Knoebels Amusement Resort

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 (equivalent to $32,360 in 2026). 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 the area (which was known as Knoebels Grove by this point) grew, the owners leased plots of land along the creeks for use as summer cottage sites. Some of these privately owned cottages still exist on the property today.

In 1926, Knoebels added a restaurant, a steam-powered Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) 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 on the site of the original swimming hole. Featuring a filtration system that provided clean water instead of muddy creek water, the pool was named Crystal Pool. Since then, the park has developed around the pool, adding rides, 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 160 acres (65 ha) with 500 sites.^[4]

On June 22, 1972, both South Branch Roaring Creek and Mugser Run (creeks that run through Knoebels) rose 6 feet (1.8 m) 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 then-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 live 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 (DAFE) and the National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA).^[5]

The park again suffered major flooding in 1975 and 1996. They occurred during the off-season, allowing more time for repairs.^{[citation needed]} Although the January 1996 flood left substantial damage, the worst damage occurred after the waters receded, when everything froze, making cleanup and repair throughout the amusement park difficult.^{[citation needed]} A 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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

From 2007 to 2019, the park's Grand Carousel was consistently voted the best carousel in the Golden Ticket Awards. The carousel competition was retired in 2019 because the Grand Carousel was undefeated.^[2]

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".^[6]

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.^{[citation needed]}

For the 2013 season, Knoebels added StratosFear, the park's tallest ride at 148 feet (45 m). In 2015, a new roller coaster named Impulse opened, replacing two former rides: Bumper Boats and Boat Tag.

On July 23, 2018, Knoebels was flooded when a creek overflowed and flooded the park.^[7] 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.^[8]

• On June 13, 2003, a man was seriously injured in a 30-foot (9.1 m) fall from the Scenic Skyway chairlift ride. The man was a member of a group home for mentally disabled people and was riding alone. He was airlifted to a local hospital and recovered. The ride had opened to the public only two weeks before the accident. Inspectors found no problems with the ride.^[34]
• On July 6, 2011, a young boy was found face down in the Crystal Pool. Lifeguard performed CPR on the boy, and by the time the ambulance arrived, he had obtained a heartbeat and was breathing on his own. However, he later died at Geisinger Medical Center from breathing complications. It was later determined that the child suffered from a pre-existing heart condition that is associated with Noonan syndrome.^[35]
• On March 26, 2015, a worker suffered cuts to the back of his head and hand after being hit by one of the Impulse coaster's trains. The ride was being tested before its public debut a month later. He was taken to a nearby hospital and recovered.^[36]
• On July 16, 2016, a young boy died after he was found unresponsive in the Crystal Pool. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.^[37]
• On August 15, 2016, at around 4:30 p.m., an 11-year-old girl from Hellertown, Pennsylvania was injured when a 40-foot tree fell onto her family's campsite in a strong gust of wind. The girl, her father, and her two siblings were all taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, where she remained in critical condition.^[38]

• On July 15, 2023, a woman was stabbed at the campground during an altercation with another guest. After a cooler of ice water was dumped on her daughter's head, 32-year-old Jessica Bertholf grabbed a knife and tried to slash the truck tires of the person who dumped the water. The victim tried to defend herself against Bertholf, who slashed the victim across the neck with the knife. The victim survived her injuries and Bertholf was taken to jail facing charges of aggravated assault.^[39]

• On March 2, 1999, an attorney representing two girls who sustained injuries while riding the park's Speed Slide discovered a history of 15 complaints of injuries on the same ride. The tort lawsuit filed sought $9,200 in medical costs and at least $50,000 in damages on behalf of one girl, age 11. The suit also sought $5,300 in medical costs and at least $100,000 in damages on behalf of the other girl, age 12. Both girls had undergone emergency surgery as a result of their injuries. The park was charged with negligence, failure to monitor the force of the water and its effect on riders, failure to fix defects, and failure to provide adequate warnings to riders.^[40] Both girls fully recovered.^[41]

• Lawrence L. Knoebel Covered Bridge
• List of incidents at independent amusement parks

• Futrell, Jim. Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books, 2002.
• Deitz, Harry J. Knoebels: An Amusement Park with a Heart. Reading, Pennsylvania: Westlawn Graphic, 2001. (Now out of print)