Abandoned Americana Amusement Park Photos 2018 LeSourdesville Lake In Monroe Ohio

May 15, 2018

Gaining Legal Access To Americana

On a hot sunny day in May 2018, I was granted legal access to photograph what remains of the abandoned Americana Amusement Park / LeSourdesville Lake in Monroe, Ohio. The property is soon to become Monroe Bicentennial Commons! Many buildings remain on this river-side property, which were great to photograph.

I don’t consider myself an urban exploration photographer, but I love exploring old, abandoned properties. However, unlike many urban explorers, I always obtain written permission from the owner. Ultimately, I focus on creating compelling images instead of worrying about trespassing, and building relationships with owners often leads to more opportunities.

This was an amazing day for me! There were old bumper cars, chair lifts, swimming pools, and more. The site of the old rollercoaster was empty except for the queue building. The swimming area, while relatively unimpressive, was filled with rainwater. This provided a great reflection in the photographs.

One of the coolest spots was the original entrance and admin building. Hundreds of Lesourdesville Lake game tickets littered the floor, creating a spooky ambiance. I imagined the crowds who once entered here and played games. The unique architecture stands apart from anything at a modern amusement park.

I am updating this in 2024 to say I do not know if anything remains. I visited in 2018 with permission, and development plans were underway.

Future Plans For The Abandoned Americana Amusement Park

The City of Monroe plans to tear down some buildings, leave others, and reuse benches, walkways, trash cans, picnic tables, and more as part of their plans for future green space for the community. I want to thank the City of Monroe for this opportunity. I have waited patiently for many years to get this opportunity. It was more exciting than I could have imagined! I never thought I would get to photograph an abandoned amusement park. I am a Dayton Ohio based travel photographer.