Many families traveling to the sun-drenched ocean town of Long Beach, California in the summer of 1977, would take a day trip and visit the Nu-Pike Amusement Park; picture Coney Island on the West Coast.  With its vintage rides, shows, games and attractions and located on the beautiful breeze-swept beach, Nu-Pike was a favorite amongst locals, as much as it was with out-of-town tourists.  But in the summer of 1977, amongst all of the sun and fun, not everything was what it appeared to be, even with all of the intentional illusions and deceptions. Imagine:  You walk off of the Long Beach Boardwalk and into an amusement parlor.  The operator instructs you to carefully step down into the ride car.  The lighting is so dim, that seeing what is around you, much less where you are stepping is challenging.  You take a seat and the attendant slides the arm-bar down over your lap, with an audible ‘click.’  The car lurches forward and into the brightly colored, black-lit door welcoming you into Nu-Park’s House of Horrors.

So, sit back, buckle up, and maybe dim the lights just a bit… as we take YOU on a ride through this week’s episode of The Missing Chapter.