It is standing but not operating. Jan 7, 2016 - There is not much left of this amusement park. Morgan Hughes purchased the park in 1972 for $1.2 million. The park operated from 1850 until 2005. Williams Grove - Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Williams Grove Amusement Park earned a spot in plenty of Pennsylvanians’ memories. Oct 26, 2015 - Williams Grove Amusement Park, Pennsylvania (1928-2005). While you can’t visit Centralia, you might want to check out East Fork, Eckley, or Frick’s Lock, other ghost towns in Pennsylvania. Amusement Park Rides. Here is some amazing drone footage of the Abandoned PA Turnpike. Photography Subjects. After World War I, the park's ownership changed hands several times. Jan 12, 2016 - Once a thriving family destination, this abandoned amusement park in Pennsylvania now sits empty, with much of the park falling into disrepair. Those eager for an in … Hughes, who was in his mid-80s when the park closed, attempted to sell the property in 2006 to a prospective owner who would keep the park intact and operational, but was unable to find a buyer. Williams Grove Amusement Park. Let us know in the comments! The first rides appeared at the park in 1928. Went with my good friend Rob up to Carlisle, PA over the weekend to visit this old amusement park. Two decades later, the park became the Mechanicsburg Fairgrounds. The park featured a dark ride called "Dante's Inferno", which is still standing, and it used to have a walk-through fun house called "Allotria". Follow me on IG: @mikeschwarzthekid. Had you ever been to this abandoned amusement park in Pennsylvania before it was abandoned? Sure the buildings need work but the grounds themselves look pretty well kept up. The park operated from 1850 until 2005. The amusement park shut down because the family who operated it (the Hughes) decided to focus entirely on the Williams Grove Speedway, which is still a major attraction in the area. Christi is from Allentown and currently lives and goes to school in Pittsburgh. . If you enjoy hiking, follow the Ironton Rail Trail, which spans just under 10 miles in Whitehall. Fans still post details of v... - Williams Grove Amusement Park, Pennsylvania by dfirecop (CC BY) The Williams family began hosting picnics in 1850 at a small grove located in the village of Williams Grove outside Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.Within a few years, the grove was developed into a park. What are the creepiest cemeteries in Pennsylvania? What a creepy ice cream truck that sits empty at the site. In 2001, the park erected The Wildcat, a steel roller coaster. Williams Grove Amusement Park was almost completely destroyed in Hurricane Agnes in 1972. WG Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park , was established in 1850. 16. Williams Grove Amusement Park has quite a long-standing history. Several rides were auctioned off the same year. The Williams Grove Speedway (located right beside the park’s entrance) was built in 1938 and is still used today. http://www.themeparkreview.com/wgrove/wgrove.htm We hope that you enjoy these photographs, but please do not explore the area yourself. The owners still live there and are trying to preserve the park and the historic buildings on … It is standing but not operating. Background: The park operated from 1850 until 2005. The Williams family began hosting picnics here in 1850, eventually becoming the Mechanicsburg Fairgrounds. The park operated from 1850 until 2005. After some rebuilding, however, it opened back up and remained operational until 2005, when it was closed. The grove would within a few years grow into a park. In fact, the desolate park was considered so creepy that the owners decided to re-open it for one night only in 2016 on Halloween. Today, the abandoned amusement park sits empty, a shell of its former self. The roller coaster is too unstable to climb. It's been abandoned for about 6 years, and was originally built in the 1930's. Find it all and much more with the interactive Roller Coaster Database. For years afterward, curiosity seekers would visit the town, spray painting the road (which was recently paved over). The roller coaster is too unstable to climb. Today, it’s popular with hikers and bikers and is definitely worth a visit. The park was rebuilt and operated through the end of the 2005 season, when the Hughes family decided to focus all of their energies on the Williams Grove Speedway. Closed: 2005. THIS PARK CLOSED IN 2005. 1.7K likes. Carousel at Williams Grove, Pa Taken During The flea market about 2 years ago. Counted among the other creepiest cemeteries in Pennsylvania are Gettysburg National Cemetery, Coulterville Cemetery in Pittsburgh, and Strasburg Cemetery. Jun 10, 2015 - There is not much left of this amusement park. Please note: Though the amusement park is no longer in use and has fallen into disrepair, the property itself is not abandoned. 5 Secret Abandoned Places to Explore In Pennsylvania . Williams Grove Amusement Park is located in Mechanicsburg, PA, right down the road from the Williams Grove Speedway and the Williams Grove Steam Engine Association. The town has been “on fire” for decades after a fire started in the underground mines back in the 1962. You will receive your first email soon. More than 50,000 souls are resting at the cemetery, although there are a few of them who are restless. The Cyclone rises to a height of 65 feet and travels at the top speed of 45 mph. The adjacent Williams Grove Speedway half-mile track opened in 1938. In fact, the rides (which are mostly gone now) were all transferred from the Palisades Amusement Park in NJ after it was closed. 5. DETAILS: Starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 31 at Williams Grove Amusement Park, 1 Steam Engine Hill, Monroe Twp. 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Williams Grove Amusement Park An abandoned amusement park near Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Michael Schwarz July 30, 2020. The first rides were built in 1928 and the Speedway opened in 1938. Are there any ghost towns in Pennsylvania? You’ll probably want to start a bucket list – that’s how many abandoned places in Pennsylvania you’ll find. Art. It is standing but not operating. The Williams family began hosting picnics in 1850 at a small grove located in the village of Williams Grove outside Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Williams Grove Amusement Park had very humble beginnings. The cars have since been returned to Fort Lee, NJ, where they will be displayed at a museum. If you’re intrigued by abandoned places, follow this road trip to nine abandoned places in Pennsylvania. Many of the rides were relocated to Williams Grove from the defunct New Jersey's Palisades Amusement Park, which closed in 1972. Trespassing onto the property is strictly forbidden – and illegal. In 1850, the Williams family hosted picnics on the property, and in 1928, the property grew into an amusement park as the first rides appeared. (Unfortunately, visitors are no longer allowed to visit Centralia.) For the past decade, its remains have slowly decayed, becoming more and more overgrown with each passing year. Within a few years, the grove was developed into a park. Sep 28, 2012 - Carousel at Williams Grove, Pa Taken During The flea market about 2 years ago. We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. Williams Grove Amusement Park, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania In 1972 the park was sold to a man named Morgan Hughes, and it immediately seemed as though the writing was on the wall. For one of the spookiest experiences, go to Erie Cemetery. The Cyclone is a wooden roller coaster and was the main attraction of the park. The Williams family that lived near Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania began hosting picnics at a small grove in 1850. In the early 1980s, the park erected one of the first water slides in the area. Looking for statistics on the fastest, tallest or longest roller coasters? Fans still post details of visits they've made to the park on Facebook, where photos depict the park in its heyday. Imagine the little kids who at one time ran after it. The June 13th, 1942 issue of Billboard contains an confusing entry on page 42: "At Williams Grove Park, Mechanicsburg, holiday introduced the Zipper, new roller coaster ride." Williams Grove Amusement Park (1850-2005) Monroe Township, Cumberland County The remains of this abandoned theme park in Monroe Township will … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE9OlnQJ_4I - epic urby exy, Coordinates: 40°09′04″N 77°02′02″W / 40.151°N 77.034°W / 40.151; -77.034, Abandoned amusement park near Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, United States, http://www.themeparkreview.com/wgrove/wgrove.htm, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE9OlnQJ_4I, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Williams_Grove_Amusement_Park&oldid=979135416, Abandoned amusement parks in the United States, Defunct amusement parks in the United States, Buildings and structures in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 September 2020, at 00:39. The Williams Grove Amusement Park in Pennsylvania boasts a long history, having operated for over a century from 1850 to 2005. Its history stretches back to 1850, when the Williams family first began operating it as a picnic grove. The Photos Of The Abandoned Williams Grove Amusement Park In Pennsylvania Are Chilling. Rides The Cyclone, Fun Houses, Water Slides In fact, it is still inhabited by a few long-time residents. Status: Abandoned. Despite closing, plenty of aged equipment continues to haunt the abandoned property. ... William’s Grove Amusement Park. halloweenpark.com ; 717-324-7524. The owners live on the property and have lost patience with tresspassers. Over the next few years that grove grew into a full-fledged park, originally named the Mechanicsburg Fairgrounds. Williams Grove Amusement Park is located close to the small town of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Get more stories delivered right to your email. As you can see above, mother nature is completely reclaiming what was once the crowning glory of the park, The Cyclone roller coaster. Williams Grove Amusement Park has quite a long-standing history, with its origins dating all the way back to 1850. The owners still live there and are trying to preserve the park and the historic buildings on the property but face frequent vandalism. Warning: Williams Grove Amusement Park sits on private property. Saved by Sheena Stoner. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Can I visit any abandoned places in Pennsylvania? The spooky allure of a fair is made all the stronger when it’s an abandoned amusement park in Pennsylvania. Abandoned Mansions Abandoned Buildings Abandoned Places Abandoned Castles Abandoned Theme Parks Abandoned Amusement Parks Most Haunted Haunted Places Ghost House. Williams Grove Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park near Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Williams Grove Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park near Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Opened: 1850. There were two smaller coasters, the Kiddie Coaster, from 1992 until the park's closing, and the Little Dipper, from 1950 until 1963. Today, less than a handful of residents remain in the otherwise ghost town. The Williams family, who lived near Mechanicsburg at the time, began hosting picnics in the grove — which, over the years, led to the site growing into the Mechanicsburg Fairgrounds. Watch the video below to see some more of the abandoned Williams Grove Amusement Park. Cost: $45. Although it was very tempting. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. The slide's platform is still standing abandoned where the two watersides were. Explore. Unfortunately, the Cyclone closed after the 2005 season, leaving it standing but not operational as of 2020, abandoned and in disrepair with the train parked at the loading station. Hughes died in his sleep at his Pennsylvania home on April 12, 2008 at age 88.[2]. July 2020. It is standing but not operating. The amusement park closed in 2005 when its owners decided to pour all of its resources into the Williams Grove Speedway. The spooky allure of a fair is made all the stronger when it’s an abandoned amusement park in Pennsylvania. The carnival is a creepy enough place to begin with: clowns, piping organ music, a mysterious atmosphere, and very overpriced food. The waterslides have since been removed and the platforms are all that remains. Thank you! Families began picnicking at the site in the 1850s, although it wasn’t until 1928 that the first rides appeared at Williams Grove Amusement Park. The carnival is a creepy enough place to begin with: clowns, piping organ music, a mysterious atmosphere, and very overpriced food. Upon the park's closing, the Wildcat was relocated to Adventure Park USA in New Market, Maryland. But this abandoned one in Pennsylvania, which is slowly being reclaimed by Mother Nature, will leave you feeling disturbed rather than cheerful. Any how, on to the photos. Pretty scary right? Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Dating to 1850, Williams Grove Amusement Park remained open until 2005. If you equate haunted with creepy, you’ll be happy to learn that we have quite a few creepy cemeteries in Pennsylvania. Jun 1, 2019 - Dating to 1850, Williams Grove Amusement Park remained open until 2005. Enter your e-mail address for things to do, restaurants to try and much more! The biggest change… The trail leads to abandoned cement kilns, a restored train car, and the remains of an abandoned cement factory. Photography. Williams Grove Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park near Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The Williams family began hosting … This page is to remember Williams Grove Amusement Park. The park operated from 1850 until 2005. Anyway while it is closed it doesnt seem exactly abandoned in this video. Love Pennsylvania? Although it was very tempting. Pennsylvania is home to several ghost towns, the most well-known of which is probably Centralia. Morgan Hughes purchased the park in 1972 for $1.2 million. It is standing but not operating. The park operated from 1850 until 2005. Many of the rides were relocated to Williams Grove from the defunct New Jersey's… Have you heard of the Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike, a stretch of turnpike that was shut down decades ago? Abandoned Amusement Park. When I think of abandoned I think of the grounds being essentially overgrown and trees growing through builds and falling down and what not. The 'holiday' mentioned is presumed to be talking about Decoration Day (AKA Memorial Day) … The owners still live there and are trying to preserve the park and the historic buildings on the property but face frequent vandalism. Apr 5, 2013 - abandoned Williams Grove Amusement Park in Mechanicsburg, PA. In the summer of 1972, the park was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Agness. Williams Grove Park was nearly destroyed in the summer of the same year due to Hurricane Agnes, and subsequent flooding from nearby Yellow Breeches Creek. If you know of a local business that could use some extra support during these times, please nominate them here: Thank you! For the past decade, its remains have slowly decayed, becoming more and more overgrown with each passing year. The owners still live there and are trying to preserve the park and the historic buildings on the property but face frequent vandalism. Williams Grove Amusement Park was a family-oriented amusement park located just outside Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, that operated from 1850 until 2005. [1], An entrepreneur named Morgan Hughes purchased the park in 1972 for $1.2 million. Williams Grove Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park near Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The rotting structures of the Williams Grove Amusement Park near Mechanicsburg are hauntingly beautiful. Williams Grove Park was nearly destroyed in the summer of the same year due to Hurricane Agnes and the subsequent flooding from nearby Yellow Breeches Creek. The 2 waterslides of Williams Grove Amusement Park were the first waterslides in the area and installed in the 1980s. After World War I, the park's ownership changed hands several times. Williams Grove Amusement Park was a family-oriented amusement park located just outside Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, that operated from 1850 until 2005. Other rides and entertainment include - Twister, Tilt-A-Whirl, The Octopus, The carousel, Kiddie train ride, bumper cars, laser tag, and the fun house. The owners still live there and are trying to preserve the park and the historic buildings on the property but face frequent vandalism. 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