The Papers of Dudley Cooper
and Ocean View Amusement Park
 Dudley Cooper |
 Click image to view Ocean View Amusement Park Exhibit |
Biography
Dudley Cooper was born in Tarboro, North Carolina in 1899. His family then moved to the Norfolk area in 1900. While a student at Maury High School, Dudley enlisted in the army when the United States entered World War I. He was trained in the Students Army Training Corps at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. At the end of the war, Dudley was discharged with the rank of sergeant and returned to complete his high school education in 1919. Dudley then attended the American Institute of Optometry, which later became an extension of Columbia University. He earned an optometry degree and returned to Norfolk.
Though he was the first college-trained optometrist to practice in Norfolk, Dudley Cooper became well known in this city chiefly through his ownership and operation of Ocean View Amusement Park. This came about in 1944 when he purchased land along the beach of Chesapeake Bay in the area now known as Ocean View. During World War II, Dudley set aside part of the land for the U.S. Army Coastal Installation, the Navy Relief Fund Raising, Naval Reserve Recruiting and various civic affair groups.
By studying the papers in the collection he donated to the Old Dominion University Archives, researchers can get an idea of the details involved in owning and operating a large amusement park. While still setting up Ocean View Park, Dudley Cooper was approached by three Black professional men: a dentist, a lawyer, and a high school principal. They wanted his help in establishing a special amusement park for the Black community. Dudley helped these men establish Seaview Beach Amusement Park, also on the Chesapeake Bay, which operated until 1966.
Dudley Cooper was active in civic and service organizations on both a local and national level. He was instrumental in bringing the 1937 National Conference of Christians and Jews to Norfolk, a meeting that led to the establishment of the annual Brotherhood Week. He was selected by the Armed Services Committee to serve as chairman of the Jewish USO in Norfolk and continued thus for the duration of the War.
After the war, Dudley served as chairman of the Norfolk United Jewish Appeal, and in 1947 was responsible for doubling the previous highest contribution ever received. Dudley and his wife, Mary, were also among the many American Jews who aided the European Jewish refugees of the steamboat Exodus by signing affidavits that allowed their entry into this country. Other activities include a local campaign begun by Dudley in the late forties known as "Cooper's Crusade" which eventually replaced Norfolk's antiquated street car system with a publicly-owned bus system. He also aided the journalistic education of young newspaper reporters with the foundation of the Norfolk Newspaper Guild Scholarship Fund. Dudley's civic and charitable activities continued throughout his life. At the same time he operated an optometrist's practice and successful amusement parks. In 1975 Dudley received the Distinguished Service Award from the Arnold Basmey Lodge No. 1195 of B'nai B'rith in recognition for his past leadership in Norfolk business and community affairs. |
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Scope and Contents
The papers of Dudley Cooper are primarily concerned with the operation of Ocean View Park. This collection is divided into seven series: Correspondence, Legal Documents, Financial Papers, Printed Material, Photographs, Miscellaneous and Scrapbooks.
Series Descriptions
Series I: Correspondence. Arranged by subject and within each subject folder the papers are chronological. Some letters will refer to such things as bills or insurance policies, in which case the document referred to will be found in the box containing that type of document. Pictures of many of the rides and amusements mentioned in the letters can be found in the series on photography or the folders containing brochures.
Series II: Legal Documents. Contains several folders of material on accidents that occurred at Ocean View and suits brought about by the injured parties. In these cases all documents and correspondence relating to each case have been clipped together. This is to make research of the accident cases simpler. Legal documents also include contracts, insurance forms, and lease agreements.
Series III: Financial Papers. Contains all bills and receipts. In most cases they have simply been arranged in chronological order rather than subject. VEPCO and C&P bills are separated; as are automobile receipts. All bills are together preceding the receipts. In some cases it is difficult to determine whether a document should be termed "bill" or "receipt".
Series IV: Printed Materials. Includes brochures, flyers, advertisements, news releases, and news clippings, and schedules of events.
Series V: Photographs. Most of the photographs are of entertainment groups that performed at Ocean View, or who wished to perform at Ocean View and sent photos with their ads. Some are of special events at the park and one folder contains a group of color snapshots of the Park.
Series VI: Miscellaneous. Includes items on the construction of the bathhouse, the movie "Roller Coaster" filmed at the amusement park, documents relating to the fire of November 8, 1964, sketches and architectural drawings, tickets, and articles relating to amusement parks, and Dudley Cooper.
Series VII: Scrapbooks of newsclippings and mementos documenting the history of Ocean View Amusement Park, dating from 1948-1967.
Provenance
Gift of Dr. Dudley Cooper, September 5, 1978. There were three separate accessions of material, August 24, September 11, and October 3, 1978.
Access
Open to researchers without restrictions. Questions on literary property rights should be directed to the Special Collections Librarian.
Size
14 Hollinger Document Cases, 5 Oversized Boxes
Collection Number
MG - 31
Container Listing
Series I - CorrespondenceBox 1Folder 1 Accidents and Injuries, 1944-1948 |
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Box 2Folder 1 Advertising, 1947-1948 |
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Box 3Folder 1 Contributions, 1953-1971 |
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Box 4Folder 1 Insurance, 1964 |
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Box 5Folder 1 Telegrams, 1943-1948 Series II - Legal DocumentsFolder 4 Accidents and Court Cases, 1948-1955 |
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Box 6Folder 1 Insurance Forms, 1945-1947 |
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Series III - Financial DocumentsBox 7Folder 1 Balance Sheets, 1943 |
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Box 8Folder 1 Bank Receipts, 1975 |
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Box 9Folder 1 Receipts - Miscellaneous Series IV - Printed MaterialFolder 3 Advertising Copy - Radio and TV, 1952-1957 |
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Box 10
Folder 1 News Releases, 1952-1954
Folder 2 News Releases, 1955
Folder 3 News Releases, 1956
Folder 4 News Releases, 1957
Folder 5 News Releases, 1958
Folder 6 News Releases, 1968
Folder 7 News Releases, 1969
Folder 8 News Releases, 1970
Folder 9 News Releases, 1976
Folder 10 Postcards (I)
Folder 11 Postcards (II)
Folder 12 Posters and Handbills
Folder 13 Schedules of Events, 1952-1970
Folder 14 Schedule of Events, 1971-1976
Series V - Photographic Collection
Box 11
Folder 1 Animal Acts (I) - Szymanski's Chimps
Folder 2 Animal Acts (II) - Dog Acts
Folder 3 Animal Acts (III) including poster
Folder 4 High Wire Acts (I)
Folder 5 High Wire Acts (II) - Lovely Miss Rachel
Folder 6 High Wire Acts (III)
Folder 7 High Wire Acts (IV)
Folder 8 High Wire Acts (V) - Capt. Eddie Sky-Thriller
Folder 9 High Wire Acts (VI)
Folder 10 High Wire Acts (VII)
Folder 11 High Wire Acts (VIII)
Folder 12 High Wire Acts (IX) - The Fearless Bauers
Folder 13 High Wire Acts (X)
Folder 14 High Wire Acts (XI)
Folder 15 High Wire Acts (XII) - The Rodriques Brothers
Folder 16 High Wire Acts(XIII) - Miss Olga
Folder 17 High Wire Acts (XIV)
Folder 18 High Wire Acts (XV)
Folder 19 High Wire Acts (XVI) - Erik Golden Boy of the High Wire
Folder 20 High Wire Acts (XVII)
Box 12
Folder 1 High Wire Acts (XVIII)
Folder 2 High Wire Acts (XIX) - Trio Angelos
Folder 3 High Wire Acts (XX)
Folder 4 High Wire Acts (XXI)
Folder 5 High Wire Acts (XXII)
Folder 6 Indian Village
Folder 7 Juggling and Balancing Acts (I)
Folder 8 Juggling and Balancing Acts (II) - The Juggling Chef Vic Pago
Folder 9 Juggling and Balancing Acts (III)
Folder 10 Juggling and Balancing Acts (IV)
Folder 11 Magic Acts
Folder 12 Trampoline Acts
Folder 13 Miscellaneous Acts (I)
Folder 14 Miscellaneous Acts (II)
Box 13
Folder 1 Ocean View Amusement Park (I)
Folder 2 Ocean View Amusement Park (II)
Folder 3 Ocean View Amusement Park (III)
Folder 4 Ocean View Amusement Park (IV)
Folder 5 Ocean View Amusement Park (V)
Folder 6 Ocean View Amusement Park (VI)
Folder 7 Ocean View Amusement Park - Lady Buxom Contest Photo's (I)
Folder 8 Ocean View Amusement Park - Lady Buxom Contest Photo's (II)
Folder 9 Ocean View Amusement Park - Lady Buxom Contest Photo's (III)
Folder 10 Ocean View Amusement Park - Lady Buxom Contest Photo's (IV)
Folder 11 Displays
Folder 12 Miscellaneous Photographs
Series VI - Miscellaneous
Box 14
Folder 1 Architectural Drawings
Folder 2 Articles re. Amusement Parks
Folder 3 Article re. Dudley Cooper
Folder 4 Article for Warner Twyford
Folder 5 Bath House Construction
Folder 6 Cost Estimates re. Fire, 8 Nov 1964
Folder 7 Electrical Damages Due to Fire, 8 Nov 1964
Folder 8 Movie - "Roller Coaster," 1976
Folder 9 Prices - Rides, undated
Folder 10 Questionnaire - Ocean View Park, 1968
Folder 11 Schedule of Insurance
Folder 12 Sketches - Ocean View Amusement Park Sign
Folder 13 Tickets
Series VII - Scrapbooks
Oversize
Box 15 Scrapbooks, 1948-49, 1949-52
Box 16 Scrapbooks, 1953-55, 1954, 1955-56
Box 17 Scrapbooks, 1960, 1963
Box 18 Scrapbooks, 1964, 1965
Box 19 Scrapbooks, 1966-67
Revised: 4/7/2008