White City (Philadelphia) facts for kids
White City (Philadelphia), originally called Chestnut Hill Park, was a fun amusement park located near Philadelphia in Erdenheim, Pennsylvania. It opened in 1898 thanks to a company called the Chestnut Hill Casino Company. This company wanted to create a park that was easy and cheap for regular families from Philadelphia and Norristown to visit. A trolley ride to the park cost only five cents, which was much less than the 30 cents it cost to go to another popular park, Willow Grove Park. In 1906, it became part of the "White City" group of amusement parks. After many complaints from people living nearby, the park closed down in 1912.
How the Park Started
In February 1898, the Chestnut Hill Casino Company bought 25 acres of land in Springfield Township. This land was perfect for building an amusement park. They worked quickly, and the park was almost ready to open in May. However, heavy rains caused a delay, so the grand opening was pushed back to June 11.
Fun Rides and Shows
When the park first opened, a newspaper called the Philadelphia Inquirer described it as a "veritable fairyland scene." It had 50,000 sweet-smelling plants, a toboggan ride, and a carousel. There was also a lake where people could go for boat rides in rowboats or electric boats. A live brass band, led by Professor Kalitz, played music for everyone to enjoy.
Over time, more exciting rides and attractions were added. These included a roller coaster, a pony track for kids, and a roller skating rink. The park also hosted many special events and shows. Visitors could watch athletic competitions, vaudeville performances (a type of variety show), acrobats, and gymnasts. They even had a trained baby elephant named Little Hip that performed!
When the White City company took over the park in 1906, they made many improvements. They rebuilt and redecorated parts of the park, and people really liked the new look.
Why the Park Closed
Even though the park was popular, some wealthy people living in the area were not happy about it. They felt that the park brought in too many people and made their neighborhood less appealing.
In February 1912, after the park had its most successful year ever in 1911, a group of wealthy locals decided to take action. People like George C. Thomas Jr. and Jay Cook III gathered their money. They bought the park for about $500,000 and immediately closed it down before it could open for the spring season.
After the park was torn down, the land remained empty for many years. In 1927, the original Springfield Township High School was built on part of the land. Today, that building is the Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy. The only thing left from the old amusement park is a small pond, which used to be part of the park's lake.
