Permanently Closed: Funland Amusement Park, Houghton Lake

This shut down amusement park has not been deserted for very long – it evidently closed sometime in 2024. It’s the Funland Amusement Park, 6329 West Houghton Lake Drive at Houghton Lake.

Okay, all fine and dandy, but when it it initially open? There are conflicting dates and even the owners – past and present – can't agree on the year it first opened to the public.

In 2014, a park customer stated that the owner said the roller coaster opened for the first time in 1946.
In 2018, in an interview with the local newspaper, different owners said the park first opened in 1960.
In 2019, then-owner ‘Ken’ said the park opened in 1956.

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So it either opened in the 1940s, 1950s, or 1960s.
Holy crap.

Before it permanently closed in 2024, it had previously shut down around 2016-2017, waiting for new management. It re-opened in 2018.

The park had plenty of rides for kids and adults, and even go-karts you could rent for a half hour. For those who shudder at carnival rides, there was an arcade with a good number of games, and even a water slide. It also had a mini-golf course, that only cost one dollar to play...

Not sure how they promoted themselves, as they didn’t seem to have a Facebook page or other website to list hours and days they were open...but still the people came.

Now they don’t.

Take a look at the gallery below for images of the former Funland in Houghton Lake, with many of the attractions still standing --- abandoned and lonesome.