Lakemont Park
Lakemont Park, located in Altoona, Pennsylvania, houses the world's oldest-surviving roller coaster, the Leap-The-Dips. On June 19, 1996, the roller coaster was added to the list of National Historic Landmarks by the National Park Service. The park opened in 1894 as a trolley park and became an amusement park in the summer of 1899. It is one of only thirteen trolley parks still operating, and the 8th oldest amusement park in the United States. The park was owned by the Boyer Candy Company from May 23, 1986 until July 1, 1988, when it was called Boyertown USA. The park was closed from 2017-2018, but re-opened in summer 2019. The park is located next to Peoples Natural Gas Field, home of the Altoona Curve Minor League Baseball team.
History
Lakemont Park opened in 1894, was donated to Blair County in 1937, privatized in 1986, and remained in operation through 2016. The park closed at the beginning of the 2017 season, as many rides and attractions were undergoing maintenance. In 2018, Lakemont Park announced that it would remain closed with plans to reopen as a "family entertainment location with some amusements" in the summer of 2019. Lakemont indicated it is planning on selling most of the rides except for Skyliner, Leap the Dips, Antique Cars, Miniature Train, Paddle Boats, Indy Go-Karts, 4x4 Monster Trucks, Lil’ Leaper, and the Waterpark. The park reopened in the summer of 2019.in the background, with the German Swings in the front.
Lakemont has numerous rides.
Current roller coasters
Thrill/Family rides
- Paddle Boats
- Tin Lizzy
- Monster Motorway Go-Karts
- Lakemont Park Railroad
Kiddie rides
- Pony Carts
- Kiddie Wheel
- 4X4
- Kid's Mini Indy
Water park
| Ride | Opened | Description | Ref |
| Three Water Slides | Must be 42 inches to ride. | ||
| Pool | |||
| Pirate's Cove | Small Pirate Ship with Water Cannons and Palm Trees |
Other attractions
- Two mini-golf courses; one for younger children and one for older children
- Batting cages
- Basketball courts
- Volleyball courts
- Playground
- Walking paths
Former attractions
Former roller coasters
| Ride | Manufacturer | Opened | Closed | Description | Ref |
| Gravity Road | Amandus Sink | 1894 | 1897 | This was a switchback railroad-style roller coaster, owned and operated by Amandus Sink. The ride was torn down in 1897, likely because Sink went broke after losing a hotel business in a large fire. | |
| Twister | Philadelphia Toboggan Company | 1927 | 1935 | Lakemont was once home to a Schmeck wooden roller coaster named "Twister" from 1927-1935. This ride was destroyed in a flood on in March, 1936, before being removed a year later. | |
| Toboggan | Chance Rides | 1971 | 2016 | A portable Toboggan coaster. The ride features four single cars. | |
| Mad Mouse | Allan Herschell Company | 2003 | Closed in 2003 due to excessive maintenance. |
Incidents at Lakemont Park
- On September 2, 1991, a seventeen-year-old ride operator for the Little Leaper Coaster got dragged away by the roller coaster and lost his right leg after it got mangled between the train and its track/chain. The accident was featured on the television series Rescue 911 on September 29, 1992 on CBS.