Knoebels Amusement Resort () is a family-owned and operated

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as precedi ...

grove, and

campground A campsite, also known as a campground or camping pitch, is a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using ten ...

in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1926, it is America's largest free-admission park. The park has more than 60 rides including three wooden

roller coaster A roller coaster, or rollercoaster, is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Passengers ride along the track in open cars, and the rides ar ...

s, three steel roller coasters, a 1913

carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in SA) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular pla ...

, and a

haunted house A haunted house, spook house or ghost house in ghostlore is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the prope ...

dark ride. The amusement park is owned and operated by the Knoebel (pronounced ''kuh-NO-bel'') family, who also operate a lumber yard next to the park. The park's name has traditionally been spelled "Knoebels" without the apostrophe, and appears that way on all official park advertising and correspondence. The park straddles the line between

Northumberland Northumberland () is a ceremonial counties of England, county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Ab ...

and

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

Counties. The complex is mainly in the Columbia County townships of

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U ...

and Franklin and is in Ralpho Township on the Northumberland County side of the South Branch Roaring Creek. The park and its rides have won awards from organizations such as ''Amusement Today'', American Coaster Enthusiasts, and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. In 2014,

Travel Channel Travel Channel (stylized as Trvl Channel since 2018) is an American pay television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, which had previously owned the channel from 1997 to 2007. The channel is headquartered in New York, New York, United ...

rated Knoebels one of their Top 10 Family Friendly Amusement Parks in the United States.

History

Knoebels is located in a small wooded valley in central

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

. The valley, originally known as "Peggy's Farm", with its

creek A creek in North America and elsewhere, such as Australia, is a stream that is usually smaller than a river. In the British Isles it is a small tidal inlet. Creek may also refer to: People * Creek people, also known as Muscogee, Native Americans ...

-fed swimming hole, was a popular

destination in the early 20th century, attracting Sunday travelers and horse-drawn hayride wagons. Henry Knoebel, who farmed in the area, tended the horses and later sold soft drinks,

ice cream Ice cream is a sweetened frozen food typically eaten as a snack or dessert. It may be made from milk or cream and is flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit such as ...

, and snacks to the visitors. As the popularity of "Knoebels Grove" grew, Knoebel leased plots of

land Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of the planet Earth that is not submerged by the ocean or other bodies of water. It makes up 29% of Earth's surface and includes the continents and various isl ...

along the creeks for use as summer cottage sites. Some of these privately owned cottages, as well as cottages Knoebel built and rented, still exist in the park today. In 1926, Knoebel added a restaurant, a steam-powered

Philadelphia Toboggan Company Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry Auchey and Chester Albright under the name Philadelphia ...

, and a few simple games to his grove, marking the beginning of Knoebels Amusement Park. On July 4, 1926, he opened a large concrete

swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...

on the site of the old swimming hole. Featuring a filtration system that provided clean water instead of muddy creek water, the pool was named "The Crystal Pool". Since then, the park has developed around the pool, adding 50 rides, assorted games, concession stands, and other attractions. A campground with six sites opened behind the amusement park in 1962, and as of 2004, the campground covered with 500 sites. On June 22, 1972, the creeks that run through Knoebels, swollen with heavy rains from

Hurricane Agnes Hurricane Agnes in 1972 was the costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time, causing an estimated $2.1 billion in damage. The hurricane's death toll was 128. The effects of Agnes were widespread, from the Caribbean to Canada, ...

, rose over their banks. The flood destroyed six cottages and damaged many other buildings, including 24 of 25 rides and the park's

roller rink A roller rink is a hard surface usually consisting of hardwood or concrete, used for roller skating or inline skating. This includes roller hockey, speed skating, roller derby, and individual recreational skating. Roller rinks can be located i ...

. The roller rink building was re-floored and used as a skating rink until the mid-1980s, when it was converted into the "Roaring Creek Saloon", which now contains a concession stand, an arcade, the XD Theater, and performances. A new building constructed after the flood became the Haunted Mansion, where the Haunted Mansion dark ride opened in 1973. The ride has been recognized as one of America's best dark rides by organizations,such as Dark Ride, Funhouse Enthusiasts and the National Amusement Park Historical Association. The park again suffered major flooding in 1975, 1996, 2004, 2006, and 2011. Each caused substantial damage, but the 1975 and 1996 floods occurred during the off-season. Although the January 1996 flood left substantial damage, the worst occurred after the waters receded, when everything froze, making cleanup and repair throughout the amusement park difficult. The September 2004 flood, caused by the remnants of

Hurricane Ivan Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atl ...

, was only a half-day affair and Knoebels staff had the amusement park partially reopened by mid-afternoon. On June 28, 2006, a flood second only to the Agnes flood struck Knoebels. About 90 percent of the amusement park was under water just prior to the July 4th weekend. As the waters began to recede, Knoebels staff was able to reopen over 60 percent of its attractions within two days and 90 percent within four days. Because over 100 tons of mud had to be dug out of the Crystal Pool, it required 10 days to be operational. The last ride to return to operation was the Kiddie Panther Cars, whose repairs took almost three weeks. In 2008, the park’s dark ride was the subject of a one-hour documentary, "Laff In The Dark’s Behind The Scenes At Knoebel’s Haunted House". On September 7, 2011, Knoebels experienced its most recent flood, caused by

Tropical Storm Lee The name Lee has been used for seven tropical cyclones worldwide. In the Atlantic, it replaced the name '' Lenny''. In the Atlantic: * Tropical Storm Lee (2005), a short-lived, minimal tropical storm * Tropical Storm Lee (2011), a strong tropical ...

. Water levels neared those of the flood of 1972 and damages exceeded that flood. The majority of the park reopened the following weekend, having missed only two days of operation. For the 2013 season, Knoebels added StratosFear, the park's tallest ride at , which quickly became a top thrill for everyone. In 2015 a new roller coaster opened, named the "Impulse", that replaced two former rides, the bumper boats and boat tag, both of which had been losing popularity, while maintenance costs became increasingly high. In 2016, Knoebels celebrated its 90th anniversary and opened The Nickle Plate Bar and Grill at Knoebels Three Ponds Golf Club. On July 23, 2018, Knoebels was flooded when a creek overflowed and flooded the park. About 150 employees were at the park cleaning up. The park then flooded again on July 25, 2018. The park reopened on July 27, 2018.

Admissions

The park offers free admission, free parking, and free entertainment. Visitors are able to ride the park's attractions by purchasing either pay-one-price, all-day/unlimited-access wristbands (which are not usually available on weekends, except near the beginning and end of each season), limited-access hand stamps or books of tickets, with hand stamp costs varying depending on the height of the rider. Knoebels has several hand stamp options, such as "Sundown Plan" and "Bargain Nights", when the park offers discounts on regular ride passes. Knoebels all-day passes do not include the Haunted Mansion or the Crystal Pool, which are additional fees. The "Scenic Skyway", Black Diamond, and the

Flying Turns Flying Turns is the name of a specific model of bobsled roller coaster. John Norman Bartlett, a British aviator in World War I, came to North America after the war with an idea for a trackless wooden chute, full of twists like a bobsled course ...

were also an additional fee when opened, but they have since been included in most pay-one-price plans.

Rides and attractions

Roller coasters

Knoebels has six operating

s. Knoebels' two main wooden roller coasters are well known, with Phoenix consistently rated in the top ten lists and Twister ranking high as well.

Carousels

Knoebels has two

s: one small merry-go-round in Kiddieland (added in 1976) which was built by Stein & Goldstein in 1910; and the Grand Carousel, a 1913 carousel built by Kremer's Carousel Works in

Long Island City Long Island City (LIC) is a residential and commercial neighborhood on the extreme western tip of Queens, a borough in New York City. It is bordered by Astoria to the north; the East River to the west; New Calvary Cemetery in Sunnyside to th ...

, with a frame by Charles I. D. Looff, (1852–1918), and 63 hand-carved horses by

Charles Carmel Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...

(1869–1931). It was purchased on January 26, 1942, from Riverside Park in Piscataway Township, New Jersey, for $4,000 (equal to $ today) and relocated to Knoebels. Today, the Knoebels Grand Carousel is one of the largest carousels in the world, with 63 horses and 3 chariots. It is one of the few carousels remaining with a working ring dispenser, allowing riders on the outside row of horses to reach out and grab steel rings as they pass. The rider who grabs the brass ring receives the cost of the ride in tickets, making the ride free. Three band or fairground organs provide music for the riders. The largest, "the Frati," was built in Germany in 1888 by Frati & Co. Berlin, and was converted to artisan roles in the 1920s. The smaller, outside organ is "the Berni," a 1910 Gebruder Bruder, style 107, sold in the US by the August Berni Organ Company in New York. The Frati and Berni have operated at Knoebels since its purchase in 1942. The smallest one is a Wilhem Bruder organ, model 79, converted to a

Wurlitzer The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

125 duplex roll system, and restored in 1996. The Grand Carousel has always been voted the best carousel in the Golden Ticket Awards competition held by ''Amusement Today'' since 2007. The carousel competition was retired in 2019, because the Grand Carousel had been undefeated. Today, the Grand Carousel is the second-oldest ride in the park. The S&G Carousel is the oldest at 108 years old in the 2018 season.

Trains

The park operates two separate

miniature railways A ridable miniature railway (US: riding railroad or grand scale railroad) is a large scale, usually ground-level railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are often models of full-sized railway locomotives (powered by diesel or pet ...

Other rides and attractions

In addition to a

Ferris wheel A Ferris wheel (also called a Giant Wheel or an observation wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as passenger cars, cabins, tubs, gondolas, capsule ...

(Known as the Giant Wheel), a

log flume A log flume is a watertight flume constructed to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain using flowing water. Flumes replaced horse- or oxen-drawn carriages on dangerous mountain trails in the late 19th century. Logging operations pre ...

, and a Chute-the-Chutes ride named "Sklooosh!" (after the sound wet sneakers make), Haunted Mansion( a 3-minute dark ride that is consistently rated as one of the best traditional haunted houses) and one of the last remaining Fascination parlors in the United States, the park maintains more than 63 rides, including: Knoebels will refurbish and open a Bayern Kurve for 2023.

Former rides

*1001 Nacht, Huss/Weber 1001 Nights *Axis, Zamperla Mixer *Boat Tag *Bumper Boats *Eli Ferris Wheel *Flying Cages *Fire Ball *Frog Hopper *German Carousel *Hey Dey, a combination of whip and tilt-a-whirl, removed by 1930 *High Speed Thrill Coaster, Overland kiddie coaster *Jet Star, Schwarzkopf portable Jet Star roller coaster *Kiddie Carousel, Allan Herschell aluminum ponies, replaced by the S&G Carousel *Kiddie Cars, Allan Herschell aluminum casts *Kiddie Planes *Kiddie Wheel, possibly destroyed in 1972 flood *Lindy Loop *Merry-go-round, Gallagher model replaced by the Grand Carousel, sold to Toby Park and destroyed in hurricane *Moon Rocker *Spindle *Space Ship, raised up and converted into Sky Slide *Strat-O-Ship *Over The Top, SBF/Visa. Operated for only a few weeks in the 2018 season before being removed due to countless complications. *Wipeout, which resembles the old ride Trabant. Removed following the 2020 season. *Whip, an 8-car model replaced by the 12-car Whipper *Whirlwind, Vekoma portable Whirlwind roller coaster

Restaurants and food

Knoebels has restaurants throughout the park, both sit-down and counter service in nature. These eateries have contributed toward the park winning awards from organizations which judge amusement park food, including ''Amusement Today's''

Golden Ticket Award ''Amusement Today'' is a monthly periodical that features articles, news, pictures and reviews about all things relating to the amusement park industry, including parks, rides, and ride manufacturers. The trade newspaper, which is based in Arl ...

for Best Food every year since 2000, until

Dollywood Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains. Hosting nearly 3 ...

narrowly edged Knoebels in 2012, and both parks tied for first place in 2013. Knoebels reclaimed the prize in 2015 and 2016. It lost again to Dollywood in 2017, but snatched the prize back in 2018. The primary sit-down restaurant at the park is the Alamo. Counter service restaurants include Cesari's Pizza, Oasis Cafeteria, Phoenix Junction Steakhouse and the International Food Court. Food ranges from "Famous Fresh Cut French Fries",

pierogi Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savory or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, ...

(a mashed potato filled East European dumpling) and potato cakes to Bison Burgers and Gator Bites to milkshakes and homemade fudge. The park also features novelty items like the pickle on a stick, caramel

apple chips Apple chips are chips or crisps that are prepared using apple. When stale, apple chips become drier and crispier. Contrary to modern belief, apple chips do not become chewier when stale, only harder. Apple chips may be fried, deep fried, vacu ...

, and cheese on a stick. The park's Cesari's Pizza and the International Food Court were featured on a

Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ...

special. The alligator bites served at the International Food Court were selected by Delish.com as one of the top seven daring amusement park foods. The Nickle Plate Bar & Grill is a casual dining restaurant at Three Ponds Golf Course

Three Ponds Golf Course

Knoebels Three Ponds Golf Course is located on

Pennsylvania Route 487 Pennsylvania Route 487 (PA 487) is a , north–south state highway running from PA 61 in Shamokin Township, Northumberland County, to PA 87 (near its intersection with US 220) in Dushore, Sullivan County. In Bloomsburg, PA 487 and US 1 ...

roughly a quarter mile from the park and campground. It is a par 71 eighteen-hole golf course which provides two very different nine-hole layouts. The front nine holes are located on the side of the mountain which provides the golfer with numerous elevation changes from tee to green. The back nine holes are located in the valley. The back nine landscape is less dramatic but still offers numerous challenges such as water and various risk-reward approach shots. The prices for the course vary from $23 to $40, with reduced rates for 9-hole games. The park also offers discounted golf passes to guests at the Knoebels campsite.

Accident history

In 1999, an attorney representing two girls who sustained injuries while riding the Speed Slide discovered 15 injuries had been reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Ride and Measurement Standards in recent years, including six other reports of injuries to riders' genital areas. Both girls underwent emergency surgery. The park was charged with

negligence Negligence (Lat. ''negligentia'') is a failure to exercise appropriate and/or ethical ruled care expected to be exercised amongst specified circumstances. The area of tort law known as ''negligence'' involves harm caused by failing to act as ...

, failure to monitor the amount of force of the water and its effect on riders, failure to fix defects, and failure to provide adequate warnings to riders. Both of the plaintiffs fully recovered.

References

External links

Knoebels Amusement Resort official site
*
Park history
* {{Authority control Amusement parks in Pennsylvania 1926 establishments in Pennsylvania Tourist attractions in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania Tourist attractions in Columbia County, Pennsylvania Buildings and structures in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania Buildings and structures in Columbia County, Pennsylvania Family-owned companies of the United States