FORMER PARKS EPISODE 1: A ROLLER COASTER AS HIGH AS THE SKY IN HAZLETON PA

Opening in 1957, Angela Park had one roller coaster with a height of 26 feet..

That was pretty immense for its time.

Of course the Phoenix at Knoebels is 78 feet high.. And the Skyrush at Hershey towers above that at a huge 213 feet..

But this was 1957.. 26 feet was a big thing after all.

The park had a large pool.. it had a bandshell, a train, as well as other rides.

The park, owned by the family of former Hazleton Mayor and Congressman Lou Barletta, closed in the late 80s and only a few buildings, foundations, and the area where the swimming pool used to be remains..

Angela Park was an amusement park located along PA Route 309 in Butler Township, seven miles north of Hazleton, Pennsylvania and operated from 1957 through 1988.

Here is some quick history on ownership: It was owned and operated as part of the Barletta Family enterprises until 1985. It was sold to Mirth Master Corp. of Chester County, PA, who operated the park until 1988. Owners filed for bankruptcy in 1988. In 1990, the rides and equipment were auctioned off. During the late 1990s, many of the buildings were razed. During the 2000s, the former park served as a training field for Lackawanna College training program for Lackawanna County police officers..

The name? The idea of an amusement park at this location originated with Angeline Barletta (1896–1952), the matriarch of the Barletta Family who had immigrated to Hazleton, Pennsylvania, from Italy in 1911..

The family owned land and Angeline reportedly wanted to develop the land into a amusement park. She died suddenly.. at that point, planning and construction took place during 1955 and 1956 and by the spring of 1957 Angela Park, named in honor of Angeline, was ready to open.

The rest became history.

Angela Park opened on Mother’s Day, May 12, 1957.

The original manager, Joe Barletta, was featured in the Hazleton Standard Speaker when the park was set to open.

Adults and kids were welcome.. the park had seven rides, roller skating, dancing, and an arcade.

While things were going well, and the park was being booked by a number of local groups to have parties, Angela Park did not have a complete hitch-less opening year.

In August of 1957, Philadelphia’s famed Sally Starr failed to show for a planned event. Instead of her, park goers were treated to *(or punished by?) a ventriloquist.

In November 1957, tragedy struck near Angela Park. Walter Harris, who had local fame in Hazleton, was killed instantly in a one car crash near the park. While the park had nothing to do with the accident, its notoriety led to headlines being printed using its name in the event of the death..

You should be happy to hear that there is a little taste of Angela Park that still exist: The Porky Pig Eater that was talked about before.

For years now, Porky has been happily still eating paper at Knoebels. He is the ham of history. And we are glad he still exists.

The pighead

So of all the things famous at Angela Park? A pig. Seriously.. The landmark at the park was a little small rectangular box shaped building with a big face on it saying “feed me paper.” Kids at the time loved it! They would shove paper into the Porky happy paper eater.

Throughout the 1960s more rides were added to Angela Park.

In the 70s, a driving range was included.

By the 80s, there was a sale. The Barlettas gave up.. In 1985, the Mirth Master Corporation bought Angela Park for $1.2 million. In the next four years, profits dwindled and the park fell into debt.. Big debt–and a bankruptcy declaration.

ANGELA’S ASHES

It was over..But people held out some hope.

There were efforts to raise money for Angela Park. Hazleton Pediatrician Robert Childs spearheaded a group that wanted to keep Angela operating. It needed lots of funding fast.

Eventually, the efforts failed. The bank seized the property and put the park up for sale at $2 million..

Local efforts to raise money and keep Angela moving ended.

And it ended with an insult from another theme park!

In December 1989, the Wilkes Barre TIMES LEADER reported that Dorney Park disputed rumors it wanted to buy some rides from Angela. They went on to call those rides mundane.. generic. They didn’t want them! Too plain for Dorney standards..

But while some turned down the chance to own some history, be honored that the antique car ride is in a New Jersey park and several of the dodgem bumper cars operate at Knoebels until today.

In 1990, the last ‘event’ at the park took place: The auction of rides…

It was Monday March 26, 1990. Weather reports called it cold and overcast..

While everything was done that could have been done to save the park, it was not meant to be. The 30 years of history ended.]

But according to reports at the time in the Pottsville REPUBLICAN, the biggest indignity was that no one made a big to buy the park’s wooden roller coaster. After the auction, someone stepped forward and paid $1,000 to take it off the auctioneer’s hands.

Before the park closed, a video was taken in 1987 of normal kids just enjoying a normal summer day at Angela Park..

But back to the roller coaster?

It was demolished over safety concerns in 1991..

x x x

BUT BACK TO THE PIGHEAD..

The pig head, famous at Angela Park, lives on..

You can find him at Knoebels. At least something that looks like him! Some readers have informed us that it is simply an urban legend .. this is NOT Pighead.. But.. sure looks like him? So the spirit lives on?

You can feed him paper. He likes paper. Pighead did at Angela Park, too.