The warming temperatures and delayed sunsets brings to the area a sense of nostalgia for summer delights of the past. One such entertainment mecca near Bucks County was Willow Grove Park, a local hot-spot for hot dogs, thrill rides, and a screaming good time. But as Stacia Friedman pointed out in Hidden City Philadelphia, its history started out as something much more genteel.

The park was founded as a destination by owners of local trolley companies who were looking to promote their lines. Riders needed somewhere to go, especially on Sunday afternoons, and in the summer heat, city crowds flocked to “the country” (today’s suburbs) for relief.

Smart entrepreneurs quickly established things to engage them while they cooled.

In 1896, Willow Grove Park’s owners opened an acoustically dynamic bandshell, where the music alternated between the patriotic marches of John Philip Sousa and classical music. These free concerts were known to draw more than 50,000 people, earning the park the title of “The Music Capitol of America.”

Another major attraction was the 10-acre man-made lake that featured the nation’s tallest electric fountain. On Saturday after sunset, visitors enjoyed impressive fireworks displays.

There were also plenty of other attractions, including a casino, a restaurant, and a movie theater.

A spectacular carousel, one of the park’s early rides, was added in 1906.

Over five million people visited the park during its first season, prompting the addition of three new trolley lines to meet demand.

The park reached peak attendance just prior to World War I.

Over time, tastes changed, automobiles tamped down trolley traffic, suburban life busied itself with a Baby Boom, and visits to Willow Grove slowed.

By 1976, it was so lightly trafficked that the decision was made to raze what was left and replace the site with Willow Grove Park Mall.

Read more about Willow Grove Park in Hidden City Philadelphia.