Cyclonic
Posts: 2636
Registered: 7/19/2002
Rank: Experiment 626
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 8/7/2005 8:44:53 PM
Twin Grove Park / Williams Grove Park
July 30, 2005
Sunny, hot and hazy
Kinda like the tale of two parks, maybe. On Saturday, July 30, I decided to go for a ride to the Harrisburg area and visit two parks I have not been to in a little while, Twin Grove Park, which was had shut down, and the last and only time I had visited it was during an auction a few years ago, and Williams Grove park, which is a strange and wonderful park that is lost in time, and has the most frightening coaster on the planet, The Cyclone.
I actually started the day with a little hike. I stopped in Mount Gretna, just off the Turnpike, and hiked up to the Governor Dick Tower,
about a 1.3 mile hike up Governor Dick hill, and then another 66 foot climb to the top of the tower, all of this in order to spot the location of a letterbox.
It was worth it, offering some nice views. There is something about watching hawks fly below me that I find fascinating. I am told on a clear day, you can see Hersheypark from the tower. This was not a clear day. In any case, I found the letterbox, and stolled back down.
Just as an aside, some may be wondering who Governor Dick might have been. Well, turns out he was not a governor at all, but rather a laborer from the local Cornwall Furnace. Everyone called him "Governor", and for some reason or another the land was named such. The tower was built some years afterwards, in 1954 to be exact, and was in very good shape when I visited. Oh well, enough of the history lesson, back the the report.
I ventured northward to Pine Grove, near Fort Indiantown Gap, where Twin Grove park is. The park itself is now a large KOA campground, with a new restaurant, large pool, ice cream shop, and a few rides, including a carousel,
ferris wheel,
kiddie whip
and what I was really there to see, and hopefully ride, the Airplane ride, AKA, the only existing Traver Circle Swing left. I would be somewhat disappointed, the ride was not yet running, but it did go from looking like this,
to looking like this:
It is a lovely sight, and I can't wait until it is finally put back into operation and running again. Truly a fine piece of amusement park history.
The whole area looks much improved since my last visit. They have constructed a new band shell,
a fantastic carousel building,
and an arcade. I have also read they have a Cuddle Up in storage that they hope to restore and run sometime next season.
I left the park and headed across the street to Swatara State Park for more letterboxes (a nice 3 mile walk) and then headed to Williams Grove Park, arriving there at about 6.
I found Ms Hughs at the front gate collecting the cash box, and asked if she wanted my admission (a mere $3 if I recall), and in her thick German accent she just says on no, just head on in. OK, no problem, I head over to the mushroom and get a few ride tickets, and then head off to the Cyclone, where I hopped into the front seat.
I have said it before, and I will say it again, the Cyclone at Williams Grove Park is the scariest coaster on the face of the planet. It is not the tallest, nor the fastest, nor even the most violent (though I would stay out of the back seat if I were you), it simply looks like it is going to fall out from under you at any moment. And nothing has this effect more dr
Message updated 8/7/2005 8:47:58 PM by Cyclonic
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