Dudley Cooper and Ocean View Amusement Park Papers, 1941-1978 | Special Collections and University Archives

Series I: Correspondence. Arranged by subject and within each subject folder the papers are chronological. Some letters will refer to such things as bills or insurance policies, in which case the document referred to will be found in the box containing that type of document. Pictures of many of the rides and amusements mentioned in the letters can be found in the series on photography or the folders containing brochures.

Series II: Legal Documents. Contains several folders of material on accidents that occurred at Ocean View and suits brought about by the injured parties. In these cases all documents and correspondence relating to each case have been clipped together. This is to make research of the accident cases simpler. Legal documents also include contracts, insurance forms, and lease agreements.

Series III: Financial Papers. Contains all bills and receipts. In most cases they have simply been arranged in chronological order rather than subject. VEPCO and C & P bills are separated; as are automobile receipts. All bills are together preceding the receipts. In some cases it is difficult to determine whether a document should be termed "bill" or "receipt".

Series IV: Printed Materials. Includes brochures, flyers, advertisements, news releases, and news clippings, and schedules of events.

Series V: Photographs. Most of the photographs are of entertainment groups that performed at Ocean View, or who wished to perform at Ocean View and sent photos with their ads. Some are of special events at the park and one folder contains a group of color snapshots of the park.

Series VI: Miscellaneous. Includes items on the construction of the bathhouse, the movie "Roller Coaster" filmed at the amusement park, documents relating to the fire of November 8, 1964, sketches and architectural drawings, tickets, and articles relating to amusement parks, and Dudley Cooper.

Series VII: Scrapbooks. Scrapbooks of news paper clippings and mementos documenting the history of Ocean View Amusement Park, dating from 1948-1967.

Series VIII:  Framed Certificates and Photos.  Contains framed certificates, awards, and photos from 1946 to 1991. Not all items are dated.

Series IX: Maps, Arrchitectural Drawings and Blueprints. Consists of the Ocean View area and the Chesapeake Bay House, dating from 1924-1965.

Dudley Cooper was born in Tarboro, North Carolina in 1899. His family then moved to the Norfolk area in 1900. While a student at Maury High School, Dudley enlisted in the army when the United States entered World War I. He was trained in the Students Army Training Corps at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. At the end of the war, Dudley was discharged with the rank of sergeant and returned to complete his high school education in 1919. Dudley then attended the American Institute of Optometry, which later became an extension of Columbia University. He earned an optometry degree and returned to Norfolk.

Though he was the first college-trained optometrist to practice in Norfolk, Dudley Cooper became well known in this city chiefly through his ownership and operation of Ocean View Amusement Park. This came about in 1944 when he purchased land along the beach of Chesapeake Bay in the area now known as Ocean View. During World War II, Dudley set aside part of the land for the U.S. Army Coastal Installation, the Navy Relief Fund Raising, Naval Reserve Recruiting and various civic affair groups.

By studying the papers in the collection he donated to the Old Dominion University Archives, researchers can get an idea of the details involved in owning and operating a large amusement park. While still setting up Ocean View Park, Dudley Cooper was approached by three Black professional men: a dentist, a lawyer, and a high school principal. They wanted his help in establishing a special amusement park for the Black community. Dudley helped these men establish Seaview Beach Amusement Park, also on the Chesapeake Bay, which operated until 1966.

Dudley Cooper was active in civic and service organizations on both a local and national level. He was instrumental in bringing the 1937 National Conference of Christians and Jews to Norfolk, a meeting that led to the establishment of the annual Brotherhood Week. He was selected by the Armed Services Committee to serve as chairman of the Jewish USO in Norfolk and continued thus for the duration of the War.

After the war, Dudley served as chairman of the Norfolk United Jewish Appeal, and in 1947 was responsible for doubling the previous highest contribution ever received. Dudley and his wife, Mary, were also among the many American Jews who aided the European Jewish refugees of the steamboat Exodus by signing affidavits that allowed their entry into this country. Other activities include a local campaign begun by Dudley in the late forties known as "Cooper's Crusade" which eventually replaced Norfolk's antiquated street car system with a publicly-owned bus system. He also aided the journalistic education of young newspaper reporters with the foundation of the Norfolk Newspaper Guild Scholarship Fund. Dudley's civic and charitable activities continued throughout his life. At the same time he operated an optometrist's practice and successful amusement parks. In 1975 Dudley received the Distinguished Service Award from the Arnold Basmey Lodge No. 1195 of B'nai B'rith in recognition for his past leadership in Norfolk business and community affairs.

Dudley Cooper passed away on July 15, 1996.