A week ago — Saturday, Nov. 15 — wrecking crews from Stell Enterprises eradicated what was left of the park, including the historic pavilion and the ballroom where everyone from local celebrities like Eddie Day and the StarFires and Joe Nardone and the All-Stars to nationally famous acts like the Supremes and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons once graced the stage.
Now everything is gone, down to the paved pad where rows of plastic chairs were set up to face the stage of what was the Bud Light Amphitheater in the 1990s.
[FONT="]the overgrown property was in deplorable shape, its buildings allowed to deteriorate for the last 10 years. [/FONT]
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[FONT="] The 35-acre park will now be reduced to four single-family-home residential building lots, the largest of which is 28 acres. There are also four waterfront parcels, one of which will be used by a non-profit rowing club.
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Only one of the original Hanson’s structures will survive, although in an altered state: The roller skating rink will be renovated by owner Angelo Terrana and his wife into their summer home.
Everything else was marked for demolition. The bingo hall and arcade, the restaurant, the ballroom and Tijuana liquor stand, the row of cinderblock concessions and, after asbestos tile was removed from the ladies’ room, the restrooms.
Despite hopes it might be preserved, the century-old pavilion that dated back to the park’s beginning is also a goner. Contractors told Terrana nothing could be done with it; its wooden floor was beginning to rot.
The park started out as the Lehigh Valley Railroad picnic grounds in the early 1890s, featuring a huge dance and picnic pavilion.
Over the years, first under the direction of the Wintersteen family and then, in the 1930s, the Hansons, attractions were added: Rides, including a roller coaster, Ferris wheel and, in the pavilion, Dodgems bumper cars; a ballroom; a roller-skating rink and boat rental; a restaurant; a bingo hall.
In its heyday in the 1950s, the park attracted thousands of visitors and major musical acts drew crowds to the ballroom.
By the 1970s, attendance was starting to slump. After years of declining popularity, the Hansons closed the park in 1984 and auctioned off many of the rides.
Two are still around. The miniature train has become a fixture at Bonham’s nursing home in Huntington Township, and the carousel, which has been in the Wintersteen family since 1914 and is still owned by Mary Ann Wintersteen, is in storage.
After its life as an amusement park, Hanson’s became a concert venue. From 1992 to 1999, Wilkes-Barre businessman Thom Greco leased the land for the Bud Light Amphitheater, where big-name acts from Ani DiFranco to Johnny Cash to Sammy Hagar performed. And until 2002, summer dances were held in the ballroom.
In the autumn of 2003, Shirley Hanson sold the land to developer Ken Williams, who initially planned to develop a 135-unit townhouse complex there.
But plans changed over the years. In 2006, Terrana and Matt DePrima got involved as partners, and they downsized the project.
Williams, Terrana and DePrima have the required permissions from Harveys Lake officials, so the lots can be sold. It will be up to the buyers to build their homes and landscape them.
“I hope they keep the trees,” Terrana said.
http://harveyslake.org/text/pdf/hansons.pdf
More images for Hanson’s amusement park
Now everything is gone, down to the paved pad where rows of plastic chairs were set up to face the stage of what was the Bud Light Amphitheater in the 1990s.
[FONT="]the overgrown property was in deplorable shape, its buildings allowed to deteriorate for the last 10 years. [/FONT]
[FONT="][/FONT]
[FONT="] The 35-acre park will now be reduced to four single-family-home residential building lots, the largest of which is 28 acres. There are also four waterfront parcels, one of which will be used by a non-profit rowing club.
[/FONT]
Only one of the original Hanson’s structures will survive, although in an altered state: The roller skating rink will be renovated by owner Angelo Terrana and his wife into their summer home.
Everything else was marked for demolition. The bingo hall and arcade, the restaurant, the ballroom and Tijuana liquor stand, the row of cinderblock concessions and, after asbestos tile was removed from the ladies’ room, the restrooms.
Despite hopes it might be preserved, the century-old pavilion that dated back to the park’s beginning is also a goner. Contractors told Terrana nothing could be done with it; its wooden floor was beginning to rot.
The park started out as the Lehigh Valley Railroad picnic grounds in the early 1890s, featuring a huge dance and picnic pavilion.
Over the years, first under the direction of the Wintersteen family and then, in the 1930s, the Hansons, attractions were added: Rides, including a roller coaster, Ferris wheel and, in the pavilion, Dodgems bumper cars; a ballroom; a roller-skating rink and boat rental; a restaurant; a bingo hall.
In its heyday in the 1950s, the park attracted thousands of visitors and major musical acts drew crowds to the ballroom.
By the 1970s, attendance was starting to slump. After years of declining popularity, the Hansons closed the park in 1984 and auctioned off many of the rides.
Two are still around. The miniature train has become a fixture at Bonham’s nursing home in Huntington Township, and the carousel, which has been in the Wintersteen family since 1914 and is still owned by Mary Ann Wintersteen, is in storage.
After its life as an amusement park, Hanson’s became a concert venue. From 1992 to 1999, Wilkes-Barre businessman Thom Greco leased the land for the Bud Light Amphitheater, where big-name acts from Ani DiFranco to Johnny Cash to Sammy Hagar performed. And until 2002, summer dances were held in the ballroom.
In the autumn of 2003, Shirley Hanson sold the land to developer Ken Williams, who initially planned to develop a 135-unit townhouse complex there.
But plans changed over the years. In 2006, Terrana and Matt DePrima got involved as partners, and they downsized the project.
Williams, Terrana and DePrima have the required permissions from Harveys Lake officials, so the lots can be sold. It will be up to the buyers to build their homes and landscape them.
“I hope they keep the trees,” Terrana said.
http://harveyslake.org/text/pdf/hansons.pdf
More images for Hanson’s amusement park
