March 15, 1971: Erection and Assembly of the Eiffel Tower Begins

If you have only taken one photograph of Kings Island, there's a good chance it has the park’s iconic landmark, the Eiffel Tower, in it. Since the park opened in 1972, it has been a meeting spot for groups reuniting after a daylong adventure riding rides. It's taken center stage for those watching the nightly fireworks from International Street. It's the last thing guests see from the parking lot as they leave after a day well spent.

On March 15, 1971, the assembly and erection of the Eiffel Tower began. According to the company in charge of the assembly, Sofco Erectors, a division of Southern Ohio Fabricators in Cincinnati, this phase of the tower’s construction was completed just 93 days later, on June 16, 1971.

(The assembly and erection of Kings Island's Eiffel Tower, approximately May 1971.)

The “Paris Tower” model was ordered from Intamin AG to be delivered to Kings Island more than a year before the park would open in April 1972. It was designed by ride manufacturer Waagner-Biro, based in Graz, Austria. More than one million pounds of steel were manufactured for the tower at the Donawitz Steel Mill in Leoben, Austria. At more than $1 million, it was one of the costliest attractions built for the park's opening.

(Several of the tower’s steel supports bear the “DONAWITZ” stamp indicating its manufacturing origin.)

While the steel was manufactured more than 4,500 miles away from the amusement park, its production had a local tie. The blooming mill used to produce the steel was built by Morgan Engineering in Alliance, Ohio, which still operates today.

(Blooming Mill No. 104 in use at Donawitz Steel Mill, Leoben, Austria. Image courtesy of Morgan Engineering.)

While Kings Island's tower is made of steel, the Eiffel Tower in Paris is made of iron. It was the only option that engineer Gustave Eiffel and his team had available in the late 19th Century for a structure that tall. Steel is stronger and more commonly used today. The amusement park’s Eiffel Tower stands 314-feet tall, only one-third the size of its namesake in Paris, which is 984-feet tall.

Painting the Tower

Cleveland, Ohio-based Sherwin-Williams provided paint for the Eiffel Tower. In all, it took 300 gallons of primer and 700 gallons of tinted paint to complete the project. The color did not exist previously and it was dubbed, “Eiffel Tower Green” by the manufacturer.

(Tony Hopkins, Baynum Solutions, pressure washes the tower to prepare it for repainting in 2021.)

Then and Now

Local company Sofco Erectors, coordinated the erection and assembly of the tower. Today, Sofco Erectors' involvement with the park continues, recently completing their work on the station for the new rollercoaster, Snoopy's Soap Box Racers, part of the Camp Snoopy expansion to Planet Snoopy opening in late spring.

(This photo features a 330-ft. boom on a Lorain crane. The Grand Carousel's building is in the foreground. Image courtesy of Sofco.)

Odd but True

After the Eiffel Tower was erected in 1971, there were increased reports of UFO sightings in the area. A spokesperson for the U.S. Weather Service suggested the reported red lights were reflections of light coming from Kings Island’s newly constructed tower.  The Cincinnati Enquirer reported, “Most said they heard no sound coming from the lights, but one man said they seemed to be humming. He said he didn’t recognize the tune.”  The park denied it was the cause of those reports.

(One of the Eiffel Tower's beacon lights required by the Federal Aviation Administration.)

The Tower Experience

After waiting in line at ground level, guests set foot into one of two high-speed elevators and are then whisked upward at 10 feet per second to one of two observation decks. Since 1972, nearly 40 million guests have taken the 30-second trip to the viewing platforms and been treated to panoramic views of the park and its surrounding area. On a clear day, they can see up to 18 miles away.

(Views from the Eiffel Tower.)