Knoebels Amusement Resort

Knoebels Amusement Resort is a family-owned and operated amusement park, picnic grove, and campground in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1926, it is the United States's largest free-admission park. The park has more than 60 rides including three wooden roller coasters, three steel roller coasters, a 1913 carousel, and two haunted house dark rides.
The amusement park is owned and operated by the Knoebel family. 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 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 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. In 1828, a local man by the name of Henry Knoebel purchased the land for $931. The valley, originally known as "Peggy's Farm", was used as farming land until the early 1900s, when a creek-fed swimming hole was introduced. Knoebel turned the property into a popular picnic destination, attracting Sunday travelers and horse-drawn hayride wagons. Soft drinks, ice cream, and snacks were sold to visitors. As the popularity of "Knoebels Grove" grew, Knoebel leased plots of land 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 on the property today.
In 1926, Knoebels added a restaurant, a steam-powered Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel, and a few simple games to the grove, marking the beginning of Knoebels Amusement Park. On July 4, 1926, a large concrete swimming pool was opened at 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 over 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, both South Branch Roaring Creek and Mugser Run, creeks that run through Knoebels, rose over their banks, swollen with heavy rains from Hurricane Agnes. The flood destroyed six cottages and damaged many other buildings, including 24 of the park's 25 rides, as well as the roller rink. 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 dark ride, which opened in 1973. The ride has been recognized as one of America's best dark rides by organizations such as Dark Ride and 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, was only a half-day affair, and the amusement park partially reopened by mid-afternoon.
On June 28, 2006, another large flood struck Knoebels. About 90 percent of the amusement park was underwater just prior to the July 4th weekend. As the waters began to recede, 60 percent of the park's attractions were reopened 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 was closed for 10 days. 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 another flood, this time caused by Tropical Storm Lee. 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. In 2015, a new roller coaster opened named Impulse, which replaced two former rides, the bumper boats and boat tag.
On July 23, 2018, Knoebels was flooded when a creek overflowed and flooded the park. About 150 employees aided in cleaning up the park. The park then flooded again on July 25, 2018. The park reopened on July 27, 2018.
In 2023, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum acquired a trolley that had been converted into a cottage at Knoebels.

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, 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.

Rides and attractions

Roller coasters

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

Carousels

Knoebels has two carousels: one small merry-go-round in Kiddieland which was built by Stein & Goldstein in 1910 of which is one of only two Stein & Goldstein carousels still standing; and Grand Carousel, a 1913 carousel built by Kremer's Carousel Works in Long Island City, with a frame by Charles I. D. Looff, and 63 hand-carved horses by Charles Carmel. It was purchased on January 26, 1942 from Riverside Park in Piscataway Township, New Jersey, for $4,000 and relocated to Knoebels. Today, 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 has the fee of the ride waived. Three band organs provide music for the riders. The largest, "Frati", was built in Germany in 1888 by Frati & Co. Berlin, and was converted to Artizan rolls in the 1920s. The smaller, outside organ is "Berni", a 1910 Gebruder Bruder, style 107, sold in the US by the August Berni Organ Company in New York. Frati and Berni have operated at Knoebels since their purchase in 1942. The smallest organ is a Wilhem Bruder organ, model 79, converted to a Wurlitzer 125 duplex roll system, and restored in 1996. Grand Carousel has consistently 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 was undefeated. Today, Grand Carousel is the second-oldest ride in the park while the S&G Carousel is the oldest.

Trains

The park operates two separate miniature railways

Ride	Opened	Manufacturer	Description
	1960	Crown Metal Products	A gauge anthracite coal-fueled steam locomotive built in 1960 by Crown Metal Products meandering through part of the park. Old Smokey replaced Nickel Plate, which was installed in 1946. The train cars from the 1946 train are still in use as of today.
	1960	Allan Herschell Company	A gauge gasoline-powered 1/2 mile railroad installed in 1960 by Allan Herschell Company. The railroad continues to operate an Allan Herschell G-16 model locomotive and train, which resembles a classic streamlined diesel locomotive train, as well as a few other locomotives that resemble classic steam locomotives, such as the Allan Herschell S-16. The track travels from near the edge of the park, under Twister, and into a heavily wooded area where there are feeders for viewing the local wildlife. The local wildlife consists mainly of squirrels, birds, and deer.

Other rides and attractions

In addition to a Ferris wheel, a log flume, and a Chute-the-Chutes ride named Sklooosh!, Haunted Mansion, and one of the last remaining Fascination parlors in the United States, the park maintains more than 63 rides, including:

Ride	Opened	Manufacturer	Description
	1915	William F. Mangels	A William F. Mangels Whip ride from 1915.
	1940	Lusse	A set of Auto Scooters.
	1948	Allan Herschell Company	A restored vintage Looper flat ride.
	1950	Allan Herschell	A boat ride.
	1950	Knoebels Amusement Resort	A slide that winds around the outside of a rocket ship. This is an American version of a popular British fair attraction called a helter skelter.
	1952	Kasper Klaus	A classic ride from 1952.
	1960	Allan Herschell	A children's helicopter ride.
	1960	Hrubetz	A Paratrooper ride.
	1967	Garbrick Amusements, Inc.	A Scrambler ride.
	1968	Philadelphia Toboggan Company	A ride similar to Antique Cars.
	1970	Lee Eyerly	A Roll-O-Plane ride.
	1972	Bisch-Rocco	One of the fastest-running Flying Scooters rides in operation.
	1976	Hrubetz	A ride in which centrifugal force pins the rider to the wall of a large wheel as it slowly tilts upward.
	1980	Philadelphia Toboggan Company	A classic teacups ride.
	1990	Morgan	An Antique Car ride partially steered by passengers built into the support structure of Phoenix. The original cars were purchased at an auction for Rocky Glen Park in Moosic, Pennsylvania after it closed in 1987.
	1990	Hopkins	A log flume ride.
	1990	Soli of Italy	A children's bumper car ride.
	1990	William F. Mangels	A children's fire truck ride.
	1990	William F. Mangels	A children's Whip ride.
	1991	Zamperla	A ride similar to Whipper.
	1991	Chance Rides	A 110-foot tall Ferris wheel.
!	1997	Hopkins	A modern Shoot-the-Chutes ride that is 50 feet tall and has an observation area. It is named for the sound wet sneakers make while one is walking.
	1998	Wisdom Rides	A completely enclosed Himalaya-style ride in the dark. Original ride was replaced in 1998.
	1999	Zamperla	A swing ride.
	2000	Zamperla	A submarine-like ride.
	2000	Zamperla	A spinning flat ride.
	2000	Hampton	An umbrella ride.
	2003	Hopkins	A triple chairlift which climbs a south-facing hill to the north of the park. Formerly the Spring Fling lift at Sugarbush Resort.
	2010	Moser	A sidewinder ride.
	2013	A.R.M. Rides	A drop tower, the tallest ride at Knoebels.
	2016	Zamperla	A pirate ship ride. Replacement of an older model.
	2019	Battech Enterprises	A Downdraft that replaced an older version of the ride.
	2019	SBF Visa Group	A spinning ride that replaced Over the Top.
	2020	Wisdom Rides	A Tornado ride.
Rock-O-Plane	2023	Eyerly Aircraft Company	A ride similar to a Ferris wheel in which riders' cars can flip. Purchased from Joyland Amusement Park after its closing.
	TBD	Schwarzkopf	A refurbished Bayern Kurve ride.