- Last Updated on Friday, 28 February 2025 18:02
You’ve heard of Eldora Park before, but had no idea where it was. Now is your chance to satisfy your curiosity. After eight years of successful tours, the Donora Historical Society has scheduled their ninth annual Eldora Park Walking Tours for Saturday, April 26 at 12:00 noon and Sunday, April 27 at 1:00 pm.
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Located three miles west of Donora, Eldora Park opened in 1904 to an overwhelming throng of five thousand people. Compared to the more famous trolley parks, the amusements were relatively meager: a gravity roller coaster, a carousel, a “bamboo” slide, and games of chance and skill. Just as important were the picnic pavilions, the bandstand and dance pavilion (converted into a roller rink in the winter), an “Electric Theater,” a picture gallery, a restaurant, and curiously Landfeld’s Men’s Clothing Store. Still, this tiny, out-of-the-way trolley park was able to attract world renowned speakers and performers.
These tours on April 26 and 27 will be the only Eldora Park tours this year. Names, phone numbers and email addresses are now being accepted and added to a RSVP signup list. It’s anticipated that both tours will fill up, so please respond with your flexibility for each of the two dates. You will be contacted by phone or email to confirm your RSVP. If you can’t make this year’s tour, it’s encouraged that you still contact the Historical Society to get on a RSVP reminder list for next year.
The tours will start at the Smog Museum (595 McKean Avenue) with a photo and newspaper article presentation highlighting the amenities and personalities mentioned above. Two century-old Eldora Park panoramic photos will also be featured. The presenter will be Smog Museum curator and archivist Brian Charlton.
The tour groups will then drive the three miles to the Eldora section of Carroll Township to conduct the walking tour portion on the historic Wickerham farm, retracing the trolley line and trample through the wooded footprint of the original park with the help of one of the Wickerham descendants.
Two hiking routes can be taken, one more demanding than the other. You may do as much hiking as you’d like to see the ruins and understand where the park amenities once existed a century ago. Three guides will be on hand to tell stories, point out ruins, and guide the groups. The cost is $12 per person and you should allow two hours for the presentation and walking tour. Appropriate footwear is suggested due to potentially wet or muddy conditions on portions of the trail. Hiking or walking sticks are also encouraged. Space will be limited for each tour.
If you have any questions about our Eldora Park Walking Tours, please consult our website and click on “Donora History” then “Eldora Park Walking Tour” tab, or contact the Historical Society.
The Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum is located at 595 McKean Avenue or at the intersection of Sixth and McKean in the heart of Donora. If you have additional questions, feel free to stop by or email us at DonoraHistoricalSociety@gmail.com or by calling 724-823-0364 and leave a message. All messages will be returned within a few days.
