Catholic Church in Chester Owes Part of Its Existence to RSP

If you grew up in Chester, WV, or visited the firemen’s carnival on 4th Street, then you are sure to remember Sacred Heart Church on the hill. Perhaps you went there.

Research shows that Rock Springs Park played a part in the construction of this beautiful Catholic Church in town.

According to the publication The Catholic Church in the United States of America, Volume 3, in response to the appeal of seventeen Catholic families from Chester in 1902, a Bishop Donahue sent Father O.H. Moye and Father Galway, of the cathedral, to Chester to investigate the possibility of sending a permanent priest to the new town at the top of the northern panhandle

“Although their report was favorable,” cites the volume, “the Bishop hesitated in sending a priest to so small a parish.” He eventually did send pastor, Rev. Wm J. Sauer, on December 16, 1902.

Prior to that time Mass had never been celebrated in Chester, consequently the new pastor borrowed chalice, missal, and altar stone from the Cathedral and bought vestments, “on credit,” from the Tabernacle Society of Wheeling.

The first Mass was celebrated in the home of Patrick Burns on December 21, 1902. At that time there were only two boys at the proper age to serve at the altar. A fair was held for the benefit of the church at Rock Springs Park Pavilion in January 1903 and “over $1800 was cleared." During the following summer Mass was celebrated in the Hotel Chester, where Father Sauer was staying. By August 1903 a new rectory was built and a little over two years later, in October 1905, the first floor of the new rectory was completed.

When I was younger I visited the street fair along 4th street and rode the Ferris wheel many times that was set up in front of Sacred Heart. While rocking at the top of the ride above the church rooftop but not nearly as high as the steeple, it never occurred to me that Rock Springs Park helped build this wonderful structure.

The East Liverpool Historical Society’s Website Shows Rock Springs Park in 1954

(from East Liverpool Historical Society Website, courtesy of Frank Dawson Collection)

The East Liverpool Historical Society’s website has some great photographs taken in Rock Springs Park in 1954, courtesy of the Frank Dawson collection. Check out the Jitterbug contest winners at Golden Star Dairy Picnic. They look like they walked off the set of Grease! See more at http://www.eastliverpoolhistoricalsociety.org/rospr54.htm.

Wintering in Rock Springs Park 1946

65 years ago this month, Bob Hand, owner of Rock Springs Park, Chester, WV, and his family were wintering in their log cabin at Rock Springs Park, according to Billboard magazine, January 12, 1946. The news brief under the headline, “While Strolling Through the Park,” in the “Parks-Resorts-Pools” section (p57), explained that Bob had just been released from the army, and planned to reopen the park for the first time since the start of WWII. At the time the article was written, the park was already operating Virginia Gardens as a skating rink and by July 13th of that same year, the park was open daily, excluding Mondays. 30,000 customers visited Rock Springs on July 4th even though only four rides were in operation: the Cyclone, Aerial Planes, Merry-Go-Round and Octopus. Other attractions that summer were the Penny Arcade, bingo, lead gallery, Funhouse, boating, and dancing with Eddie McGraw’s band. The concrete swimming pool was not in operation and unfortunately would never re-open due to the shortage of supplies needed for repairs after the war.

You Can Go Home Again!

In his novel title, Thomas Wolfe suggests that You Can't Go Home Again, but I found just the opposite to be true yesterday when I returned to Oak Glen High School for a book signing and slide show talk on my favorite topic "Rock Springs Park." One of my major goals in writing the book has been to share the history of Chester and the park with area youth. Unfortunately, the talk was cut short by half an hour due to an impending snow storm, but I was able to present the entire history, leaving out only time for Q&A, and a ukulele song I had planned to perform.

The program was presented in the Little Theatre, a space which was once a second home to me, having performed in nearly every theatrical production from 1978 – 1982. No, I was not held back in my high school years, I actually began doing plays in eighth grade with Oliver! in 1978. The experience yesterday was extremely surreal as I haven’t been to my alma mater in over 28 years. The campus has changed quite a bit over the years, including several renovations which have connected all the Florida-style buildings with enclosed walkways and building additions. It took me a few minutes to get my bearings, but the theater space remained relatively unchanged, so I felt very comfortable there.

Although the question and answer period was eliminated at the end of the program, students who arrived early had many questions about Rock Springs Park; including its exact location and what happened to the Cyclone and Carousel rides after they were sold in 1974. I was delighted to tell them and explained that recent research may prove one of my book explanations to be not entirely correct. I recently discovered a second account telling who actually purchased the Cyclone and the reason for it. The explanation I gave in the book was one told to me by a long-time Chester resident. He had it partly correct. Bill Harper did purchase Virginia Gardens, but not the Cyclone. In my latest finding, a Youngstown newspaper dated July 1974, reported, ““William Johsnon of East Liverpool bought himself a one-mile-long roller coaster for the grand sum of $1.” It suggests that the wood from the Cyclone might still be around in a wooden structure built for an auto wrecking business in Calcutta, OH, run by Johnson and his father.

My next venture home will be to talk to the students at Allison Elementary in Chester. I can’t wait to show them images of their school as it looked in 1969 and 1970 with views from the Cyclone and one of the Ohio River and the school with the park in the background.

Godspell 1982

Riverboat Excursions to Rock Springs Park Continued into the Late 50’s and Early 60’s

The Beaver Valley Times reported on June 4, 1958:

It was like old times today in Beaver County as two boat excursions were scheduled on the Ohio River by New Brighton Board of Trade and a group of Lions Clubs, respectively.

Despite a recent accident in which the excursion steamer Avalon was involved when the craft struck a lock gate at the Emsworth Dam, large crowds were expected to participate in both excursions. Both were to start and end at the Rochester wharf.

Those attending the New Brighton Board of Trade were to ride the Avalon, the only excursion boat operating on the Upper Ohio River, at Rock Springs Park, Chester, WV. After spending the day at the popular amusement, picnickers were to return to Rochester aboard the Avalon.

Then, this evening, the Lions Clubs of Monaca, Brighton Township and New Brighton were to sponsor a joint “Moonlight and Soft Music” excursion on the “beautiful Ohio.”

Time was when boat excursions were a regular and popular event in Beaver County. Frequent trips were made from Rochester by river steamers, with dancing as the main diversion for the gay excursionists.

Perhaps such pleasant cruises on the majestic and enchanting Ohio River, famed in song and story, again will become popular through excursions such as those scheduled today.

Rock Springs Park Attracts Folks from Western PA for the First Time in 40 Years

Last night I had my first signing at a major book store chain. I was at Barnes and Noble in Greensburg, PA, signing books and talking to folks about "chicken and waffles" (Rock Springs Park's signature dish/Pennsylvania Dutch treat), the Idlewild andMacdonald connection, and the fact that people from nearby Irwin, PA, made train excursions to the park in 1910 for fares under $2 a person. It was great to share Rock Springs Park's history with people in the area and to hear their stories of working in Rock Springs' sister park, Idlewild Park in Ligonier. Images of America: Rock Springs Park will now be available at the Greensburg store, including a number of signed copies.

Idlewild Park Named #1 Kids Park

(Image courtesy of Richard Bowker)

For those who miss Rock Springs Park, the closest thing we have today is Idlewild Park in Ligonier, PA. Many people from Southwestern Pennsylvania who see pictures of Rock Springs Park in my book, often comment how much the buildings, like the ones pictured above, remind them of Idlewild. Both parks were owned and operated by C.C. Macdonald at one time. Proudly, Rock Springs' sisiter park was recently awarded the title of best children's amusement park in the world. Read more here.