Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 8, 1990 TAG: 9006080726
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
About 1903, an amusement park opened in South Roanoke. It lay between 24th and 26th streets, east of Jefferson Street at the foot of Mill Mountain. A special trolley line was built to accomodate this very popular park.
It had a casino, a skating rink and dance pavilion, and a "thriller." There were live theatrical productions and movies. They even had animals: deer, groundhogs and monkeys. There were picnic tables and pleasant walks, and food concessions. It was a great attraction until it closed in the summer of 1922.
It could be recreated and updated. We could even revive the Mill Mountain Incline, which was just south of Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
It would mean that a few houses would have to go, among them Bern Ewert's, but I am sure they would be amply compensated. Such a modest attraction would have a modest price tag, and bring back a bit of Roanoke's past.
\ DENNIS W. PENDLETON\ ROANOKE
by CNB