The Brookline Community/School Picnic

The Brookline Community/School Picnic
(1908-2015)

The Racing Whippet, the Midway, The Dips and the lake were some of the feature attractions at West View Park.

A Neighborhood Tradition

Pittsburgh Trolley Parks First Brookline Picnic (1908)

West View Park (1909-1977) Kennywood Park (1978-2015)

Thrills, Chills and Good Times

Every June until the final outing in 2015, at the end of the school year, the Brookline community held it's annual community picnic at a local amusement park. The tradition dated back over 100 years to the early 1900s. The picnic was sponsored by the Brookline Chamber of Commerce, or by it's predecessors, the Brookline Board of Trade and the Brookline Business Men's Association.

The first picnic was held in 1908 at Kennywood Park, located in West Mifflin. The following year, the venue was moved to West View Park in Bellevue. The picnic remained at West View until 1977, when the aging park closed. From 1978 to 2015, the festivities returned to Kennywood Park, refered to as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World.

Sign Pointing the way to West View Park.

Sign Pointing the way to Kennywood Park.

For many years, complimentary strips of tickets were handed out to all of the local students near the end of the school year. It was a moment eagerly anticipated. Additional ticket strips would be available at boulevard stores or at the park itself. Every ride cost a certain number of tickets, and you could save the leftovers for the next year. In simpler times, picnic day was more of a ritual event, and it seemed as if the entire community was present for the big day.

Complimentary School Ticket

Although the Coaster Capital title in no way meant to signify that Kennywood could compare to mega-parks like Six Flags. But, as local amusement venues go, the historic trolley park ranked as one of the finest in the land. That said, every June, the good citizens of Brookline descended upon Kennywood Park for a day of thrills, chills and good times with friends and neighbors.

Miss Elsie Steiner, left, of 2309 Birtley Avenue, served as attendant to Erika
Giegler, Miss Magyar of Pittsburgh for 1962. They were at Kennywood Park,
serving as hostess for the 38th annual Magyar Day celebration.

Pittsburgh Trolley Parks

Kennywood Park (1898-present) and West View Park (1906-1977) were but two of several "trolley parks" established on or near the Pittsburgh Railways trolley lines. From the late 19th century through the mid 1950s, there were almost two dozen such parks in the Pittsburgh area, including Luna Park (1905-1909) in Oakland. They became very popular places for companies and communities to hold picnics due to the easy access via the rail service.

Pittsburgh Railways trolleys at the entrance to West View Park (left) and Kennywood Park (right).

By 1980, only Kennywood Park had survived. Designated a national historic landmark in 1987, Kennywood began as a picnic grove leased by the Monongahela Street Railway Company. Sold to private interests and chartered in 1906, the park has weathered the passing of time and kept pace with the advancements in the amusement industry. Kennywood's historic coasters are highly rated among roller coaster enthusiasts.

Tribune-Review article:
"Old-Fashioned Amusement Parks Once Beckoned, Have Nearly Vanished"

<><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><>

Pittsburg's Luna Park in Oakland (1905-1909)

The grand entrance to Luna Park in Oakland and the popular Shoot-The-Chute splash ride.
The Lost Kennywood section of Kennywood Park is modeled after Luna Park and includes
the Pittsburg Plunge, an attraction reminiscent of the Shoot-The-Chute splash ride.

An cartographic outline of Luna Park and the property as it appeared over a century later in 2020.
There are no visible signs or historic markers as reminders of the short-lived park.

<><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><>

Idlewild Park and Conneaut Lake

Other Western Pennsylvania parks that Brookline families often visit, with roots in the 19th century, are Idlewild Park (1878-present) and Conneaut Lake Park (1892-present). Idlewild, located near Ligonier, is the oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania. It has been rated the second-best children's park in the world. Conneaut Lake, located 96 miles north in Crawford County, is a popular vacation resort. The park features the recently renovated Blue Streak, the sixth oldest wooden coaster in the country, built in 1938.

Today, the three surviving parks give visitors a unique blend of both past and present. Kennywood and Idlewild are owned by Kennywood Entertainment, which until December 2007 was a closely held family business owned by the Henninger and McSwigan families. Kennywood Entertainment is now operated by Palace Entertainment, a subsidiary of Parques Reunidos, an international amusement park company based in Madrid, Spain. Conneaut Lake Park is owned by the Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc.

Kennywood Park
Website Idlewild Park
Website Conneaut Lake Park
Website

Another local park that does not contain roller coasters but does appeal to those who enjoy the spash zone experience is Sandcastle Water Park (1989-present), located near Kennywood. Sandcastle is also owned by Parques Reunidos, and contains fourteen water slides, several swimming pools, and a handful of other attractions.

Sandcastle Water Park
Website

Let's Not Forget White Swan Park

Although it may not have been a trolley park, and it may not have been a very large park, from 1955 to 1989 White Swan Park was a convenient alternative for Brookline families looking for a pleasant day of fun and excitement. Located along the Parkway West, White Swan Park featured several memorable attractions and will always be a part of Brookliners entertainment memories.

Click here for information and photos from White Swan Park (1955-1989).

The First Brookline Community Picnic
Kennywood Park - 1908

One old-timer recalled the birth of the School Picnic.

"The community picnic has remained a feature in Brookline to this day, but it seems to have lost a little of the luster of the old days, when picnic day was generally the only day of the year that families would make the trip to the amusement park."

"In the old days, most people didn't have their own cars, or if they did the husbands used them to go to work. Families would meet on picnic day at one of the designated stops and board the streetcars for the long trip to the park."

Picnic-goers exit a charter trolley at the entrance to Kennywood Park in the early 1900s.

"One of the big stops was Creedmoor Avenue. There would be hundreds of folks gathered there, all dressed up in summer clothes and carrying big baskets of picnic lunches."

"The first picnic Brookline ever had was at Kennywood Park. The only trouble with that was that it was so late for the kids getting home on the specials. By the evening, almost all the kids were tired, but no one was crying, because a young fellow named Joe Butch got up in the front of the street car and sang song after song. After that first attempt, the picnics were all held at West View Park, which a shorter trip from Brookline."

West View Park - Home of the Dips

West View Park in 1912.

Year after year, for nearly seven decades, Brookliners flocked to West View for Picnic Day. Kids waited with baited breath for their parents to get ready, and the lucky few rushed off to the nearest trolley stop to make an early trip with their friends.

West View Park opened for the first time on May 23, 1906. The park was constructed on a five-acre plot of land that was once a swamp. The owner, T. M. Harton, damned the stream and created a lake, called Lake Placid. Around this lake, Harton constructed the amusement park.

Pittsburgh Daily Post - June 26, 1910

West View Park was located on US Route 19 and accessible, right to the park entrance, via the 19-Bellevue trolley in about half the time. The price of admission was a nickel. The Brookline Board of Trade and the Directors of West Liberty Schools decided, in 1909, to move the Brookline school/community picnic to West View Park, beginning a long and memorable tradition that lasted sixty-nine years.

West View Park Ad from the 1950s

During the Golden Years of West View Park, the venue was well known for its thrilling rides, haunted houses, dance halls, tree-lined Midway and Kiddieland. The park had three roller coasters, The Dips and the Racing Whippet for those over the line, and the Little Dips located up on the hill in Kiddieland. For many years there was also the Greyhound, a wild-mouse type of coaster.

Architect's map of West View Park - Jund 8, 1950. Many changes occurred over the years, but the fun,
family-friendly atmosphere of this popular trolley park remained vibrant for over sixty years.

Other rides scattered throughout the park over the years were the Mystic Chute, The Caterpillar, The Tumble Bug, The Cuddle-Up, Ride-N-Laff, The Mirror Maze, The Whip, The Ferris Wheel, Scoota Boot Rides, Row-Boat Rides, Tilt-a-Whirl, Bumper Cars, Helicopters, Speed-O-Plane (later named the Greyhound), Loop-O-Plane, Chair-O-Plane, Rock-O-Plane, Flying Scooters, Round-Up, Alpine Sky Ride, the Haunted House, the Swings, the Antique Car Ride, the Merry-Go-Round, the Krazy Daizy Orbit, the Miniature Railroad and the Pony Rides in Kiddieland.

There were also the games on the Midway and in the Penny Arcade Pavilion, like skeeball and pinball games. They included the Milk Bottle Game, Huck La Buck, Penny Pitch and Dart Balloons. Other favorites were the Shooting Gallery and the Fish Pond. And, who can forget Davey Jones Locker and the Pirates Cave?

The Racing Whippet. When first built in 1927, the Whippet was considered
by many to be the most exciting roller coaster in the world.

Dancing and roller skating in the West View ballroom were also very popular. Neon lighting and air conditioning were added in 1948, converting the dance pavilion into Danceland. Vaughn Monroe, Tex Beneke, Les Brown, Guy Lombardo, Harry James and the Dorseys appeared for one night stands before rock and roll and "Over-19" record dances appeared in the 1960s. The Rolling Stones played a show at Danceland during their first U.S. tour in 1964.

An 18-hole miniature golf course was built in 1961, followed by popular new attractions like the Haunted House in 1963, and the Boot Hill walk-thru, Pirate Cave, and the Fascination Building in 1964. The Alpine Sky Ride, operated as a concession by its builder, John T. Gibbs, was added in 1965. A double ferris-wheel was added in 1970, along with the Tempest and the Trabant.

A nice view of some of the rides and attractions along the Midway, including the Trabant and sliding board.

Over the years, the small lake built by T.M. Harton was gradually filled in to create space for new attractions and parking. Trolley service to West View Park was discontinued in 1965, marking the official end of the trolley park era in the United States.

Then, in 1973, the venerable Danceland Pavilion was completely destroyed by fire and not rebuilt. After this tragedy, the decline of this once proud family park was swift. At the end of the 1977 season, Brookline patrons were shocked to hear that West View Park was closing permanently.

My recollections go back to the late 1960s when I was nearing ten. I don't remember much about Kiddieland but do recall the Little Dips and the kiddie cars that went in circles. As I got older my days were spent along the Midway with my friends. Riding the Dips was always my favorite, followed by the Racing Whippet. We'd ride them over and over.

The crowd along the Midway at West View Park as riders pass overhead on the Alpine Sky Ride.

On the Alpine Sky Ride we could glide along above the Midway, hollering down to those we knew, or just admiring the view. The Bumper Cars, Haunted House, Davey Jones Locker and playing skeeball in the Arcade were also lots of fun.

At night, a ride on the Ferris Wheel was an opportunity to marvel at the beauty of the park with the lights on. Tradition dictated that we all got ice cream and then waited in line for a final ride on the Antique Cars. That tradition lasted until the summer of 1977. Those were fun times.

The Antique Cars, with the strong smell of petrol, were a real treat. (Bill Kozup photo)

West View Park may now be relegated to the status of shopping center, but for generations of Pittsburghers, and Brookliners in particular, it was a magical place full of fond memories. The legendary park may be gone but it will never be forgotten by those fortunate enough to have spent by-gone summer days wandering the Midway at the Brookline Community Picnic.

The Mystic Chute Ride at West View Park.

A bridge over Lake Placid and the ballfield are in 1913.

The Main Entrance to West View Park, the West View Park Lake and The Dips in 1915.

The Midway at West View Park was a popular meeting place for family and friends.

The pathway leading from Kiddieland to the main park complex in 1974.

The Midway at West View Park in 1920.

The West View Park Dips, constructed in 1910 and shown here in 1925, was the first roller coaster in
Pennsylvania to feature dips and drops of over fifty feet. The Little Dips in Kiddieland, shown in
1971, were a great place for the little ones to experience a small piece of that magic.

The Scooters and the Auto Ride in Kiddieland.

The Dips and The Midway in 1948.

West View Park with the turtle canvased over after closing for the season.

The Trabant and Krazy Daizy Orbit.

The Loop-O-Plane and the Tilt-A-Whirl.

The West View Park Miniature Railroad and the Antique Cars.

The entrance to the Danceland pavilion and The Dips.

The Arcade building and The Midway.

Lake Placid in 1913 and the Midway in the 1970s.

West View Park - Danceland
The West View Park Ferris Wheel and Danceland.

Who can forget the excitement in the car when arriving at the entrance
to the park and seeing the Devil's Bend of the Dips.

There was always plenty of good food to eat at West View Park.

The Racing Whippet, Lake Placid and The Dips.

Riders waiting in line for the Dips and The Haunted House.

The Antique Cars, the Water Fountain and the West View Park office.

Boot Hill was a scary place, and the Dancing Pavilion was a hopping place back in the old days.

Eager riders stand at the entrance to the Dips (left) and boats on Lake Placid.

The Ferris Wheel and Danceland.

The Alpine Skyway, Ferris Wheel and Slide were some of the thrills along the crowded Midway.

On one end of the park, the crowded Midway the paths that led to Boot Hill and the Swings.

A happy rider goes round and round (right) and the Haunted House, located next to the Bug.

The picnic pavilion is crowded with guests eating lunch during a fun-filled afternoon at the park.

One of the original Haunted House cars from West View Park.

Home Movie Clips of West View Park

<1960s Promotional Video From West View Park>

<8mm West View Park home movie footage from 1960>

<West View Park - An Insiders View - 1972>

<8mm West View Park home movie footage from 1973>

An aerial view of West View Park from 1939.

An aerial view of West View Park from 1967.

Wikipedia: West View Park.

West View Park - Real Fun, Fine Prizes

Newspaper clipping from 1954
Brookline Journal news clipping from June 1954.

A commemorative West View Park plate from the early 1950s.

Some Photos Of West View Park After Closing In 1977

The Arcade Building, The Dips and The Antique Car tracks.

Davey Jones Locker and Boot Hill.

The Dips and The Haunted House.

The Racing Whippet.

The Midway and The Tumbling Ferris Wheel.

The Slide and The Bridge.

The Caterpillar and the walkway into the park.

The Demolition of West View Park (1979-1980)

In 1979 the Dips were still standing, but other buildings along the Midway had been razed.

The Dips were one of the last rides to be torn down.

The Kiddie Dips were a favorite among young riders, but by the end of 1980 the little coaster was gone.

* Several of the West View Park photos are from the collection of John Schalcosky *

Kennywood Stationary from 1936

Kennywood Park - Home of the Thunderbolt

Brookline's first picnic was held at Kennywood Park in 1908. The event moved to West View Park in the years that followed as that trolley park was a shorter trip. The following four photos show parts of Kennywood Park in 1906, as it would have looked to those early Brookliners.

Early attractions available for picnic-goers at the time were the Kennywood Lagoon with Boats, Old Mill, Carousel, Scenic Railway, Figure Eight Toboggan Rollercoaster, Steeplechase, Windmill, Dance Hall and Casino Restaurant.

Then came the summer of 1978, when those of us who lived in Brookline were on the verge of our generation's experience with the "Roller Coaster Capital of the World." For many, this would be their first trip to Kennywood Park, and a few wondered if it would be equal to, greater than, or less than the familiar West View Park, which closed after the 1977 summer season.

Buses were chartered and the neighborhood kids headed to the designated departure areas. Somehow, the thought of something new put an anxious buzz in the air. Those who had experienced Kennywood before reassured everyone that this would be worth the trip.

Skeptics soon learned what they had been missing. Kennywood Park turned out to be bigger, better and in some ways more exciting than West View Park, and a new chapter in the Brookline community picnic tradition was born.

Kennywood Park is home of the Thunderbolt (formerly the Pippen), the Jack Rabbit and the Racer. As technology moved into the age of the steel coasters, Kennywood added the Laser Loop, which ran from 1980 to 1990. The Loop was dismantled in favor of the lightning quick Steel Phantom, complete with loops and a top speed approaching 90 MPH.

Renovation in 2001 transformed the Steel Phantom into the Phantom's Revenge, a smoother but no less speedy coaster. The Skyrocket, built in 2010, launched riders skyward and into a series of maximum-G pullouts. There was also the stomach churning Exterminator and the Lil' Phantom in Kiddieland.

The Thunderbolt and the Sky Coaster.

The old Cinesphere and the classic Log Jammer.

Enterprise, Old Mill, Round-Up and the original Racer, built in 1910 and dismantled in 1926.

This former trolley park was steeped with tradition, and boasted some rides that were nearing 100 years of age. The Whip and the Carousel, Noah's Ark and the Old Mill (remodeled into Garfield's Nightmare) were historic landmarks, and age had done nothing to dampen their charms.

The Jack Rabbit was built in 1920, the Pippen in 1924, and the Racer in 1927. The Pippen was altered to produce the Thunderbolt in 1960, retaining much of the original track. The Auto Race, a wooden race car track built in 1930, was the only one of its kind still in existence.

Historically, the Racer was designed by John Miller, built by Charlie Mach, and is a mobius racing coaster. In 1946, the ride's station was redesigned. Then in 1949, the Racer's final hill was removed and replaced by a straight section designed by Andy Vettel.

The Racer's station was redesigned again in 1960, and in 1982, the original trains, built by Dayton Fun House, were replaced with new trains built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. In 1990, the station was restored to its original design.

The ride was designated a Pittsburgh Landmark in 1995, and on June 21, 2010, was designated an ACE Coaster Landmark. With a height of seventy-two feet and a top speed of 40mph, the Racer features a camelback hill, two sweeping drops, and a floater hill.

The Racer is the oldest racing roller coaster in the world, one of only three surviving mobius racing coasters, and one of only ten surviving John Miller designs.

The passage of time and the need for space to build newer and grander attractions relegated some of Kennywood's old rides the scrapyard or into storage. Gone are classic favorites like The Old Mill, The Enterprise, The Round-Up, The Gold Rush and The Turnpike.

On its 90th anniversary, Kennywood opened a new section called Lost Kennywood, dedicated to the rebirth of some of Kennywood's classic rides, like the Whip and the Bavarian Swings. The themed area was modeled after the long-lost Luna Park in Oakland.

The Pittsburg Plunge was similar to the popular Shoot-The-Chute splash ride. At night, colorful lighting illuminated the large reflecting pool and was a wonderful place to relax and rest after a long day. In bygone days, a large swimming pool stood in the area now occupied by Lost Kennywood.

Noah's Ark, The Carousel, The Log Jammer and The Pirate Ship.

The old Swimming Pool

The park management team did a good job of keeping up with the changes in the amusement industry and each season they seemed to open up a new and exciting attraction. Rides like the Kennywood Arrow, the Sky Coaster, the Pit Fall, the Volcano, the Exterminator, the Bayern Curve and Garfield's Nightmare were added. The Sky Rocket coaster (2010) and the Black Widow (2012) were the last in the list of new thrill rides. In 2015 a 4D Theatre opened featuring "The Lego Movie 4D."

A Ski Lift called Kenny's Parkway was installed to transport visitors to and from the upper parking lots. A leisurely round-trip ride gave riders a birds-eye view of the park as it slowly descends into the park. The additions were perfect compliments to age-old favorites like the Kangaroo Hop, the Paddle Boats, the Raging Rapids, the Log Jammer, the Turtle, the Bumper Cars, the Kennywood Railroad, and, of course, the classic Roller Coasters!

There were also plenty of games like the Cat Rack, and lots of places to get snacks, ice cream and hot meals. The Pavilion, the Pagoda, and the Potato Patch offered tasty delights, while performers livened things up at the Kennywood stage.

The Potato Patch and the Pagoda were popular eaterys.

Each year, Brookliners prepared for that special June day. The kids were up early with anticipation of the thrills to come. The tickets were no longer free, but reasonably priced discount tickets were available at most Boulevard stores.

Then came the summer of 2015. Due to higher costs and years of increasingly low turnout, the Brookline Chamber of Commerce came to the painful decision that this was to be the final outing. After 108 years, the Community Picnic was removed from its list of sponsored yearly events. Sadly, this endearing local tradtion came to an end following that final neighborhood gathering.

The Brookline Community Picnic was always one of the most anticipated days of the calendar year, and for good reason. It was one of those special days when Brookliners came together as one big family at one of the nicest family amusement parks in the country, Kennywood Park. As traditions go, "Kennywood Day" ranked as one of Brookline's finest.

Now, just because Brookline no longer celebrates the yearly Community Picnic does not mean that current residents of Brookline can not head out with family and friends to Kennywood Park. It is still one of the best local amusement attractions in the country and is still evolving, adding newer and better attractions.

Learn more about present-day Kennywood Park at www.kennywood.com.

Wikipedia: Kennywood Park.

<Facebook - Kennywood: Behind The Screams>
(Contains hundreds of vintage Kennywood Photos)

The Kennywood Railroad. The train was
brought to the park from the New York
World's Fair of 1939-1940, from the
Gimbels exhibit called 'Round the World'.
The Kennywood Railroad, built in 1945, uses locomotives from the 1939 World's Fair.