Williams Grove?

Hey I have that shirt too RGB. I couldn't believe the park was only charging 8 bucks for it, as I would've paid twice that. One of my most treasured park souvenirs!

I would like to see the Carousel moved to Lakemont. They sold theirs off years ago and this would make the park more complete. One benefit of this might be to draw some former Williams Grove patrons to the Altoona park, especially those that live somewhere between the parks.

It doesn't hurt that Lakemont already has a decent conventional wooden coaster (Skyliner) along with that one-of-a-kind relic from early coaster days (Leap-the-Dips).

^^ And here I thought I had a one of a kind fashion piece. :) Well, at least they sold a few of them.

^ WG's Twister is far better than the one at Lakemont. WG's is manually controlled, so the ops made sure every car got to spin, or stop spinning if the riders cried uncle. I stopped counting one cycle after 24 revolutions in a row. If any other park could take care of a ride like that, it would have to be Knoebels.

Lakemont's on the other hand, I rode twice and didn't go around a single time.

Just a question-- is Williams Grove Park and Speedway all one property? Or are they on separate lots under the same ownership? I got the idea the owners are looking to sell just the park and keep the speedway, as long as the new owners maintain it as a park. Gets harder to do that as you sell off more and more rides though.

Lakemonts has the hand brake. They just don't use it and the ride never spins because of it.

Lakemonts spider on the other hand can when it's greased, Spin you into submission.

Williams Grove park and speedway are on oposite sides of a road that seems to me that the road was named Park drive or something like that. It will be sad to loose that park and the sadder thing is that nobody would step forward to operate it. Not buy it, Not lease it, OPERATE IT!!

Chuck, who says you could park at the speedway and walk across the street for free but I also think there was a back entrance to the park also.

There was a back enterance. It was mainly used for "groups" (company picnics and the like), and perhaps "over flow" on busy days (did they ever have "busy days" in the last three decades?) It was located on the opposite side of the park... you entered somewhere near the pond... er... I mean "Lake"... or the Carrousel, or the turnaround of the Cyclone. You had to cross the tracks of the RR spur between the park and this parking area. For the most part, it is the open fields used by the Grange for their activities. *** Edited 7/20/2006 12:42:29 PM UTC by SLFAKE***

A few more items:

My father worked for the phone company from the time he graduated from HS to the time he retired, and in late 1960's / early 1970's his "company picnic" used to be at Williams Grove.

- While I love dark rides now... I can remember my first (and only) ride on Dante's Inferno (or what ever it was called) back then. It scared the crap out of me! My eyes were closed most of the ride and I was practically in hysterics by the time we emerged back into the day light.

- The current Carrousel... how old is that? Either it is a replacement for the one I remember back in the early 1970's, or it has been rehabed extensively. I could be imagining things, but I thought I remembered the carousell in the 1970's being more in a "building" type structure rather than just "under roof" as the current one. I seem to remember looking up and seeing missing windows. Considering the state that the building was in (at least in my memory), I certainly can see why it may have been replaced. The carrousel back then also seemed to be in sad shape, even to my then 4 or 5 year old mind.

- The Cyclone (or was it the Zipper back then) was scary looking even then.

- I also distinctly remember a kiddie coaster... and it was not the steel one that is there now. I am not sure of the name of it, but we always referred to it as the "Little Dipper". I seem to remember red trains. I also seem to remember that it was wood... but I could be wrong on this. If you were coming in the back entrance (the "Groups Entrance"), it would have been on your left, not far past the Carrousel, just before you got to the "lake". Anyone else have ANY memory of this? Am I remembering it correctly, or has my memory faded over the years? I know there definately was a kiddie coaster there... I just don't know if I have the details correct. I've been trying to figure this out for the past few years since this would have been my first coaster. Even contacting the park two seasons ago with the question came up empty.