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. Photo courtesy of the Monroe Fire Co. Archives Facebook Since 2015, Two years later the theme-park tycoon, who was 88, passed away in his sleep. Use of this site is governed by our Terms Of Service and Privacy Policy. The Williams Grove Amusement Park in Pennsylvania boasts a long history, having operated for over a century from 1850 to 2005. It's a historic park with the Williams Grove speedway and the Williams Grove Historical Steam Engine Society nearby. It wasn’t until 1928, though, after the ownership was passed on, that rides started appearing at the renamed Williams Grove Amusement Park. Only time will tell. The interiors of the buildings, meanwhile, are filled with dust and cobweb-covered props and furniture that look straight from the set of a horror movie. Abandoned Amusement Park. 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. Today the park looks like a place that’s best avoided. Its props may be long gone, but the park’s haunted house looks scarier than ever. Meanwhile Hughes says the amusement park has been prepared to operate this summer just in case a buyer or operator is found. Today, the abandoned amusement park sits empty, a shell of its former self. It had three different rollercoasters, a haunted house, a Ferris wheel and several rides that were popular thanks to their exhilarating gravitational effects, such as the Octopus, Twister and Tilt-a-Whirl. Hughes says he is … By the early 2000s the park seemed to be doing well. But this abandoned one in Pennsylvania, which is slowly being reclaimed by Mother Nature, will leave you feeling disturbed rather than cheerful. In 1971, Mickey Hughes, a major ride broker in the US and owner of many of the rides at Palisades Park (NJ), purchased the park and moved many of his rides from Palisades to Williams Grove. Despite the improvements, however, Hughes himself was in his 80s by the turn of the century. Joyland Park was established in 1923 by W.C.S. The Photos Of The Abandoned Williams Grove Amusement Park In Pennsylvania Are Chilling. The main drag at the abandoned Williams Grove Amusement Park in Mechanicsburg, PA. A three exposure HDR. The only one that can claim to be older is Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut, which also started out as a picnic ground in 1846. The park operated until 1925. Williams Grove later evolved into a fairground, but because amusement rides weren’t invented until the end of the 19th century the first rides were only installed in 1928. Its history stretches back to 1850, when the Williams family first began operating it as a picnic grove. & S Amusement Company. Despite closing, plenty of aged equipment continues to haunt the abandoned property. After World War I, the park's ownership changed hands several times. The park’s ownership changed again in 1972 when rides enthusiast Morgan Hughes bought it for $1.2 million. He doesn't want to see the park torn down. Owner Morgan Hughes, 86, has been seeking a buyer for the amusement park or a management team to operate it for several months. That same year, however, Williams Grove was hit by Hurricane Agnes – a storm that caused approximately $2.1 billion of damage across the U.S. a top-200 site as rated by Alexa. July 2020. Despite all his misfortunes Hughes continued to invest in the park. The Williams family began hosting picnics and … The amusement park advertised, “come one, come all,” for free attractions with performances by the Joyland Jazzers and dance halls. Judging by the “no trespassing” signs, however, they’re not too keen on people exploring. To make matters worse it also suffered at the hands of sustained attacks by vandals. Saved by Sheena Stoner. Photography Subjects. You may face trespassing charges if you attempt to go on the property. Williams Grove Amusement Park closed in 2005 (87 or so years after the first rides were added to the picnic grove). Within a few years, the grove was developed into a park. DETAILS: Starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 31 at Williams Grove Amusement Park, 1 Steam Engine Hill, Monroe Twp. Within two decades the park had grown into the Mechanicsburg Fairgrounds. Contact Us – Find it all and much more with the interactive Roller Coaster Database. Adventure Park USA is a small theme park in Monrovia, Maryland, east of Frederick, Maryland, which opened in 2005.. What's New The "Wild Cat" roller coaster came from Williams Grove Amusement Park in Pennsylvania.. Attractions. He leased the speedway to numerous parties before giving Loh the opportunity to manage the track four years ago. The park’s desolate vibe is further accentuated by the fact that it’s slowly but surely being reclaimed by nature; Cyclone’s wooden tracks being a case in point. Copyright © 2019 Pub Ocean – All Rights Reserved. Two decades later, the park became the Mechanicsburg Fairgrounds. Snackable content that delights, informs and entertains. Members of the Hughes family continue to reside in an on-site house, as evidenced by the property’s trimmed grass. $25.00 IF INTERESTED, PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR PHONE # AND... Williams Grove Stroller - antiques - by owner - collectibles sale try … halloweenpark.com ; 717-324-7524. The Williams Grove Historical Steam Engine Association (adjacent to the park) is still held every Sunday from dawn – 2pm. The park’s main ride, the 65-foot-tall Cyclone, was completed in 1933. Site Map – The creepy satanic figures depicted on its walls look like they belong in a medieval treatise on demons. 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