In 1904, Findlay City Council formally designated a city park along the Blanchard River, and after a local newspaper naming contest, Riverside Park was officially dedicated in 1906. A year later, the council bought the 250-passenger steamship Pastime to promote travel to the park, and it was joined by the Mosquito Fleet small boats carrying passengers from the Main Street Bridge to Riverside Park for a nickel. In 1908, the Shoot-the-Chute ride opened next to the beach, sending an 8-person vehicle down a wooden slide into the reservoir and soaking riders and bystanders alike. More amusement rides arrived in the 1930s, including a merry-go-round. The Shoot-the-Chute slide was 75 feet tall and 375 feet long, and boats were hoisted to its summit by the world's longest continuous chain. With the arrival of the automobile, the Pastime and the Mosquito Fleet had to compete with the Buzz Wagon and bus service, which carried passengers from the courthouse to the park more quickly and efficiently. Riverside Park continued offering rides until 1977.