Lake Hopatcong and Bertrand Island
Lake Hopatcong and Bertrand Island
Once the train line opened at Nolan’s Point in 1883, Lake Hopatcong quickly emerged as the preeminent summer destination for local families. The popular getaway featured campsites, hotels, and an amusement park at Bertrand Island that featured a Ferris wheel, log flume, wooden roller coaster, and a dance pavilion. The owners also rented space within the park, known as “Little Coney” to food vendors, carnival game operators, speedboats, a photography studio, and more. A trolley line opened in 1910 made weekend trips to Lake Hopatcong a breeze for town residents looking to escape the summer heat.
These photos show Bertrand Island’s boardwalk, beach, and several amusement park rides. Pictured just beyond the beach is a roller coaster built in 1925, initially named the “Cyclone”, then later more famously known as the “Wildcat”. During that year’s opening weekend of the season, over ten-thousand people came to visit and test the new attractions. One former worker recalled that at the end of opening day, over one hundred and fifty ticket holders were still in line for the roller coaster and had to be turned away.
An advertisement in the local Morris County paper, The Jerseyman, depicting Bertrand Island, “Lake Hopatcong’s Premier Amusement Park”.