Great American Racing Derby
Also known as: Cedar Downs Racing Derby
Why it's listed
Great American Racing Derby is a rotating amusement ride on the Midway at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Built in 1922 by Prior & Church for the Humphrey Company of Euclid Beach, Ohio, it was moved to Cedar Point in 1969 when the Euclid Beach park closed after 47 years. A flattened wooden dome roof with sixteen tapered panels, racing flags and lanterns covers a 90-foot turntable. Sixty-four colorfully painted horses, placed four abreast, move back and forth as the platform turns, simulating a race and carrying 128 riders at once. The ride grew out of the carousel tradition. Prior & Church built several Racing Derbies during the 1920s, but the Depression ended their manufacture and many machines were broken up and sold to horse collectors. Only three are known to survive, including this one. It was recognized for its architectural and design value as a rare early twentieth century amusement ride that retains its materials, workmanship and midway setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a rare surviving example of an early 20th century rotating amusement park ride, developed as a variation of the carousel with horses that move back and forth to simulate a race. Only three such machines are said to survive, the others being in Toronto and Rye Beach, N.Y. Although moved to Cedar Point in 1969, it is said to retain integrity of design, materials, workmanship and setting.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 90000626, listed November 8, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Midway, Cedar Point Amusement Park, Sandusky |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | November 8, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000626 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1922 |
| Architect / builder | Prior & Church; Royle C. Williams |
| Architectural style | No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as an amusement park ride at Cedar Point, moved there from Euclid Beach in 1969. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.48065, -82.68252 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 90000626.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q133586422
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.