Pine Grove Park facts for kids
Pine Grove Park was a fun place to visit, like a small amusement park, created by Colonel Jackson C. Fuller around 1881. It was located in a beautiful area with many trees, close to the Pine Grove Iron Works in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. This park was part of the South Mountain Railroad system, which brought visitors there. It was nestled in the South Mountain Range, which is part of the larger Blue Ridge Mountains.
Colonel Fuller, who started Pine Grove Park, also owned a farm nearby. He also helped create another park called Round Top Park in 1884. That park was located at the famous Gettysburg Battlefield.
What Was Pine Grove Park Like?
Pine Grove Park offered many exciting activities for visitors. It had its own band, called the "Fuller Cornet Band," which played music for entertainment. In 1883, Colonel Fuller even welcomed the American Institute of Mine Engineers to the park.
By 1884, the park had grown to include even more attractions:
- A large green field for playing baseball and other games.
- Water fountains to keep visitors refreshed.
- Tables and seats for people to enjoy their lunches.
- A big dancing pavilion where people could gather and dance.
- A long bowling alley for games.
- Swings for children to play on.
- A carousel with "flying horses" and other rides.
- A rifle range about 200 meters (220 yards) away.
How Did Pine Grove Park End?
To help visitors get around, a special Baldwin steam car would carry them between the park and the nearby iron works. The park was even used by the Dickinson College football team in 1903 for their first practice of the season.
Both "Pine Grove Park" and "Pine Grove Furnace" were listed as train stations in 1904. However, Pine Grove Park stopped operating around 1904. By 1912, when the Reading Company laid new train tracks, the park was already in "ruins."
From Park to State Park
In January 1913, there was a plan to fix up and reopen the private Pine Grove Park. But this idea was replaced when the state of Pennsylvania decided to buy the land around it. This area is now known as Pine Grove Furnace State Park, a popular place for outdoor activities and history.
