Lake Compounce, the nation’s oldest theme park, reopens May 9

The countdown is on until the country's oldest amusement park reopens for the season.

The oldest theme park in America is Connecticut's Lake Compounce in Bristol. First opening in 1846, the park will celebrate its 200th season this year, making opening day a big one.

This year, the park will reopen for the summer season on May 9.

Here's the story of how the oldest theme park in the country came to be, as well as how to visit this summer.

The history of Lake Compounce

According to Lake Compounce's website, the theme park dates back to October 6, 1846, when scientist Samuel Botsford performed experiments in front of a crowd. Wanting to protect the land after the electric experimentation, property owner Gad Norton put a path around the lake, set up picnic tables and built a gazebo, thus opening Lake Compounce as a public picnic park.

Lake Compounce prospered as a picnic area through the late 1800s, expanding to a restaurant with a full-course dinner in 1895. In 1911, the park's first ride, a carousel, was constructed and opened to the public on Memorial Day. 1914 saw the park's first rollercoaster, the Green Dragon, which was replaced by the still-operational Wildcat in 1927.

Over the next few decades, Lake Compounce continued to add attractions that cemented its place as an amusement park, including steamboats, a miniature steam railroad, an 18-hole golf course and various concerts, including one by a young Frank Sinatra.

Though the park struggled financially throughout the 1980s, Lake Compounce never once closed since it opened, and the park eventually came back to prosper under new ownership in 1996, and again in 2009. Since opening with just a few picnic tables, Lake Compounce has grown into one of the largest amusement parks in New England, now home to over 45 rides and Connecticut's largest water park, Crocodile Cove.

How to go to Lake Compounce

The park will open for the season on May 9.

Daily tickets are for sale on their website for as low as $35 for a single-day ticket. And if you think you'll go a lot this year, season passes are currently available for 5 payments of $26, or $130.

The amusement park is located at 185 Enterprise Dr. in Bristol, Connecticut.