Paxtang Park

Paxtang Park was a 40-acre (160,000 m2) trolley park near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It existed from 1823 to 1929 between Derry Street and Paxton Street along Spring Creek. The park contained two roller coasters, the Coaster Flyer and the Jack Rabbit.

History

Paxtang Park was leased to the East Harrisburg Street Electric Railway Company on July 19, 1893, for a ten-year term. Plans included constructing a fence surrounding the property, though the park would remain free entry, a pavilion to hold several hundred people, new shaded areas, benches, and a "gravity railroad" (or scenic railway) for the following season.[1][2] The gravity railroad was not installed in 1894, nor was it ever operational; it wasn't until 1905 that the park added its first roller coaster - Coaster Flyer.[3][4] This was a Figure 8 roller coaster and operated from 1905 until 1922.

In 1922, the railroad company announced they would not renew the lease on the grounds of Paxtang Park for a fourth lease - they had renewed twice before in 1903 and 1913. They were no longer able to afford the costs of operating the park, so they announced 1922 would be the final season of Paxtang Park.[5] However, in August, an amusement company from Newark, New Jersey was able to take control of the lease from the railroad company. They pledged many improvements to the park, which included a new roller coaster and other amusements.

The park had some success, however by the late 1920s, they were struggling to open the park before the Fourth of July, when it used to open before Memorial Day, and they were missing tax payments. In 1930, Steelton Bank and Trust took control of the property, and sold off the amusements and other things at a sale. The park was closed and never reopened.

References
  1. "Will Improve The Resort - Several Thousand Dollars To Be Spent in Improving Paxtang". Harrisburg Telegraph. July 20, 1893. p. 1.
  2. "Paxtang Park - Attractions Which Will Be Added to the Grounds in a Short Time". Harrisburg Daily Independent. July 20, 1893. p. 1.
  3. "Big Force of Men Now Working on the New Roller Coaster". Harrisburg Daily Independent. May 15, 1905. p. 2.
  4. Marden, Duane. "Coaster Flyer  (Paxtang Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  5. "Paxtang Park Is To Be Abandoned After This Year". Harrisburg Telegraph. March 15, 1922. p. 1.


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