Roadside America facts for kids
The entrance in 2009
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| Established | 1935 |
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| Dissolved | 2020 |
| Location | Shartlesville, Pennsylvania |
| Collection size | Railroad model trains and other model structures |
Roadside America was a super cool indoor miniature village and railway. It was like stepping into a tiny world! This amazing display covered about 8,000 square feet, which is bigger than many houses. Laurence Gieringer created it way back in 1935.
He first showed his miniature village in his home in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. People loved it so much that a story about it appeared in the local newspapers! Because it was so popular, Mr. Gieringer moved his display to a bigger place. It went to Carsonia Park, an amusement park that had recently closed.
The display stayed there for a short time, from 1938 to about 1940. Then, Mr. Gieringer bought land in Shartlesville, Pennsylvania, where he built an even larger display. This new, bigger Roadside America opened in 1953. It was located in what used to be a dance hall, right off Interstate 78.
Sadly, on November 21, 2020, it was announced that Roadside America would close forever. They had been trying to find someone to buy it for three years. It had already been closed to visitors since March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. All the amazing pieces from the display were later sold at an auction.
What Was Inside the Display?
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The Roadside America display was built to a special size: 3/8 of an inch equaled one foot. This made everything look super realistic! Here's what you could see:
- A huge village diorama, almost 7,500 square feet, with tiny landscapes.
- Over 300 miniature buildings, like houses, churches, and stores.
- Up to 18 "O" gauge trains, trolleys, and even cable cars running all over the place.
- 10,000 trees, all made by hand!
- 4,000 tiny people doing everyday things, like walking, working, and playing.
- Lots of miniature rivers, streams, and other waterways.
- Cool interactive parts you could activate! These included a circus parade, construction workers, and sawmill workers.
- 600 miniature light bulbs that lit up the whole scene.
Roadside America stayed exactly the same as Mr. Gieringer built it, even after he passed away in 1963. It was a true masterpiece that many people enjoyed for decades!
