Wydell Kucera and James Seman interview, 10 June 2008

In this 2008 interview, Wendell Kucera and James Seman, two members of Euclid Beach Now (formerly Euclid Beach Nuts) talk about their memories of Euclid Beach Park and their efforts to keep alive the memories of the Park in Cleveland. Kucera and Seman both grew up in the neighborhood surrounding the Park, and both recalled the sounds of the Park in their neighborhood. In this interview, each talks about his personal experiences at the Park from the 1940s until the Park closed in the 1960s. They provide a history of the Humprhey family and the family's purchase of the Park in 1901. They also talk about popular rides like the Thriller, the Laugh in the Dark and the Flying Turns, and some of the mechanics of these rides. They discuss efforts to restore the Carousel from the Park and return it to the Park. Finally, they briefly talk about the history of the Elysium and the Gavioli organ--both of which were also owned by the Humphrey family.