Kings Island: A Photographic Journey available at the online store
John Keeter
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To conclude Kings Island’s Golden Anniversary in 2022, it seems fitting that the home to countless memories should receive a crown of its own. Kings Island: A Photographic Journey traces the park’s visual history from its inception until now.
In 2017, I approached Don Helbig, Kings Island’s area manager of digital marketing, and proposed a historical photo book to encapsulate the park’s five decades. As the months passed, even with the support of Kings Island, it became evident this was a mammoth undertaking. COVID-19 initially stalled the project.
In September 2021, the park introduced me to Barry Hill. Barry, creator of Rivershore Creative, was fresh off publishing the narrative history book Kings Island: A Ride Through Time. He had the personal talent and resources necessary to author such a book. I supplied personal historical knowledge and a vast collection of park archives to fill a large amount of its content.
The result is a gorgeous, 200-page journey through the sights and attractions over the past 50 years of fun at the 364-acre amusement and water park. Barry has created a beautiful landscape using hundreds of photographs, concept art, blueprints, and art renderings to tell the Kings Island story.
Kings Island: A Photographic Journey is available to purchase at the park’s online store while supplies last.
We hope you take the time to enjoy the book; it triggers some wonderful memories. It was a labor of love, of which I am proud to have contributed.
Appropriately, the book begins with a dedication to the man responsible for it all. Sixty years ago, Mr. Gary Wachs had the foresight to dream of a place where generations could play and make lasting memories. For that, he will always be the “Father of Kings Island.”