Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania

by Jim Futrell

Overview

Pennsylvania is home to many classic amusement parks, several of which began operating as early as the late nineteenth century. Some of these parks maintain rides and amusements from their early years, preserving an atmosphere of nostalgia. Others have evolved with new trends in the industry, adding high-tech rides and water parks. This book begins with a concise history of the amusement park, then surveys the industry in Pennsylvania. A comprehensive guide to 13 parks in the state and a selection of smaller ones, complete with information on rides and attractions, follows. Packed with vintage postcard images and photos.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780811726719
Publisher:	Stackpole Books
Publication date:	04/01/2002
Series:	Amusement Parks
Edition description:	1ST
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	1,024,575
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jim Futrell has worked as a marketing consultant for Kennywood Entertainment and Conneaut Lake Park and is the director and historian of the National Amusement Park Historical Association. A resident of Pittsburgh, he is the author of several articles on amusement parks and an avid collector of amusement park memorabilia.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	vii
	Acknowledgments	ix
	Introduction	xi
	A History of the Amusement Park Industry	1
	A History of the Amusement Park in Pennsylvania	23
	Williams Grove Amusement Park	43
	Idlewild and Soak Zone	51
	Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom	64
	Conneaut Lake Community Park	79
	Lakemont Park	93
	Waldameer Park and Water World	104
	Kennywood	113
	Bushkill Park	129
	Hersheypark	138
	DelGrosso's Amusement Park	152
	Knoebels Amusement Resort	159
	Dutch Wonderland	171
	Sesame Place	180
	Pennsylvania's Smaller Parks	187
	Index of Major Rides in Operation in Pennsylvania	199
	Bibliography	203
	Index	205

Editorial Reviews

To Jim Futrell, the historian of the National Amusement Park Historical Association, Disney World and Six Flags are just latecomers. In Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania, he describes the roller-coaster history of the state's playlands, several of which date back to the late 19th century.

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