Hi Arthur - I always enjoy your columns, but want to point out in your recent article that Lakeside Amusement Park is not a trolley park. I know its been included in other lists but it does not meet the qualifications. A trolley park is not an old amusement park or one one a trolley line but an amusement park where a trolley company built it or played a significant role in its development. Lakeside was developed by the Lakeside Realty and Amusement Company which was founded by brewer Adolph Zang for the specific purpose of building an amusement resort (and to sell his beer). Trolley parks were built to generate traffic on the trolley line, making money as an amusement resort was a secondary consideration. Lakeside was founded to make money as an amusement resort and according to David Fosyth's comprehensive history, the trolley was not extended to the park until the decision to build it was made by Zang. He further goes on to say that amusement park owners had to convince the trolley companies to extend the lines to their property. The park does however, play an irreplaceable role as the last example of an exposition park, an amusement park style created by Luna Park in Coney Island. In addition, another trolley park Bushkill Park in Easton, PA has reopened and is being restored after being closed for several years due to flooding.
My siblings, parents, grandparents and possibly great grandparents all enjoyed Whalom Park.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whalom_Park
Hi Arthur - I always enjoy your columns, but want to point out in your recent article that Lakeside Amusement Park is not a trolley park. I know its been included in other lists but it does not meet the qualifications. A trolley park is not an old amusement park or one one a trolley line but an amusement park where a trolley company built it or played a significant role in its development. Lakeside was developed by the Lakeside Realty and Amusement Company which was founded by brewer Adolph Zang for the specific purpose of building an amusement resort (and to sell his beer). Trolley parks were built to generate traffic on the trolley line, making money as an amusement resort was a secondary consideration. Lakeside was founded to make money as an amusement resort and according to David Fosyth's comprehensive history, the trolley was not extended to the park until the decision to build it was made by Zang. He further goes on to say that amusement park owners had to convince the trolley companies to extend the lines to their property. The park does however, play an irreplaceable role as the last example of an exposition park, an amusement park style created by Luna Park in Coney Island. In addition, another trolley park Bushkill Park in Easton, PA has reopened and is being restored after being closed for several years due to flooding.