Dorney Park was
founded by Solomon Dorney in 1884. The park was owned by Dorney
until the early 1900s, when Jacob Plarr assumed ownership. The Plarr
family operated the park until 1985, with the exception of a brief
period during which it was owned and operated by the local trolley
company, the Allentown-Kutztown Traction Company.
Originally a simple fish hatchery,
Dorney Park expanded to include a hotel, casino, bowling alley,
Ferris wheel, carousel, roller coaster, roller-skating rink,
railroad rides, and many traditional mechanized rides and modern
amusements. The park is known today as Dorney Park and Wildwater
Kingdom.
Dorney Park illustrates the
development of one of America’s greatest historic amusement parks.
Among the vintage photographs and postcards one will find images of
the Mill Chute, or the Tunnel of Love, as it was also known; the old
wooden roller coaster under construction; the Zephyr train, a
headliner in the park for many years; Castle Garden; the original
Dentzel carousel; the racetrack; and the merry-go-rounds that were
once a major attraction at the park.
Wally Ely grew up within walking
distance of Dorney Park. He produced a segment featuring Bob Ott and
the Dorney Park Zephyr for the RCN cable television magazine show
Time Out Lehigh Valley, which was voted the viewers’ choice for the
most popular segment in the show’s fifteen-year history. Bob Ott,
one-time owner of the park, shares his photographs, postcards, and
experiences with Wally Ely to bring the history of Dorney Park to
life.
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