Western Pennsylvania's Lost Amusement Parks - Paperback

by Rachel Cunningham Ravis (Author)

At one time, Western Pennsylvania was home to dozens of small amusement parks, many of them trolley parks. These parks, originally designed to bolster streetcar business, were a way for workers to seek respite from the crowded, dirty cities. While some of these parks never developed into much more than a dance hall and a merry-go-round, others became full-scale amusement parks with rides, entertainment, and other amusements. After years of battling floods, changing economies, the decline of streetcars, and competition from other amusement parks, many of these amusement parks ended up closing their gates for good, the thrills they once provided now relegated to memories. With many of these parks all but lost to time, it is time to take a look back and remember some of the most prominent lost amusement parks of Western Pennsylvania.

Author Biography

Rachel E. Smith is the author of Greensburg and Latrobe and the Ligonier Valley, both in Arcadia's Postcard History series. An amusement park and roller coaster aficionado, Rachel is a member of the America Coaster Enthusiasts and the National Amusement Park Historical Association as well as a supporter of numerous historical and preservation societies.