I recently drove the hour or so from my home in Philadelphia to Dorney Park in Allentown, Pa. Even though I know exactly what I’ll find every time I visit an amusement park — long lines, bad food and screaming children — I always end up having a good time regardless. While I was very pleased with the cleanliness, layout and overall variety of activities the park offered, one of my favorite aspects was the amount of history surrounding Dorney Park. The park started out as a trout hatchery in 1860 before more popular attractions were quickly added to the large estate, including a hotel, zoo and mechanical rides. Eventually the park was purchased in the early 1900s, but the original founder’s name was retained in the title Dorney Park. Some of the same rides from the early 1900s are still running, and I made a point to give them a try — The Whip from 1920 (the park’s oldest ride) and The Zephyr from 1935, an attraction that almost singlehandedly saved the park from financial ruin during the Great Depression. While I can’t say they were particularly adrenalin-pumping, they were exactly what they claim to be — a historical piece of the park’s 150-plus years in business. Today, Dorney Park is owned by Cedar Fair, a name familiar to any roller coaster aficionado. It may be a bit hard to find the historic value of the park behind all the typical amusement trappings, but it’s definitely worth a second thought for anyone interested in the history of the attractions that have become a staple summer activity for generations. — Holly Godbey, marketing & sales assistant