Corpus Christi, Texas: Demon of Corpus Christi (Gone)

The Demon of Corpus Christi attraction was unfortunately burned very recently, in what seems like an arson fire (unconfirmed). Almost nothing is left.

The Demon was formerly the Devil who stood in front of a ride named Hell Hole, a modified Chance Manufacturing rotor ride. Only three were reported made. The Demon/Devil was formerly at Conneaut Lake Park, and was purchased in an auction shortly after the ride was decommissioned. Another is reported in storage somewhere in New York.

We were creeped out and impressed at the same time! That is one BIG devil! We got the story on it from the current owner.

This Devil was originally part of a "rotor-type" amusement park ride, which we believe was patented and built by the "Velare Brothers," who were instrumental in building many amusement rides in the '40s and '50s. The ride was called the HELL HOLE, and featured the large, fiberglass devil as the center icon at the entrance to the ride (we are uncertain if the Velares owned the name Hell Hole or just the mechanical patent). I emailed every amusement park I could find and, I believe this ride to have spent most of its time at Conneaut Lake Park in Conneaut Lake, PA. Coney Island had a similar Hell Hole ride with the same devil on the front, though it was painted silver/grey in every photo I can find.

The man who currently owns the devil spent many years as an amusement ride technician, building, scrapping, renovating and engineering them. He acquired the devil around 1995 or so, when his uncle (with whom he worked) went up north and dismantled the ride, bringing it down to central Texas, where it remained in storage for many years. Sometime after that his uncle started a recycling/metal salvage business in Corpus Christi, TX, placing the devil by the street to draw attention.

We spotted the demon on a recent trip...

I was driving in NW Corpus Christi and drove past a demon. It is in front of some type of recycling company. He is located between Navigation Blvd and Garfield Dr on the south side of Leopard St. Kind of ironic to find such a large demon in a city named for the body of Christ.