An Ohio couple spent 30 years scouring the country for pieces of an amusement park that closed in 1984; after donating the collection, an $11.5 million museum is being built to give it a permanent home

Work on the outside of a new $11.5 million museum dedicated to preserving the history of the Idora Park amusement complex has been completed in downtown Youngstown. The Mahoning Valley Historical Society (MVHS) said contractor Boak & Sons has finished replacing the roof of the four-storey building at 250 E. Federal St., along with major repairs to its windows and exterior masonry. The work clears the way for the next stage of the project, which will focus on designing the museum's interior. The building will eventually house tens of thousands of items collected over three decades by Canfield residents Jim and Toni Amey. The couple spent 30 years travelling across the United States to save rides, roller coaster cars, signs and other parts of the park. Idora Park closed permanently in 1984 after a major fire. In 2024, the Ameys formally gave their entire collection to the historical society, making it the foundation of the planned museum.

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