Don Hanson's Amusement Park

VI. The "Speed Hound" Roller-Coaster

On July 10, 1991, Shirley Hanson had the final remaining section of the roller-coaster razed by a contractor. A link to the 1991 razing of the roller-coaster elsewhere on this site is HERE. On August 7, 1991, Shirley and Bruce Hanson gave Sweet Valley's Suburban News an expansive retrospective of the Speed Hound roller-coaster:

THE "SPEED HOUND" - Taking a look back again when the coaster was brand new and following its long life as thrilling as the twists and turns, ups and downs of its tracks, it's not difficult to recall the hours of genuine fun it brought to so many people - the carefree and exhilarating rides forever etched in their minds.

The NEWS was provided with some roller-coaster facts and figures and a bit of interesting history of the "Speed Hound," its original name, by owner Shirley Hanson.

"The contract was written up on April 15, 1931, and work was completed by May 31, 1931, the date of the grand opening. The total cost was $10,825, with a good portion of that amount being wages for employees, which totaled $5,500," she noted.

"John Miller of Illinois drew the plans and Oscar Bittler of Allentown was the builder. The motor which was used to pull the cars up the steep hill was forty horsepower and came from a local mine shaft. The motor works fine to this day, but since it is not enclosed, may not be used in some industries such as sawmills. The large chain which pulled the cars up, however, will be used locally and has already been purchased."

"The highest point on the track was 65 feet - this was the hill you chugged up inch by inch and felt an exhilarating rush through your whole body and a feeling of almost weightlessness coming down the other side. The roller coaster was extremely fast - one of the fastest in the area!"

For fifty years at Hanson's Park it endured and sped along greased track and unchanged route to the delight of thousands of people, becoming a well- known attraction and favorite ride in the park.

WHY IT STOPPED - Shirley Hanson explained why it was forced to stop. "In September of 1981 on Labor Day weekend, an employee who was operating it accidentally pulled the wrong switch, making the mistake of braking it at the top of the steepest hill. Due to the tremendous stress, a major beam cracked."

"Since it was the end of the season, the family decided to leave it down and looked into repairing the damage for the following year. The cost was so high because of special equipment that needed to be brought in that we decided not to re-open it."

Nearly ten years later, the Hanson family made another decision - to take down the now famous landmark. Shirley explained what led to their decision and just how it was done.

IT JUST COLLAPSED - "It became an 'attractive nuisance' for liability insurance and a temptation for youngsters to climb up and play on, thus making it a hazard. Also, because it needed paint, it was becoming somewhat of an eyesore."

"They took it down in two parts; it just collapsed. Using a lumber skidder, hoist and cables for the job, they were precise and professional. They burnt through the track with a torch and sawed through certain sections and finally the big beams. The job was done by Fred Kidd and R. J. Oler's R&J Mining.

The structure itself was still sturdy and would not have fallen on its own."

After standing for over half a century, the long life of Hanson's roller coaster ended in a few short moments, but in a way, it lives on, its lumber becoming useful, its special parts cherished.

IT LIVES STILL - "Some of the lumber from the coaster has already been purchased and used by people locally. One lady had a fence built and another a patio. A gentleman wants to build a barn with some, another has already completed a boathouse and attic."

"The back end of Hanson's Arcade which was damaged in a storm late last summer is being rebuilt with lumber from the old coaster also."

"The tall iron structure will remain and possibly be used for a sign sometime in the future. We have one car left from the coaster ... also from some other rides, a flying pretzel car, scooter car and others which may someday be on display. The flagpole which stood next to the highest hill is another piece of the past which holds special memories and is treasured by the family."

"We are in another era now, and with that, comes change," Shirley concluded.

Bruce Hanson, Shirley's son, talked about the "Speed Hound" as he knew the roller coaster, though it was never called that name by the public.

THRILL TO RUN - "It was just as much of a thrill running it as it was riding it. I remember the many times we had to lean over and oil the track with kerosene- one on the right side and one on the left. The first time around we had to break the rust so it wouldn't slow the coaster down. We would be hanging out the front seat, which only the family and workers could do."

"Another part of our job was to make sure everything along the track was tight.

My grandfather designed a special long-handled hammer; about 2-2 ½ - feet long to make our job a little easier and so we wouldn't have to bend as much."

"We had to walk and check the entire track which took about 20 or 30 minutes.

We had to have preventive maintenance because once it left the chain, it was a free-wheeling ride; this was the case on all the old wooden coaster. We had to keep our ears tuned for clicks, too, which would tell us something was wrong or not tight."

"There were a lot of great times! On Sundays and holidays, we often had two or three trains going at once! We would keep them off to the side, and when one was nearly finished, another would be let go."

TURN BACKWARDS - "Two of the biggest thrills were sitting in the front and back seats - in the back seat you got the 'whip.' One of the things I enjoyed most was to hold on to the bar and turn backwards and then look back. What a thrill!"

"I knew many of the customers by their faces and there really wasn't time to chat and get their names."

"Recently, I saw a guy who used to come three or four times a week with his wife and young daughter and ride the coaster all day."

"I still don't know his name, but remember his face. That's how it was, there were many regular customers."

A link to a YouTube video of the Hanson's Roller-Coaster during its operation is HERE.

VII. Hanson's Townhouses

In mid-Summer 1990 Don and Shirley Hanson had announced a plan to develop a 170- townhouse development at the park site. They sought zoning permission to change the site from commercial to residential. There was a buzz-saw of opposition regarding potential water, sewer and environmental issues.

On May 29, 1991, a contentious hearing was held before the borough council regarding the park's development plan. Shirley Hanson argued that she had the community in mind when she rejected offers to sell the park for low-income housing and night club projects and she felt townhouses were more appropriate. But vocal residents and council concluded another public hearing was needed. Two days later the Times Leader newspaper printed an editorial opposed to the Hanson project.

The second hearing pitted Hanson's planner, Quad Three Group, Inc., against 60 opposing Lake residents. The opposition wanted environmental impact studies, but under municipal law, the borough had only 90 days to reach a decision on Hanson's zoning request. Environmental studies could not be completed in time. On Wednesday, August 7, 1991, the borough council voted 5-0, with one abstention, to deny the rezoning request - killing residential development at the park site for another decade.

With the townhouse development of the park blocked, Shirley Hanson sought the advice of Thom Greco, an area entertainment businessman, and her friend, Eddie Day, to explore expanding Hanson's entertainment options to bolster the park. In the meantime, the park was planning a 100-year anniversary celebration for the weekend of August 31-September 1, 1991. Billed as the "Centennial Celebration of Hanson's Park," numerous acts were booked including Eddie Day and the Dayettes (his daughters), Billie Brown, and the New York Times Band.

Shirley Hanson noted her plans to the Citizens' Voice on August 30, 1991:

Mrs. Hanson said the park is situated on 27 acres of land and there is enough parking for 4,000 to 5,000 cars. Though the park owner is elated about the "Centennial Celebration of Hanson's Park," she said she already is looking forward to next summer. "Thom [Greco], Eddie [Day] and I have a lot of new ideas for next year and we're confident that Hanson's once again will become a viable entertainment center," Mrs. Hanson emphasized.

Though Greco and Day have been booking the entertainment at Hanson's this summer, their roles are sure to change next summer.

"Eddie and I have assisted Mrs. Hanson by booking bands at the ballroom, but if all things go according to plan, next summer I will be leasing the site from Mrs. Hanson. I'm certain the park will be hopping once again," Greco pointed out.

The threesome of Greco, Day and Hanson made it clear that the ballroom and other facilities will be expanded and remodeled before next season. "We're looking at the Hanson's property being used for much more than dances. In fact, we're hoping to make it available for family reunions, company picnics and church bazaars. Next year, we intend to kick off the season with a musical Memorial Day weekend," Day explained.

An apparent result of this collaboration was Hanson's booking Stanky and the Coal Miners in late-July, and the appearance of New Jersey Polka Richie twice in August 1991. The introduction of Thom Greco as an advisor led to the creation of the Harvey's Lake Amphitheater in 1992.

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