Lincoln Beach Amusement Park

Lincoln Beach officially opened in 1954, although it had been informally operated since 1939. It was a black-only amusement park and beach, serving as a counterpart to the nicer and larger white-only Pontchartrain Beach, located just a few miles east. The park had amusement rides, a restaurant, and swimming pools. There was also live entertainment, and many famous musicians performed there over the years, including: Ray Charles, Fats Domino, and Ike and Tina Turner. In 1964, with the outlawing of segregation, the park closed, and Pontchartrain Beach was opened to all. After its closing, many people continued to use the beach, making their way through the ruins of the park to get there, and while not much of the park remains standing today, it is still frequented by the local community for swimming and fishing.