The smell of funnel cakes, the tiny roar of a dozen go-carts, the clackety-clack of the roller coaster, the screams of newly drenched log riders...

Hamel's Park, for anyone older than 35, was a childhood wonderland on the edge of Shreveport. It was a place where your whole family could enjoy a beautiful Summer day. You could take in a train trip and see the peacocks, ride the carousel, and just enjoy an amusement park without having to drive all day to get there. And who could forget free ice cream on your birthday?

My mom and dad used to tell a story about a very young Gary escaping the view of his on-looker, only to be found half an hour later waiting in line at the roller coaster. I was maybe four or five years old. Hamel's coaster, Thunder Rail, is what gave me the thrill-ride bug. Every coaster I have ridden since (and there have been many) all owe Hamel's Park a nod.

Hamel's Park, originally the Hamel Family's dairy, started off with a petting zoo in the late 60's. It then expanded to the big red bard with kiddie rides, then to the outside midway. In the late 90's, after a steady decline in attendance, Hamel's Park closed its gates forever.

When construction crews came and disassembled Thunder Rail and The Log Ride, I looked on with weepy eyes. They were tearing down my childhood, and there was nothing I could do about it. The winds of change constantly blow, and all we can do is stand in the breeze.

But here's the thing, some of Hamel's Park still lives to this day. As you can imagine, carnival rides are expensive, and it is better to sell one to someone who needs it than to just scrap it. And that is precisely what happened to Thunder Rail!

Believe it or not, our beloved coaster lives on in Omaha, Nebraska, after spending time in Celebration City in Branson, Missouri and in the Saginaw County Fairgrounds in Chesaning, Michigan after leaving Hamel's. Fun Plex in Omaha calls the coaster "The Big Ohhhh!" Even without it's distinguishing tower lights, it's still Thunder Rail to me!

Wanna take a ride into your past? Here is a video, taken only three years ago, of The Big Ohhhh!/Thunder Rail in action. All I need now is a corn dog!

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