Exploring Bethlehem -- Willow Park

No video

Exploring Bethlehem -- Willow Park

Рет қаралды 1,566

Күн бұрын

There’s very little left to indicate that there was once a thriving amusement park located along Willow Park Road in Butztown, but for the better part of four decades, Willow Park was the place to go in the summer.
Let’s visit a simpler time and relive some sights, sounds and smells of an old fashioned park where families and small groups gathered, where teens met, dated and hung out and where people had wholesome fun.

Пікірлер: 17

@jodyschlamb1863 2 ай бұрын

Willow Park was right down the street from me. I live on Carter Rd. I remember going to the park as a kid, but it was sold to Posh Construction when I was 6 years old. We were all very upset about that. My mom grew up on Carter Rd and spent her entire childhood and teen years at Willow Park, every summer. She has lots of old pictures. My whole family has fond memories of that place.

@stephenpaul9165 6 ай бұрын

I’ve been down that road and at pallet pro I don’t know how many times and never knew about this. I wondered why it was called willow park rd. Thanks for the history lesson

@debbycsrenko1312 4 ай бұрын

My home away from home in my teen years.

@lorumipsum1129 6 ай бұрын

I just visited the park a few weeks ago. You can still tell were things were for the most part, as well as the paths

@stephenrivera4382 8 ай бұрын

Thanks again, Mark! Not being a native Pennsylvanian (moved to PA in 1976), I really appreciate your sharing of the places and events that shaped Bethlehem’s history. 👍

@markiampietro6225 8 ай бұрын

You're welcome...enjoy!

@huggybear9937 18 күн бұрын

I grew up in Easton Pennsylvania my parents spoke about the park often I now live in Florida

@donaldcorrell2518 3 ай бұрын

As a teenager in the 50s I worked summers at the park running rides. Once when I was bored I got on the whip and reached out and turned the ride on. Ooops! Couldn’t turn it off so rode until the boss came to stop the ride. He was not happy!

@damianhowland9759 9 ай бұрын

The year was 1962 I was 6 years young and had my first encounter with racism at Willow Park, my babysitter who is a white female and I happen to be black took me swimming in Willow pool, shortly after getting in the pool one of the employees came over to me and said I wasn't allowed in pool so needless to say I was escorted out of the pool with my baby sitter heading back home to wait for my mother to get off of work. The babysitter described the incident to my mother she was outraged & immediately got a cab to Willow Park Whatever she said to them all I know is that I was in that pool the next day. As I got older I found out that Willow Park was notorious for turning away black church groups. As I drive by the one standing building that was the entrance to the pool I can't help but be reminded of the poison of racism 66 years ago. But now I'm happy to experience how far we've come as a culture in "Freemansburg " how ironic

@jodyschlamb1863 2 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing. I'm sorry that happened to you. Good for your mom! I would've done the same thing she did.

@charlierod7996 Жыл бұрын

I drive on this road very often and always wondered how and where the Willow Park amusement park was situated.... Now I know... Great job Mark!!!

@joelfrombethlehem Жыл бұрын

I was born in 1956 and I do remember Willow Park rather vaguely. Probably 1966, 67, 68, & 1969. I remember the swimming pool's water being very cold at times.

@eojkev 2 ай бұрын

I was told that they closed the park because someone either were injured or killed on the ride called the Wildcat. My sisters all told me this when I was a child. Does anyone know if that was true?

@d4ever649 Жыл бұрын

Why did I expect the amusement park ruins to still be there

@tmcnicho Жыл бұрын

Right there with ya. I was sure there’s be some kind of foundation at least.

@markiampietro6225 9 ай бұрын

If you were to venture into the overgrown area, you would find remains of the park's infrastructure.

@jodyschlamb1863 2 ай бұрын

@@markiampietro6225 I think there might be remains of the picnic pavilion which, if I remember correctly, was up a slight hill. You had to climb concrete steps, I think. I was only at the park from birth until age 6 but I remember picnics in the pavilion. My memory is fuzzy.