Easton, Pennsylvania — A small town in Pennsylvania is home to what is believed to be the oldest funhouse in the country, Hilarity Hall.
It is nestled inside Bushkill Park, a theme park in the small town of Easton, Pennsylvania not far from Allentown.
The park was built in 1902 and has been entertaining generations of visitors from here in town to across the globe.
Susan Klein is the manager of the park and knows her family is the custodians of decades of memories and a legacy of good old-fashioned family fun. “Our family has been coming here for many years and now we can count it as six generations.”
Inside the old funhouse, built around 1914, visitors can expect to walk up rickety stairs, past original folk art on the walls and try to navigate the famous rotating barrel. It was originally known as Barl of Fun, thanks to it’s famous walkway rotating barrel sure to cause many pratfalls for people trying to cross it.
Larry Strawn used to go to the park as a kid.
“You never hear anyone say this is too old, we should tear it down. I’ve had people say how wonderful it is that we’re keeping it up and running.”
During October, the park is transformed into a scary haunt with actors in makeup and clown garb chasing after any poor patron who gets in their field of view. They can pass through a deserted village, a maze and of course the funhouse.
Susan Klein says, “I love hearing the laughter of the kids in the park all summer long, but when fall comes, we hear the screams!”
Year round, the park features an arena for birthday parties, a skate rink, stages for music, old-fashioned and vintage carousels and of course the oldest funhouse in Hilarity Hall that staffers say is guaranteed to make you jump out of your skin!
For more information please check out https://www.bushkillparkandgrove.com.