The current pandemic has robbed people of their favorite summer recreation destinations, but we still have memories of, and can learn about, other area places of fun and recreation that older generations visited – closer to home.

The iconic building that once housed the carousel became a victim of flooding and time.  The vacant building was deemed unsafe and razed in 1972

            Millside Park operated from 1923 to 1935 in the village of Palm in Upper Hanover Township, at the intersection of Gravel Pike (Route 29) and Water Street. 

            Once known as Leibert's Mill and its mill-house, the property straddled Gravel Pike.  William Conway and Harvey Heck purchased the property and transformed it

The waterslide gave park visitors a unique opportunity to splash down into the waters of the Perkiomen Creek.  A dam on the Perkiomen Creek, near the mouth of the Hosensack Creek, was used to keep the water depth at a level for revelers to enjoy.

into one, a popular recreation area.  A few years later, Conway bought out his partner and became the sole owner.

            He progressively developed it into an amusement park.

            Millside maintained a popular swimming area, complete with a variety of slides and water games.  Kind of like an early water-park.  Fed by the clear waters of the Hosensack and Perkiomen Creeks, a dam was used to keep the depth at a level for revelers to enjoy the wet, refreshing fun.

            The Millside Amusement park was a widely known summer resort.  In addition to games, a shooting gallery, penny arcade, rides, swimming area, water games, miniature golf, a large carousel, and cabins for rent, there

The millhouse (left) and the former Liebert's mill (right), along with the grounds around them were converted to an amusement  park that served visitors from 1923 to 1935.  Gravel Pike was     raised in later years to help with flooding waters.

was good food and several other attractions.  Among those other attractions were weekend dances that drew large crowds to the spacious pavilion located on the property.

            At times, Conway would also exhibit animals in a zoo-like area of the park.  Often the animals would arrive at the Palm train station at the beginning of summer and travel to other locations from the station at the end of the summer.

            It was the closest some folks would ever come to visiting a zoo, and consequently, this was their only encounter with animals that were not native to Southeastern Pennsylvania.  

            In 1930, while on exhibit at Millside, three frolicking and fun-loving monkeys

Boating in the Perkiomen Creek was a popular attraction at Millside in the early days of the amusement park's develop- ment.  But the waters would turn dangerous and destructive during the flood of 1935.

escaped while awaiting transport from the Palm train station.  The playful simians climbed poles and wires eluding capture

            Station agent Fred Eschbach sent for park owner William Conway – neither had any experience in luring or capturing monkeys.  Conway summoned Ferris-wheel operator Mr. Caffery who had some experience in the matter at hand.

            Eventually, Caffery was able to quietly walk up behind the monkeys, pick them up, and safely cage them for the trip to the zoo.

            The park flourished until the flood of August, 1935.  A record-shattering rainfall brought heavy flooding and closed Gravel Pike from north of Millside all the way down to Perkiomenville, as the Perkiomen Creek rose over its banks by record levels.  Five dams in the Upper Perkiomen Valley collapsed under the strength of the waters that ravaged the area for 10 hours.

            The Perkiomen Creek rose to a depth of 15 feet above the roadway of Gravel Pike at Millside Park.   So deep and strong were the currents that it lifted the old Millside Tavern from its foundation.  A Town & Country account reported that the building was hurled with a deafening crash against trees and accumulated debris.  The building then went to pieces.

            The devastating flood washed away much of the park's amenities.  Sometime after the flood, Gravel Pike was raised several feet, basically cutting the property in two.

            Oscar Bitler, owner of Millside Park at the time, announced that even though his dance hall and tavern were washed away by the flood, his business would continue in the mill building for which the park was named.  The mill was renovated a few years prior and housed the park's bowling alleys.

            One of the final remnants of the park, the empty shell where the carousel once treated youthful riders, was torn down in 1972 – a victim of floods as well as time.

            Today the property is the home of Schultheis' Carriage House Restaurant on the east side of Gravel Pike and American Legion Post #184 on the west side of the highway.