1880s, visitors began flocking to the Arnolds Park hotel for their lakeside vacations, and property owner Wesley Arnold began developing the site.
Youtube / Arnolds Park
One of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the world is still running at Arnolds Park. It carried its first passengers in 1927.

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The Park's pavilion became the place to be, with an ice cream parlor, dance floor, and live music.
Youtube / Arnolds Park
Soon, everyone was heading to Arnolds Park for an exciting getaway. By the 1920s, Arnolds Park was a world class amusement park.
Arnold opened a fun house, too, and children fell in love with their Arnolds Park Vacations. To this day, it remains a hugely popular summer destination!
Youtube / Arnold's Park
Check out footage of Arnold's Park from its earliest days, and see what the park is doing now to restore our historic recreation destination!

You can find our more about the history of Arnolds Park and read about the restoration project on their website, here.

There’s more than just an amusement park by the lake, though! Read about how This One Small Iowa Town Has More Outdoor Attractions Than Any Other Place In The State.

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