Looking back: Eldora Park
James Wickerham was among the attractions during the early days of Eldora Park, when visitors could purchase souvenir photographic portraits of themselves.
A family poses in front of the Figure Eight roller coaster, believed to have been built in Eldora Park by L.F. Ingersoll, who went on to build famous attractions at Kennywood Park.
Like all buildings in Eldora Park, the dance pavilion’s roofline was strung with lights at a time when most Mon Valley houses did not have electricity.
The layout of Eldora park.
Back in 1901, Eldora Park opened off of Route 837 in Carroll Township on land owned by the Wickerham family. The only way to get to it was via the Charleroi Interurban trolley line, and it was constructed specifically to encourage use of the trolley service, hence its title as a “trolley park.” Eldora Park featured a roller coaster, dance hall, restaurant and merry-go-round. Labor and socialist events were held at the park, including a union support rally that featured Mother Jones, aka Mary Harris Jones, a prominent labor and community organizer in her time. The dance hall closed in 1927 so that it could be used as a roller skating rink during the winter, and World War II furthered the park’s demise. According to historical records, the Girl Scouts began leasing the grounds in 1946 and holding camp there. Today, a walkway and wooden lamp posts are all that remain – but they are nostalgic reminders of the area’s history.
For more information, visit www.eldorapark.com.