High Bridge Glens of Cuyahoga Falls

Thanks to its breathtaking waterfalls, mysterious caves, and thrilling roller coaster—rumored to be one of the first in the United States—the High Bridge Glens and Caves Park, located along the banks of the thundering Cuyahoga River, made the northeast Ohio community of Cuyahoga Falls one of the leading tourist destinations in the state in the late 1800s. At the height of its popularity, the park attracted more than 8,000 visitors per day. Guests ranged from future US president (then congressman) William McKinley to internationally known trapeze artists. Although reporters quickly dubbed the park the Niagara of Ohio and predicted it would become famous abroad, by the early 1900s the High Bridge Glens had faded into obscurity, ultimately leaving behind little evidence that it ever existed at all.