Idlewild: History and Memories of Pennsylvania's Oldest Amusement Park


Book Description

Idlewild and SoakZone has charmed people across Western Pennsylvania and beyond since the late 1800s. The park was developed by Pittsburgh's Mellon family as a picnic grove to boost traffic on the Ligonier Valley Rail Road. When C.C. Macdonald took the helm in 1931, rides, entertainment and other attractions came to Idlewild over the next half century, along with the adjacent Story Book Forest. After joining the Kennywood family of amusement parks, Idlewild added a Wild West town, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of Make-Believe and a water slide complex. Author Jennifer Sopko tells the heartwarming history of a Pennsylvania amusement park that continues to delight generations of families.




Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania


Book Description

A comprehensive guide to 13 parks in the state, complete with information on rides and attractions. Packed with vintage postcard images and photos.




Western Pennsylvania's Lost Amusement Parks


Book Description

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.




Rolling Through the Years


Book Description

If you mention Cedar Point today to someone, their first thought is probably of the roller coasters. Cedar Point is called the Roller Coaster Capital of the World for a reason. The park has set more world records, holds more world records, and has set the standard for amusement parks across the world.But it hasn't always been like that.If you go back in time a hundred years ago, the roller coasters were an afterthought. Cedar Point in the early days was all about getting away to the beach, catching a live show in the Ballroom, socializing on the Hotel Breakers porch, or having a fine picnic with your co-workers. Sure, the resort had roller coasters. And Ferris wheels. And haunted houses. And carousels. But these weren't the focus. Rolling Through The Years is a look back across time at the development and changes at the Worlds' Greatest Amusement Park. Author Ken Miller has spent the last seven years exploring the history of the resort. Magazine articles, museum archives, and over 100,000 newspaper articles spanning 200 years were examined for this detailed history of Cedar Point. Over 75 historical maps of the peninsula and over 1200 images are included in this coffee table book.







Roller Coasters


Book Description

In its fourth edition, this exhaustive guide to roller coasters in the United States and Canada also provides a history of coaster evolution (from the 16th century) and a look into the future of coaster technology and design. The book lists by state or province more than 700 coasters at more than 160 amusement and theme parks. Each entry includes contact information along with summaries of each coaster's origins, features and history. There are six appendices: famous coaster designers, the longest wood and steel coasters in North America, a coaster census by state or province, a chronology of wooden roller coasters still in operation, interesting amusement park and coaster facts, and a guide to the alpine coasters at winter resorts in the U.S. and Canada.




The Roller Coaster Lover's Companion


Book Description

Profusely illustrated and engagingly written, this book tells the whole exciting story of the history and development of roller coasters, from the first 15-foot-high, four-mile-per-hour Switchback Railway in Coney Island's 1884 amusement park to today's wild mega-monsters. Photos throughout.




Fun with the Family Pennsylvania


Book Description

Geared towards parents with children between the ages of two and twelve, Fun with the Family Pennsylvania features interesting facts and sidebars as well as practical tips about traveling with your little ones.




The Big Pennsylvania Reproducible Activity Book!


Book Description

The Big Pennsylvania Activity Book! 100+ activities, from Kindergarten-easy to Fourth/Fifth-challenging! This big activity book has a wide range of reproducible activities including coloring, dot-to-dot, mazes, matching. word search, and many other creative activities that will entice any student to learn more about Pennsylvania. Activities touch on history, geography, people, places, fictional characters, animals, holidays, festivals, legends, lore, and more.




Roller Coasters, Or, I Had So Much Fun, I Almost Puked


Book Description

Discusses the history, physics, parts, and design of roller coasters and examines some modern examples.