An Explosive Experience: The Rocket Roller Coaster & Other Exciting Attractions at the Ocean View Amusement Park
Posted onJune 5, 2025|Comments Off on An Explosive Experience: The Rocket Roller Coaster & Other Exciting Attractions at the Ocean View Amusement Park
By Keely Sinclair, HIST 368 Intern and Mellon Foundation Grant Recipient
Visitors exploring the Ocean View Amusement Park
The Ocean View beaches have served as a location for families to relax and swim during hot Virginia summers for years. Although the land is now occupied by apartment buildings, homes, and a shopping center, it was once home to the famous Ocean View Amusement Park. The Ocean View Amusement Park was founded in 1896 and shut down in 1978. The park was created by the Ocean View Traction Company to bring customers to the new trolly car line. During this period, the park consisted of seating areas, a small figure-8 roller coaster named “The Serpentine,” and of course, scenic views of the beach. In 1905, Richmond businessman Otto Wells purchased the park and transformed it into the bustling, spectacular amusement park long-time Ocean View residents recall fondly to this day. By the 1930s, the park hosted thousands of people every summer. Popular amusement park ride creator J.A. Fields said in 1928 that the Ocean View Amusement Park was “the most modern and attractive park in the South.”
In 1942, Wells sold the park to successful businessman and optometrist Dudley Cooper. Cooper planned to close it down, however, the naval base nearby encouraged him to keep it open because the men stationed there enjoyed the park. In 1978 during an interview with Old Dominion University, Cooper recalled that “The Navy was very much interested in [Ocean View] for the recreation of the men who were embarking in this area for overseas duty,” prompting him to keep the park open. Cooper worked tirelessly to make the park a success, something that was made even more difficult as a result of the WWII era economy. However, thanks to his hard work (ranging from 12 to 18 hours a day!) and military connections, he was able to keep the park afloat until the end of the war. In the 1950s, the park reached its peak popularity. Until its closing in 1978, The park was open every spring and summer. Families from all over Virginia visited the park to enjoy the 77ft high roller coaster, side shows ranging from monkey acts to thrilling high-wire performances, and to eat sugary amusement park food like the famous Doumar’s ice cream cone.
Dudley Cooper
In 1942, Dudley Cooper bought the Ocean View Amusement Park from Otto Wells, as he had been interested in the park since he was young and had wanted to buy it for some time. Before purchasing the park, Cooper practiced optometry and rented out properties to people for years, and he continued to do so even after purchasing the Ocean View Amusement Park. Cooper also helped three black businessmen in the area create the Seaview Amusement Park in 1946. Due to segregation laws, African Americans were not allowed to enter the Ocean View park, but Cooper was able to work with local African American businesses and individuals to create a park where African Americans could enjoy much of the same entertainment that was found at Ocean View, including rides, side shows, and concession stands.
Fun Fact: Cooper’s office was located in the Ocean View Amusement Park and was described as having “all of the color and glitter of the midway outside.” The middle of the office was decorated with a horse from the merry-go-round, the ceiling was painted to resemble a circus tent, and one wall had a large mural of the park painted onto it.
Portrait of Dudley Cooper
RIDES, LOCATIONS, AND EVENTS AT OCEAN VIEW AMUSEMENT PARK
THE ROCKET
“There is a Roller Coaster in Ocean View Amusement Park, near Virginia Beach, that sonnets should be composed about. In its white cloak of cracked paint it has the rarest of roller coaster majesty, lattice work piled upon lattice work, a pure monument to thrill.” These are the words of journalist Marion Clark in his 1975 Potomac article reviewing roller coasters across America. In the article, he sings his praises to roller coasters from roller coasters across the country, with The Rocket getting a glowing review from the roller-coaster-enthusiast. His sentiments were shared by tourists and locals alike, who spent their summers enjoying the thrills of riding the roller coaster.
The famous Ocean View amusement park roller coaster was first built in 1911 and named Leap-the-Dips. This roller coaster was 77 feet high at its tallest point. In 1914, the ride was damaged by a fire and rebuilt with some slight upgrades. Later in 1928, new safety mechanisms were added and the ride was made 13 feet taller. The name was also changed to the “Skyrocket.” A few years later, it was renamed again to simply “The Rocket.” Renovations in 1947 included new foam-padded seats, likely in response to passengers sustaining injuries while riding. In February of 1958, another fire started in the park and damaged the west end of the rollercoaster. However, it was once again rebuilt. The Rocket was a staple of the park, drawing tourists there for years.
Cooper’s son, Charles Cooper, declared that The Rocket “may have been the most durable coaster in America.” Due to the vast number of repairs and upgrades it received over the years, the roller coaster was almost too sturdy by the time of the park’s shutdown, as when crew members tried to demolish the ride in 1978, they had to saw through multiple support beams in order to do any damage. Despite the wild popularity of The Rocket, many were still afraid of it, with parents refusing to let their kids board the ride, according to Charles Cooper. Why was the roller coaster given so many repairs? For one, the park suffered numerous fires over the years, each one causing slight damage to the ride. As a result, the rollercoaster was continuously rebuilt, repaired, and updated with modern safety equipment. In September of 1936, when the park was still owned by Otto Wells, the Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane swept through Norfolk, causing $30,000 dollars worth of damage to the park ($5 million in today’s economy).
DOUMAR’S
In 1907, Doumar, the famous inventor of the waffle cone in 1904, opened a small shop at the Ocean View amusement park. On the shop’s first day, 22,600 ice cream cones were sold, and these numbers only grew throughout the summers spent there, with Doumar’s ice cream stand selling around 23,000 ice cream cones every day in the summer. In 1933, a hurricane swept through the area, severely damaging the park and its attractions, including Doumar’s Ice Cream stand. After this event, Doumar’s moved to a new location near Monticello Avenue. This location was larger and included indoor seating and a drive through. Doumar’s is still located there today!
Acts
The Dudley Cooper collection contains a multitude of correspondences between Cooper and other acts interested in performing at the park. Most performances at the park were not permanent; every year new and exciting acts would set up at the Ocean View Amusement park to entertain guests. Acts ranged from high-wire acts by performers such as The Lovely Miss Rachel and the Navvaros, Leo and Josephine Gasca, and Erik, the “Golden Boy of the High-Wire,” to animal shows featuring chimps and even a reptile exhibition building. 1952 Correspondences between Cooper and the Expositions and Fairs Incorporated group show Cooper’s interest in their acts, which included an “Alligator Skin Boy,” a “Girl Without a Head,” and a girl who “hypnotize[ed] crocodiles and snakes.” Cooper also showed an interest in getting a collection of electric eels and piranhas for the park.
Suicide Simon
Captain Leo Simon was an ex-flame diver (someone who sets themselves on fire and then dives into a pool of gasoline) with fiery red hair and a matching mustache before he decided to change paths and perform a different act. Simon’s new act went as follows: he climbed into a wooden box and lit 1 ½ dynamite sticks over his head, blowing up the box with him inside it. This act caused him to go almost completely deaf, and his front two teeth were missing due to an accident years prior.
Memo from Leo Simon to Dudley Cooper
“Three Star Production – Clown Cavalcade” and “Candy the Clown”
The Clown Cavalcade was a three man company of professional clowns consisting of Benny and Freddy Heitmann and Don Meeker. Freddy started out as a part of the cleanup crew on the Ringling Bros. Circus and later worked with the elephant acts, where he sustained multiple injuries from handling the animals. When he left the circus, he started his own clown production with his brother Benny. Benny had been a brick mason and musician before joining his brother’s company. The two brothers had dabbled in live comedy as well, playing shows at the Cocoanut Grove Playhouse.
Don Meeker, a taxi driver and father of five, used to play as “Sparky the Fire Dog” for the Fire Department Carnival. He decided to become a clown after dressing as one for his son’s school carnival. The clown outfit his wife made him was a huge hit, and he decided to try calling a character named “Poopdeck Pappy” on WAVY-TV to ask if he needed to get a license to become a professional clown. He was then given a job as “Candy the Clown,” at the Portsmouth shopping center and soon joined the two brothers in their group. Candy the Clown became a staple of the Ocean View Amusement Park, with his face being present on advertisements and signs everywhere. A doll of the character is currently located inside the Ocean View Station Museum inside of a cart from The Rocket roller coaster.
In 1978, the park closed down after 80 years of operation. Because The Rocket was being demolished anyways, Playboy Productions, a studio working on a “suspense thriller” movie titled “The Death of Ocean View Park” blew up the beloved roller coaster as Ocean View residents looked on. Interestingly, it took the crew multiple tries to actually get the roller coaster to explode, and they even ended up needing to physically tear it down and weaken the support beams in order to fully destroy it. Cooper’s son found it ironic that, “people were afraid to have their children ride the roller coaster because they thought it didn’t look safe. It was so strong, they couldn’t even blow it up. It was pulled down”. In that same year, the park shut down entirely.
The End of the Park
After 83 years of success, the park’s popularity began to die down. Bigger parks like Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens opened, drawing tourists away from the older park. However, the Ocean View Amusement Park got the spotlight a few more times before it closed. In 1976, the movie Rollercoaster was shot at the park and a few years later in 1978, The Death of Ocean View Park was shot there.
Bibliography
“Clown Act To Open at Ocean View.” The Virginian-Pilot. Dudley Cooper Papers, Series VII – Scrapbooks, 1963,1964.
“Doumar’s Drive Major Word of Mouth With Their BBQ, Ice Cream, and Story.” Truested, May 21, 2019.
Dudley Cooper Papers. Series I – Correspondence, Accidents and Injuries 1944 to Advertising 1943-1958. MG 31, Box 1, Folder 8.
Dudley Cooper Papers. Series I – Correspondence Advertising to Construction & Repairs, 1963-70, Box 2, Folder 4.
Dudley Cooper Papers. Series VI: Miscellaneous – Articles to Closing the Park. MG 31, Box 14, Folder 2.
Dudley Cooper Papers. Series VII: Scrapbooks, 1948-49, 1949-52. MG 31, Box 15. “Amusement Park Sued for $50,000.” The Virginian-Pilot. Aug. 8, 1949.
Dudley Cooper Papers. Series VII: Scrapbooks, 1949-54, 1953-55, 1954. MG 31, Box 16, Book 1. “The Most Roller Coasters Ever.” Potomac. 1975.
Dudley Cooper Papers. Series VII: Scrapbooks, 1955-56, 1960. MG 31
“Easter Day Parade at Ocean View; Sunday, 3 P.M.” Ocean View, Seaside and Seaview Amusement Parks Collection. Series VII: Scrapbooks, MG 31, Box 22, Folder 3.
McHugh, Jim. “Optometrist Ogled, Made Success in Funspot Field.” The Billboard. Dec. 9, 1950. Dudley Cooper Papers, Series VII: Scrapbooks, 1948-49, 1949-52. MG 31, Box 15.
Ocean View, Seaside and Seaview Amusement Parks Collection. Series VII: Scrapbooks, MG 31, Box 22, Folder 1.
Robert H. Mason. “Old Flame Man Now Jars Self With Dynamite.” Ocean View, Seaside and Seaview Amusement Parks Collection, Series, VII: Scrapbooks, MG 31, Box 22, Folder 3.
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