Idlewild and Soak Zone
Encyclopedia
Idlewild and Soak Zone, commonly known as Idlewild Park or simply Idlewild, is a family amusement park
situated in the Laurel Highlands
near Ligonier, Pennsylvania
, United States, about 50 miles (80.5 km) east of Pittsburgh, along US Route 30. Founded in 1878 as a campground along the Ligonier Valley Railroad
by Thomas Mellon
, Idlewild is the oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania
. The park has won several awards, including from industry publication Amusement Today
as the best children's park in the world.
The park was established by the prominent Mellon family
in 1878, and remained family-owned for over 100 years. It expanded greatly throughout the first half of the 20th century, adding rides including a Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Rollo Coaster
in 1938, one of the company's earliest. The park is home to the Ligonier Highland Games, a Scottish athletic and cultural festival that has annually drawn over 10,000 spectators. In 1983, the park was purchased by Kennywood Entertainment Company
, which oversaw additional expansion, including an attraction designed and voiced by Fred Rogers based on his television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
. Since 2008, the park, as well as others formerly under Kennywood Entertainment, have been owned by Spanish
company Parques Reunidos
and operated by their American subsidiary Palace Entertainment
.
granted a charter
for a railroad to haul coal and timber between the towns of Ligonier
and Latrobe
. For nearly twenty years, Latrobe and Ligonier Rail Road Company performed no work on the railroad, and renewed their charter in 1866 and 1869. Following an additional renewal in 1871, the company changed its name to the Ligonier Valley Railroad
and acquired a 10.3 miles (16.6 km) stretch of land. Land grading
and bridge construction for the narrow gauge
line was mostly completed by 1873.
In 1875, the partially constructed railway was sold at a sheriff's sale after the Pennsylvania Railroad
, the Latrobe terminus of the line, declined to assume financial responsibility. Thomas Mellon
, a retired Court of Common Pleas
judge from Allegheny County
, purchased the Ligonier Valley Railroad at auction. Mellon had founded the T. Mellon and Sons Bank
, and was invested in coal, steel, oil, glassmaking, and other railroad ventures. In an effort to attract passengers, Mellon decided to offer recreational grounds along the route.
On May 1, 1878, William Darlington, landowner and namesake of the nearby village of Darlington
, responded to Mellon's request to use his land:
The first structure, built that year, was a train depot
measuring 10 feet (3 m) by 25 feet (7.6 m). The depot was described as the smallest full-service station in the United States. Initial development of the land included camp sites, an artificial lake for fishing and boating, picnic tables, and a large hall. The railroad provided easy access to the site, attracting visitors from 50 miles (80.5 km) away in Pittsburgh
and the surrounding areas for a getaway in the country. The Ligonier Echo noted that on July 4
, 1890, the trains to the park were so crowded that the "tops of the coaches were covered with boys."
While the initial lease with Darlington confined the park to between the railroad and the north bank of the Loyalhanna Creek
, permission was later granted for construction of a bridge across the river, allowing expansion to the south in the mid-1880s. Three lakes, Woodland, St. Clair, and Bouquet, were dug between 1880 and 1896. In 1896, the park added a T.M. Harton Company steam carousel
in the center of the park. The Pittsburgh-based company was a major manufacturer of carousels and roller coasters. By the end of the 19th century, attractions at the park included a bicycle track around Lake Bouquet, a hiking trail on the lake's island, fishing in the Loyalhanna Creek, rowboating
, and many walks and gardens. The park had dining halls, auditoriums, pavilions, a boathouse, an amphitheater, a bandstand, and athletic facilities.
In 1931, Judge Mellon's son Richard B. Mellon
, brother of Andrew Mellon, and C. C. Macdonald acquired the park under a partnership known as the Idlewild Management Company. The first season under the financial support of Mellon and the management of Macdonald and his family brought electricity to the park, allowing for later operating hours and electric-powered rides, including a three-row Philadelphia Toboggan Company
carousel. The park also debuted a den of black bears
that year. The bears were across the path from a cage of monkey
s, who escaped in 1932. Park management offered a reward of $3 each ($ each in ) for the return of the seven monkeys, believing that they had been set loose. R. Z. Macdonald later said that his father, C. C., was always amused and pleased with the publicity that the escape created, though he never formally accused his father.
The Macdonalds sought to maintain the park's natural beauty, planting 10,000 shrubs in the first year, and thousands of trees during the 1930s. In the first few years, the park added a circle swing, a Whip
, a miniature railroad, and in 1938, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company Rollo Coaster
. World War II and the resulting rationing
forced the park to close in 1943. Upon reopening in 1946, the park added the Caterpillar
and a small showboat
that sailed in Lake Bouquet.
had been established as the first cross-country auto route, stretching from Times Square
, New York City
, to Lincoln Park
, San Francisco. It passed directly by Idlewild on what is now U.S. Route 30
. As automobile traffic to the park increased, several parking lots and a Gulf Oil
gas station, a Mellon
company, were added in the 1930s.
Under the Macdonalds, the park continued to expand. Kiddieland was constructed between 1954 and 1956, and featured many smaller version of rides meant for children. Some of the rides included miniature boats, a Ferris wheel, doodlebug
, and pony rides.
Clinton "Jack" Macdonald became president of the park in 1957. In 1959, Macdonald and Lewis Davidson, a bagpipe director at the Carnegie Institute of Technology
, started the Ligonier Highland Games, a Scottish
highland games
event held at the park. During the same year that he assumed control of the park, Macdonald was appointed as the first commissioner of the Scottish Clan Donald
for Pennsylvania. The games, held annually in early September after the park had closed for the summer, became one of the largest and most highly regarded Scottish athletic and cultural
competitions in the country. Jack Macdonald said of the Games: "We're not interested in becoming one of the biggest Games. We just want to be one of the nicest."
The park sustained heavy damage when the remnants of Hurricane Agnes
dropped 14 inches (355.6 mm) of rain on the area in 24 hours in June 1972. Lake St. Clair and Lake Bouquet, merging in the resulting flood, caused significant damage to the boathouse. The flood lifted and twisted the park's Loyalhanna Limited Railroad, which required extensive repairs.
of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
, near Pittsburgh, bought the park from the Macdonald family for a reported price of $1.8 million. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OLMqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AmAEAAAAIBAJ&dq=debartolo&pg=1948%2C5547016 Ironically both Kennywood and Idlewild were founded as amusement parks by the Mellon family
. During the first winter, several changes occurred. Jumpin' Jungle, a children's play area, was added. Story Book Forest was no longer run as a separate operation and was merged with the rest of the park. What had been Historic Village was relocated and renamed.
As the popularity of waterparks increased, the H20hhh Zone was added in 1985. In 1989, the park expanded across the Loyalhanna Creek
by adding a trolley
ride based on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
, a popular children's television show. The ride was designed and voiced by children's entertainer Fred Rogers, a native of Latrobe. The area was expanded the following year to include Raccoon Lagoon, an area for children. A Ferris wheel
, Tilt-A-Whirl
and a water raft ride were added by the end of the 1980s, along with games, new food stands and restaurants.
The 1990s brought the addition of the Wild Mouse
, the only Wild Mouse roller coaster
designed by Dutch company Vekoma
. The roller coaster was built in 1985 and had previously operated at Wiener Prater in Austria
and Alton Towers
in England
, before opening at Idlewild in 1993. Kennywood continued the Macdonald tradition of offering large-scale entertainment, presenting circuses, lumberjack
and acrobatics
shows, and stage performances at the new Hillside Theater. A large picnic area with several log pavilions and game fields was added in 1999. In the early years of the 21st century, additions to the waterpark doubled its size and led to a new name, Idlewild and Soak Zone.
franchise a year later. Kennywood refused the Premier offer and others on grounds that the new owners would make too many changes to the existing parks. However, on December 11, 2007, Kennywood Entertainment announced that it would sell its parks to the Madrid
-based amusement company, Parques Reunidos
. The fourth- and fifth-generation family ownership of Kennywood ensured that with the transaction all of the company's parks would experience few changes and that day-to-day park operations would remain local.
In December 2009, Idlewild announced that the Royal Hanneford Circus
would perform at the park during the 2010 season, for the first time since 1997.
For the 2011 season, the park announced that they would replace their swimming pool—built in 1931—with a $2 million wave pool
. The project will be the largest capital improvement undertaken by the park. The pool will be zero-entry to a maximum 6 feet (1.8 m) deep and hold 280,600 galloons.
, also historically known in Pennsylvania as the Lincoln Highway
, the first US transcontinental highway. The region surrounding the park is the Laurel Highlands
, and the park sits in the foothills
of the Laurel Ridge
.
The region was prominent in the French and Indian War
with Fort Ligonier
located just 2 miles (3.2 km) away. On November 12, 1758, volunteers led by George Washington
marched from Ligonier to aid George Mercer
and his troops. At night in heavy fog, the two units mistook one another for the enemy and exchanged fire. Thirteen soldiers and one lieutenant were killed. Realizing the mistake, Washington ran amongst both groups, shouting and raising the men's rifles into the air. Washington later wrote of the incident that he never felt in more danger in his life. Though the location had never been entirely verified, in Images of America: Idlewild, author Jeffrey S. Croushore acknowledges the opinion that the event took place in a section of Idlewild that was previously a wooded area known as the Woodlands.
Carousel
built in the 1920s and brought to Idlewild in 1931. The Carousel's music is provided by two band organs
: an Artizan Style D (fitted with pipes off of a Wurlitzer
103, thus giving it the nickname "The Wurlitzan") and a Wurlitzer Caliola
. The music of these two organs, which play on a regularly alternating basis, can be heard throughout the Olde Idlewild and the lower parking areas. Olde Idlewild contains many of the park's traditional amusement rides. On the parking lot side of the Merry-Go-Round is the wooden
Rollo Coaster
, built by Philadelphia Toboggan in 1938 with lumber from the park, using a sawmill built nearby specifically for the project. The American Coaster Enthusiasts
named the Rollo Coaster a "Classic Coaster". On the other side of the Merry-Go-Round is the Caterpillar
. Built in 1947, Idlewild's model is one of only three similar rides still in operation in North America, one of two featuring a working canopy that covers the riders, and the only one that still uses an operating undercarriage fan. Sitting in the trees behind the Caterpillar is the Wild Mouse
, added in 1993. The Wild Mouse was built by Vekoma
and operated at Alton Towers
in Staffordshire
, England
, before being moved to Idlewild in 1993. The Scrambler
, along with the Flying Aces
added in 2007, also surround the Merry-Go-Round.
Another group of rides in Olde Idlewild is located around the park's Skooters
, added in 1931. Surrounding the Skooters is the Balloon Race
, Paratrooper
, Ferris wheel
, and Spider
. Below the Paratrooper on the north bank of the Loyalhanna are the Whip
, built in 1938, the Super Round Up, and the Tilt-A-Whirl
.
. Modeled after a typical 19th century Western town
, the area included a general store
, blacksmith
and wood shops, sheriff's office and jail, newspaper office, saloon and restaurant.
In 1984, Historic Village was relocated from near the gates to the center of the park, and renamed Hootin' Holler. The area contains Confusion Hill and Dizzy Lizzy's – both walkthrough tours with optical illusions. The park's Loyalhanna Limited Railroad train ride
crosses the Loyalhanna Creek to Raccoon Lagoon and back. The area's newest rides are the Howler, a spinning ride modeled like a tornado, and Paul Bunyan's Loggin' Toboggan, a log flume
ride.
The location of the Soak Zone was originally an island known as Flower Island, until part of the surrounding lake was filled in. Under previous names it was called the H20hhh Zone and later Dr. Hydro's Soak Zone. The area originally consisted of just the pool and bathhouse, until slides were first added in 1985. A raft ride, Rafter's Run, was added the next year. After additional expansions, the Soak Zone includes the swimming pool, body slides, inner-tube slides, a slide with foam mats, and many features for children, including a miniature pool and Captain Kidd's Adventure Galley, a play area added in 2006.
, slides
, climbing nets, and a suspension bridge. Added in 2008, Bigfoot's Mudslide gets its name from Westmoreland County's
reputation for the most sightings in Pennsylvania of Bigfoot
, an alleged ape-like creature said to inhabit remote forests.
The park's kiddieland area, Raccoon Lagoon, was added in 1989, after originally opening in a different location in 1954. The 9 acres (3.6 ha) area devoted to children-oriented rides is one of the largest in the United States. Also in Raccoon Lagoon is Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of Make-Believe
. Built in 1989, the trolley ride was designed specifically for Idlewild by local native Fred Rogers and is based on his popular children's television show.
, and many live storybook characters. The entrance to the Forest is a giant storybook which reads "Here is the Land of Once Upon a Time ... Step through the pages of this big Story Book ... and visit the people and places every child knows ... and Loves. Here dreams are real ... and so are your Story Book friends." Now incorporated with the rest of the park, Story Book Forest celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006.
event that takes place in early September. The events primarily take place at Idlewild, while some events also take place in nearby Greensburg
. Competitions include heavy athletics such as the caber toss
, stone put
, and weight
and hammer throw. Other competitions in music
include highland dancing, solo and band
piping
, drumming, Scottish fiddling
, and Scottish harp. Vendors sell related items such as authentic tartans, bagpipes
, and jewellery
. While initially attracting crowds of 1,200, the festival now records average attendances near 10,000.
as the best children's park in the world. The park previously received Golden Tickets for the fifth-best children's area in 2006 and 2007 and second-best children's park for the sixth consecutive year in 2009. The National Amusement Park Historical Association
recognized Idlewild as the best park for families in 2010, having previously named it the fourth-best park in 2005, second in 2006, fourth again in 2007 and 2008, and third in 2009. The park was once named "America's Most Beautiful Theme Park".
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
situated in the Laurel Highlands
Laurel Highlands
The Laurel Highlands is a region in southwestern Pennsylvania made up of Fayette County, Somerset County and Westmoreland County. It has a population of about 600,000 people....
near Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Ligonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2000 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and nearby Seven Springs Mountain Resort...
, United States, about 50 miles (80.5 km) east of Pittsburgh, along US Route 30. Founded in 1878 as a campground along the Ligonier Valley Railroad
Ligonier Valley Railroad
The Ligonier Valley Railroad connected the communities of Latrobe and Ligonier, Pennsylvania, approximately apart, between 1877 and 1952. For much of its length, the railroad ran parallel to Loyalhanna Creek in a scenic mountain gorge...
by Thomas Mellon
Thomas Mellon
Thomas Alexander Mellon was a Scotch-Irish American, entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge, best known as the founder of Mellon Bank and patriarch of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
, Idlewild is the oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The park has won several awards, including from industry publication Amusement Today
Amusement Today
Amusement Today is a monthly periodical featuring articles, news, pictures, and reviews about all things relating to the amusement park industry, including parks, rides, and ride manufacturers. The magazine, which is based in Arlington, Texas, USA, was founded in 1997 by Gary Slade and Virgil...
as the best children's park in the world.
The park was established by the prominent Mellon family
Mellon family
The Mellon family is a wealthy and influential family originally of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, and its vicinity. In addition to Mellon Bank they were principally known for their control over Gulf Oil, Alcoa, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Koppers, as well as their major influence on...
in 1878, and remained family-owned for over 100 years. It expanded greatly throughout the first half of the 20th century, adding rides including a Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Philadelphia Toboggan Company
The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world.Mack Rides of Germany dates back to 1781, but it did not start building coasters until 1921 Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B...
Rollo Coaster
Rollo Coaster
Rollo Coaster is a wooden roller coaster located at Idlewild and Soak Zone near Ligonier, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1938 by the leading roller coaster builder of that era, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company...
in 1938, one of the company's earliest. The park is home to the Ligonier Highland Games, a Scottish athletic and cultural festival that has annually drawn over 10,000 spectators. In 1983, the park was purchased by Kennywood Entertainment Company
Kennywood Entertainment Company
The Kennywood Entertainment Company was the operator of five United States amusement parks in Western Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Hampshire.-History:...
, which oversaw additional expansion, including an attraction designed and voiced by Fred Rogers based on his television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, also known as Mister Rogers, is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series is aimed primarily at preschool ages, 2-5, but has been stated by Public Broadcasting Service as "appropriate for all ages"...
. Since 2008, the park, as well as others formerly under Kennywood Entertainment, have been owned by Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
company Parques Reunidos
Parques Reunidos
Parques Reunidos is an international entertainment operator based in Madrid, Spain. The group operates over 50 parks in almost a dozen countries. Parques Reunidos operates theme and amusement parks, zoos, water parks, family entertainment centers, and cable cars...
and operated by their American subsidiary Palace Entertainment
Palace Entertainment
Palace Entertainment is an American amusement and entertainment company owned by Parques Reunidos. The company was established in 1998 after the acquisition of four independently owned family entertainment companies with the five brands Camelot Parks, Palace Park, Boomers!, Grand Prix Race-O-Rama...
.
Ligonier Valley Railroad: 1878–1952
On April 15, 1853, the Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
granted a charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
for a railroad to haul coal and timber between the towns of Ligonier
Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Ligonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2000 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and nearby Seven Springs Mountain Resort...
and Latrobe
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
. For nearly twenty years, Latrobe and Ligonier Rail Road Company performed no work on the railroad, and renewed their charter in 1866 and 1869. Following an additional renewal in 1871, the company changed its name to the Ligonier Valley Railroad
Ligonier Valley Railroad
The Ligonier Valley Railroad connected the communities of Latrobe and Ligonier, Pennsylvania, approximately apart, between 1877 and 1952. For much of its length, the railroad ran parallel to Loyalhanna Creek in a scenic mountain gorge...
and acquired a 10.3 miles (16.6 km) stretch of land. Land grading
Land grading
Grading in civil engineering and construction is the work of ensuring a level base, or one with a specified slope, for a construction work such as a foundation, the base course for a road or a railway, or landscape and garden improvements, or surface drainage...
and bridge construction for the narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
line was mostly completed by 1873.
In 1875, the partially constructed railway was sold at a sheriff's sale after the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, the Latrobe terminus of the line, declined to assume financial responsibility. Thomas Mellon
Thomas Mellon
Thomas Alexander Mellon was a Scotch-Irish American, entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge, best known as the founder of Mellon Bank and patriarch of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
, a retired Court of Common Pleas
Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas
The Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania .The Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state....
judge from Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, purchased the Ligonier Valley Railroad at auction. Mellon had founded the T. Mellon and Sons Bank
Mellon Financial
Mellon Financial Corporation, was one of the world's largest money management firms. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it was in the business of institutional and high-net-worth-individual asset management, including the Dreyfus family of mutual funds; business banking; and shareholder and...
, and was invested in coal, steel, oil, glassmaking, and other railroad ventures. In an effort to attract passengers, Mellon decided to offer recreational grounds along the route.
On May 1, 1878, William Darlington, landowner and namesake of the nearby village of Darlington
Ligonier Township, Pennsylvania
Ligonier Township is a township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Ligonier Township entirely surrounds, but does not include, Ligonier Borough, which is a separate municipality...
, responded to Mellon's request to use his land:
The first structure, built that year, was a train depot
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
measuring 10 feet (3 m) by 25 feet (7.6 m). The depot was described as the smallest full-service station in the United States. Initial development of the land included camp sites, an artificial lake for fishing and boating, picnic tables, and a large hall. The railroad provided easy access to the site, attracting visitors from 50 miles (80.5 km) away in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
and the surrounding areas for a getaway in the country. The Ligonier Echo noted that on July 4
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
, 1890, the trains to the park were so crowded that the "tops of the coaches were covered with boys."
While the initial lease with Darlington confined the park to between the railroad and the north bank of the Loyalhanna Creek
Loyalhanna Creek
Loyalhanna Creek is a long tributary of the Kiskiminetas River in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The stream is a popular destination for canoeing and recreational trout fishing.- Etymology :...
, permission was later granted for construction of a bridge across the river, allowing expansion to the south in the mid-1880s. Three lakes, Woodland, St. Clair, and Bouquet, were dug between 1880 and 1896. In 1896, the park added a T.M. Harton Company steam carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
in the center of the park. The Pittsburgh-based company was a major manufacturer of carousels and roller coasters. By the end of the 19th century, attractions at the park included a bicycle track around Lake Bouquet, a hiking trail on the lake's island, fishing in the Loyalhanna Creek, rowboating
Watercraft rowing
Watercraft rowing is the act of propelling a boat using the motion of oars in the water. The difference between paddling and rowing is that with rowing the oars have a mechanical connection with the boat whereas with paddling the paddles are hand-held with no mechanical connection.This article...
, and many walks and gardens. The park had dining halls, auditoriums, pavilions, a boathouse, an amphitheater, a bandstand, and athletic facilities.
Richard B. Mellon
Richard Beatty Mellon , sometimes R.B., was a banker, industrialist, and philanthropist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
, brother of Andrew Mellon, and C. C. Macdonald acquired the park under a partnership known as the Idlewild Management Company. The first season under the financial support of Mellon and the management of Macdonald and his family brought electricity to the park, allowing for later operating hours and electric-powered rides, including a three-row Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Philadelphia Toboggan Company
The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world.Mack Rides of Germany dates back to 1781, but it did not start building coasters until 1921 Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B...
carousel. The park also debuted a den of black bears
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
that year. The bears were across the path from a cage of monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s, who escaped in 1932. Park management offered a reward of $3 each ($ each in ) for the return of the seven monkeys, believing that they had been set loose. R. Z. Macdonald later said that his father, C. C., was always amused and pleased with the publicity that the escape created, though he never formally accused his father.
The Macdonalds sought to maintain the park's natural beauty, planting 10,000 shrubs in the first year, and thousands of trees during the 1930s. In the first few years, the park added a circle swing, a Whip
The Whip (ride)
The Whip was a ride originally designed and built by W.F. Mangels Company of Coney Island, New York, USA. William F. Mangels patented the ride in 1914 and it soon became an extremely popular ride....
, a miniature railroad, and in 1938, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company Rollo Coaster
Rollo Coaster
Rollo Coaster is a wooden roller coaster located at Idlewild and Soak Zone near Ligonier, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1938 by the leading roller coaster builder of that era, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company...
. World War II and the resulting rationing
Rationing
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time.- In economics :...
forced the park to close in 1943. Upon reopening in 1946, the park added the Caterpillar
Caterpillar ride
The Caterpillar ride is a vintage flat ride engineered by the inventor Hyla F. Maynes of North Tonawanda, New York who dubbed it the Caterpillar when it debuted in Coney Island, NY in 1925. It is a fast-paced ride that generates a decent helping of centrifugal force, causing the riders on the...
and a small showboat
Showboat
A showboat, or show boat, was a form of theater that traveled along the waterways of the United States, especially along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers . A showboat was basically a barge that resembled a long, flat-roofed house, and in order to move down the river, it was pushed by a small tugboat...
that sailed in Lake Bouquet.
Macdonald family: 1952–1983
The Macdonald family obtained complete ownership of the park in 1951. After leaving Idlewild, the Mellon family also abandoned the Ligonier Valley Railroad, in decline after the closing of area coal mines and decreased passenger traffic. The railroad ceased operations in 1952. Although the park originally depended on the railroad, its closing had no effect. In 1913, the Lincoln HighwayLincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
had been established as the first cross-country auto route, stretching from Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, to Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park (San Francisco)
Lincoln Park in San Francisco, California, was dedicated to President Abraham Lincoln in 1909 and includes about of the northwestern corner of the San Francisco Peninsula....
, San Francisco. It passed directly by Idlewild on what is now U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
. As automobile traffic to the park increased, several parking lots and a Gulf Oil
Gulf Oil
Gulf Oil was a major global oil company from the 1900s to the 1980s. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth-largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the so-called Seven Sisters oil companies...
gas station, a Mellon
Mellon Financial
Mellon Financial Corporation, was one of the world's largest money management firms. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it was in the business of institutional and high-net-worth-individual asset management, including the Dreyfus family of mutual funds; business banking; and shareholder and...
company, were added in the 1930s.
Under the Macdonalds, the park continued to expand. Kiddieland was constructed between 1954 and 1956, and featured many smaller version of rides meant for children. Some of the rides included miniature boats, a Ferris wheel, doodlebug
Doodlebug (rail car)
In the United States, doodlebug was the common name for a self-propelled railroad car . While such a coach typically had a gasoline-powered engine that turned a generator which provided electricity to traction motors, which turned the axles and wheels on the trucks, versions with mechanical...
, and pony rides.
Clinton "Jack" Macdonald became president of the park in 1957. In 1959, Macdonald and Lewis Davidson, a bagpipe director at the Carnegie Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, started the Ligonier Highland Games, a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
highland games
Highland games
Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
event held at the park. During the same year that he assumed control of the park, Macdonald was appointed as the first commissioner of the Scottish Clan Donald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan...
for Pennsylvania. The games, held annually in early September after the park had closed for the summer, became one of the largest and most highly regarded Scottish athletic and cultural
Culture of Scotland
The culture of Scotland refers to the patterns of human activity and symbolism associated with Scotland and the Scottish people. Some elements of Scottish culture, such as its separate national church, are protected in law as agreed in the Treaty of Union, and other instruments...
competitions in the country. Jack Macdonald said of the Games: "We're not interested in becoming one of the biggest Games. We just want to be one of the nicest."
The park sustained heavy damage when the remnants of Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
dropped 14 inches (355.6 mm) of rain on the area in 24 hours in June 1972. Lake St. Clair and Lake Bouquet, merging in the resulting flood, caused significant damage to the boathouse. The flood lifted and twisted the park's Loyalhanna Limited Railroad, which required extensive repairs.
Kennywood era: 1983–2007
On January 27, 1983, Kennywood Park CorporationKennywood Entertainment Company
The Kennywood Entertainment Company was the operator of five United States amusement parks in Western Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Hampshire.-History:...
of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census....
, near Pittsburgh, bought the park from the Macdonald family for a reported price of $1.8 million. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OLMqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AmAEAAAAIBAJ&dq=debartolo&pg=1948%2C5547016 Ironically both Kennywood and Idlewild were founded as amusement parks by the Mellon family
Mellon family
The Mellon family is a wealthy and influential family originally of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, and its vicinity. In addition to Mellon Bank they were principally known for their control over Gulf Oil, Alcoa, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Koppers, as well as their major influence on...
. During the first winter, several changes occurred. Jumpin' Jungle, a children's play area, was added. Story Book Forest was no longer run as a separate operation and was merged with the rest of the park. What had been Historic Village was relocated and renamed.
As the popularity of waterparks increased, the H20hhh Zone was added in 1985. In 1989, the park expanded across the Loyalhanna Creek
Loyalhanna Creek
Loyalhanna Creek is a long tributary of the Kiskiminetas River in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The stream is a popular destination for canoeing and recreational trout fishing.- Etymology :...
by adding a trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
ride based on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, also known as Mister Rogers, is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series is aimed primarily at preschool ages, 2-5, but has been stated by Public Broadcasting Service as "appropriate for all ages"...
, a popular children's television show. The ride was designed and voiced by children's entertainer Fred Rogers, a native of Latrobe. The area was expanded the following year to include Raccoon Lagoon, an area for children. A Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
, Tilt-A-Whirl
Tilt-A-Whirl
Tilt-A-Whirl is one of the best-known flat rides, designed for commercial use at amusement parks, fairs and carnivals in which it is commonly found. The rides are manufactured by Sellner Manufacturing of Faribault, Minnesota...
and a water raft ride were added by the end of the 1980s, along with games, new food stands and restaurants.
The 1990s brought the addition of the Wild Mouse
Wild Mouse (Idlewild)
Wild Mouse is the name of a roller coaster at Idlewild and Soak Zone in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. It is the one of two coasters in the park, along with the small classic wooden Rollo Coaster, and its only steel roller coaster....
, the only Wild Mouse roller coaster
Wild Mouse roller coaster
A Wild Mouse roller coaster is a type of roller coaster characterized by small cars that seat four people or fewer and ride on top of the track, taking tight, flat turns at modest speeds, yet producing high lateral G-forces...
designed by Dutch company Vekoma
Vekoma
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
. The roller coaster was built in 1985 and had previously operated at Wiener Prater in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Alton Towers
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, before opening at Idlewild in 1993. Kennywood continued the Macdonald tradition of offering large-scale entertainment, presenting circuses, lumberjack
Lumberjack
A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...
and acrobatics
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
shows, and stage performances at the new Hillside Theater. A large picnic area with several log pavilions and game fields was added in 1999. In the early years of the 21st century, additions to the waterpark doubled its size and led to a new name, Idlewild and Soak Zone.
Parques Reunidos 2008–present
Kennywood Entertainment, itself an operator of a family-owned park, had acquired other family-owned and operated parks after its purchase of Idlewild in 1983. Kennywood's owners rejected offers by larger companies to purchase the group, such as one in 1997 by Premier Parks, the company that acquired the Six FlagsSix Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
franchise a year later. Kennywood refused the Premier offer and others on grounds that the new owners would make too many changes to the existing parks. However, on December 11, 2007, Kennywood Entertainment announced that it would sell its parks to the Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
-based amusement company, Parques Reunidos
Parques Reunidos
Parques Reunidos is an international entertainment operator based in Madrid, Spain. The group operates over 50 parks in almost a dozen countries. Parques Reunidos operates theme and amusement parks, zoos, water parks, family entertainment centers, and cable cars...
. The fourth- and fifth-generation family ownership of Kennywood ensured that with the transaction all of the company's parks would experience few changes and that day-to-day park operations would remain local.
In December 2009, Idlewild announced that the Royal Hanneford Circus
Royal Hanneford Circus
The Royal Hanneford Circus is an American-based touring family circus. With origins dating back to 1690, it has been called the oldest circus in the world. The family first performed as a traveling troupe in 1807. In 1903, the family began its own circus as the "Hanneford Royal Canadian Circus" and...
would perform at the park during the 2010 season, for the first time since 1997.
For the 2011 season, the park announced that they would replace their swimming pool—built in 1931—with a $2 million wave pool
Wave pool
A wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, reasonably large waves, similar to the ocean's. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks...
. The project will be the largest capital improvement undertaken by the park. The pool will be zero-entry to a maximum 6 feet (1.8 m) deep and hold 280,600 galloons.
Location
The park is situated alongside U.S. Route 30U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
, also historically known in Pennsylvania as the Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
, the first US transcontinental highway. The region surrounding the park is the Laurel Highlands
Laurel Highlands
The Laurel Highlands is a region in southwestern Pennsylvania made up of Fayette County, Somerset County and Westmoreland County. It has a population of about 600,000 people....
, and the park sits in the foothills
Foothills
Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills to the adjacent topographically high mountains.-Examples:...
of the Laurel Ridge
Laurel Hill (Pennsylvania)
Laurel Hill, also known as Laurel Ridge or Laurel Mountain, is a long mountain in Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains. This ridge is flanked by Negro Mountain to its east and Chestnut Ridge to its west. The mountain is home to six State Parks; Laurel Ridge State Park, Laurel Mountain State Park,...
.
The region was prominent in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
with Fort Ligonier
Fort Ligonier
Fort Ligonier is a British fortification from the French and Indian War located in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, United States. The fort served as a staging area for the Forbes Expedition of 1758. During the eight years of its existence as a garrison, Fort Ligonier was never taken by an enemy...
located just 2 miles (3.2 km) away. On November 12, 1758, volunteers led by George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
marched from Ligonier to aid George Mercer
George Mercer (military officer)
George Mercer was an American surveyor, military officer, and politician from Virginia....
and his troops. At night in heavy fog, the two units mistook one another for the enemy and exchanged fire. Thirteen soldiers and one lieutenant were killed. Realizing the mistake, Washington ran amongst both groups, shouting and raising the men's rifles into the air. Washington later wrote of the incident that he never felt in more danger in his life. Though the location had never been entirely verified, in Images of America: Idlewild, author Jeffrey S. Croushore acknowledges the opinion that the event took place in a section of Idlewild that was previously a wooded area known as the Woodlands.
Attractions
Olde Idlewild
Olde idlewild is centered around the park's Philadelphia Toboggan CompanyPhiladelphia Toboggan Company
The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world.Mack Rides of Germany dates back to 1781, but it did not start building coasters until 1921 Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B...
Carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
built in the 1920s and brought to Idlewild in 1931. The Carousel's music is provided by two band organs
Fairground organ
A fairground organ is a pipe organ designed for use in a commercial public fairground setting to provide loud music to accompany fairground rides and attractions...
: an Artizan Style D (fitted with pipes off of a Wurlitzer
Wurlitzer
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
103, thus giving it the nickname "The Wurlitzan") and a Wurlitzer Caliola
Calliope
In Greek mythology, Calliope was the muse of epic poetry, daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and is now best known as Homer's muse, the inspiration for the Odyssey and the Iliad....
. The music of these two organs, which play on a regularly alternating basis, can be heard throughout the Olde Idlewild and the lower parking areas. Olde Idlewild contains many of the park's traditional amusement rides. On the parking lot side of the Merry-Go-Round is the wooden
Wooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
Rollo Coaster
Rollo Coaster
Rollo Coaster is a wooden roller coaster located at Idlewild and Soak Zone near Ligonier, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1938 by the leading roller coaster builder of that era, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company...
, built by Philadelphia Toboggan in 1938 with lumber from the park, using a sawmill built nearby specifically for the project. The American Coaster Enthusiasts
American Coaster Enthusiasts
The American Coaster Enthusiasts is an organization dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of roller coasters. Membership is open to anyone with payment of yearly dues, and membership benefits may include discounted admission to certain amusement parks...
named the Rollo Coaster a "Classic Coaster". On the other side of the Merry-Go-Round is the Caterpillar
Caterpillar ride
The Caterpillar ride is a vintage flat ride engineered by the inventor Hyla F. Maynes of North Tonawanda, New York who dubbed it the Caterpillar when it debuted in Coney Island, NY in 1925. It is a fast-paced ride that generates a decent helping of centrifugal force, causing the riders on the...
. Built in 1947, Idlewild's model is one of only three similar rides still in operation in North America, one of two featuring a working canopy that covers the riders, and the only one that still uses an operating undercarriage fan. Sitting in the trees behind the Caterpillar is the Wild Mouse
Wild Mouse (Idlewild)
Wild Mouse is the name of a roller coaster at Idlewild and Soak Zone in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. It is the one of two coasters in the park, along with the small classic wooden Rollo Coaster, and its only steel roller coaster....
, added in 1993. The Wild Mouse was built by Vekoma
Vekoma
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
and operated at Alton Towers
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, before being moved to Idlewild in 1993. The Scrambler
Twist (ride)
The Twist, also known as the Twister, Cyclone, Sizzler, Scrambler, Merry Mixer, Jambalaya, or Grasscutter is an amusement ride in which suspended riders spinning in cars experience the illusion that they will crash into other suspended, spinning cars. Riders are seated in small carriages clustered...
, along with the Flying Aces
Flying Scooters
Flying Scooters, also known simply as Flyers, is an amusement ride consisting of a center post with ride vehicles suspended from arms attached to the center post....
added in 2007, also surround the Merry-Go-Round.
Another group of rides in Olde Idlewild is located around the park's Skooters
Bumper car
Bumper car is the generic name for a type of flat ride consisting of several small electric cars which draw power from the floor and/or ceiling, and which are turned on and off remotely by an operator...
, added in 1931. Surrounding the Skooters is the Balloon Race
Balloon Race (ride)
The Zamperla Balloon Race is a tilting, circular motion amusement park ride manufactured by Antonio Zamperla S.P.A. The ride makes its way up a structure, and at a certain height, it starts tilting.-Car designs:...
, Paratrooper
Paratrooper (ride)
A Paratrooper also known as an "Umbrella Ride" is a type of fairground ride based on cars suspended below a wheel which rotates at an oblique angle. The cars are free to rock sideways and swing out under centrifugal force and the wheel rotates. Invariably, the cars on a paratrooper have an umbrella...
, Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
, and Spider
Octopus (ride)
The Octopus is a type of amusement ride in the shape of an octopus. Five to eight arms attached to a central axis spin and move up and down in random, while cars at the end of the arms spin on rotary bolts. Each Octopus ride has the arms attached the middle of the ride. The middle of the ride will...
. Below the Paratrooper on the north bank of the Loyalhanna are the Whip
The Whip (ride)
The Whip was a ride originally designed and built by W.F. Mangels Company of Coney Island, New York, USA. William F. Mangels patented the ride in 1914 and it soon became an extremely popular ride....
, built in 1938, the Super Round Up, and the Tilt-A-Whirl
Tilt-A-Whirl
Tilt-A-Whirl is one of the best-known flat rides, designed for commercial use at amusement parks, fairs and carnivals in which it is commonly found. The rides are manufactured by Sellner Manufacturing of Faribault, Minnesota...
.
Hootin' Holler
In 1976, the Historic Village was built to commemorate the United States BicentennialUnited States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
. Modeled after a typical 19th century Western town
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
, the area included a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
, blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
and wood shops, sheriff's office and jail, newspaper office, saloon and restaurant.
In 1984, Historic Village was relocated from near the gates to the center of the park, and renamed Hootin' Holler. The area contains Confusion Hill and Dizzy Lizzy's – both walkthrough tours with optical illusions. The park's Loyalhanna Limited Railroad train ride
Train ride
A train ride in an amusement park, or a municipal park setting, is a small ride consisting of a miniature train, often running on a permanent or portable track, but sometimes without any track whatsoever. In the latter case, the "trains" are simulated by connecting railroad-like cars behind an...
crosses the Loyalhanna Creek to Raccoon Lagoon and back. The area's newest rides are the Howler, a spinning ride modeled like a tornado, and Paul Bunyan's Loggin' Toboggan, a log flume
Log flume (attraction)
Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats...
ride.
Soak Zone
Jumpin' Jungle
Added in 1983, Jumpin' Jungle is an interactive play area for both children and adults. The area includes many attractions such as a ball pitBall pit
A ball pit is a pit, usually rectangular and padded, filled with small colorful hollow plastic balls...
, slides
Playground slide
Playground slides are found in parks, schools, playgrounds and backyards. The slide may be flat, or half cylindrical or tubular to prevent falls. Slides are usually constructed of plastic or metal and they have a smooth surface that is either straight or wavy...
, climbing nets, and a suspension bridge. Added in 2008, Bigfoot's Mudslide gets its name from Westmoreland County's
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
reputation for the most sightings in Pennsylvania of Bigfoot
Bigfoot
Bigfoot, also known as sasquatch, is an ape-like cryptid that purportedly inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid...
, an alleged ape-like creature said to inhabit remote forests.
Raccoon Lagoon
Neighborhood of Make-Believe
The Neighborhood of Make-Believe is the fictional kingdom inhabited by the hand puppet characters on the children's television program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, produced from 1968 to 2001...
. Built in 1989, the trolley ride was designed specifically for Idlewild by local native Fred Rogers and is based on his popular children's television show.
Story Book Forest
Arthur Jennings, who portrayed the clown "Happy Dayze" in the park during the 1950s, was an accomplished engineer who approached park management about creating Story Book Forest, a theme park based on "emotion rather than motion". Jennings did much of the work himself, including life-sized models of fairy tales. The park, originally separate from Idlewild, opened in 1956. Story Book Forest featured many attractions such as a pirate ship, a castleCastle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, and many live storybook characters. The entrance to the Forest is a giant storybook which reads "Here is the Land of Once Upon a Time ... Step through the pages of this big Story Book ... and visit the people and places every child knows ... and Loves. Here dreams are real ... and so are your Story Book friends." Now incorporated with the rest of the park, Story Book Forest celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006.
Ligonier Highland Games
The Ligonier Highland Games is a highland gamesHighland games
Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
event that takes place in early September. The events primarily take place at Idlewild, while some events also take place in nearby Greensburg
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
. Competitions include heavy athletics such as the caber toss
Caber toss
The caber toss is a traditional Irish athletic event practised at the Irish Highland Games involving the tossing of a large wooden pole called a caber. It is said to have developed from the need to toss logs across narrow chasms to cross them. In Irishtown the caber is usually made from a Larch tree...
, stone put
Stone put
The stone put is one of the main Scottish heavy athletic events at modern-day Highland games gatherings. Similar to the shot put, the stone put more frequently uses an ordinary stone or rock instead of a steel ball...
, and weight
Weight throw
The weight throw is a track and field event that is held at Scottish Highland games and occasionally at indoor track meets.In the Highland Games, the weight throw consists of two separate events, the light weight and the heavy weight. In both cases, the implement consists of a steel or lead weight ...
and hammer throw. Other competitions in music
Music of Scotland
Scotland is internationally known for its traditional music, which has remained vibrant throughout the 20th century, when many traditional forms worldwide lost popularity to pop music...
include highland dancing, solo and band
Pipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....
piping
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
, drumming, Scottish fiddling
Scottish fiddling
Scottish fiddling, even to many an untrained ear, can be distinguished from other Celtic and folk fiddling styles by its particular precision of execution and energy in the delivery. The style has a very large repertoire consisting of a great variation of rhythms and key signatures, arguably more...
, and Scottish harp. Vendors sell related items such as authentic tartans, bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
, and jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
. While initially attracting crowds of 1,200, the festival now records average attendances near 10,000.
Recognition
Idlewild and Soak Zone is the oldest operating amusement park in Pennsylvania, third oldest in the United States, and twelfth oldest in the world. In 2010, the park earned the "Golden Ticket" award from amusement industry magazine Amusement TodayAmusement Today
Amusement Today is a monthly periodical featuring articles, news, pictures, and reviews about all things relating to the amusement park industry, including parks, rides, and ride manufacturers. The magazine, which is based in Arlington, Texas, USA, was founded in 1997 by Gary Slade and Virgil...
as the best children's park in the world. The park previously received Golden Tickets for the fifth-best children's area in 2006 and 2007 and second-best children's park for the sixth consecutive year in 2009. The National Amusement Park Historical Association
National Amusement Park Historical Association
The National Amusement Park Historical Association was founded in 1978 by a former employee of Chicago's Riverview Amusement Park, and NAPHA has grown throughout a long period of time to include amusement parks from all over the world. NAPHA preserves amusement park history and historic rides. ...
recognized Idlewild as the best park for families in 2010, having previously named it the fourth-best park in 2005, second in 2006, fourth again in 2007 and 2008, and third in 2009. The park was once named "America's Most Beautiful Theme Park".