Bushkill Park
A historic small amusement park in Easton, Pennsylvania, known for its vintage attractions, funhouse, skating rink, and family-oriented entertainment.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Bushkill Park is a historic amusement park in Easton, Pennsylvania, United States. Established in 1902, it is one of the older amusement parks in the country and developed around the recreational opportunities provided by the Bushkill Creek. Although its scale has always been smaller than that of major regional theme parks, Bushkill Park became distinctive for its collection of traditional amusement devices, hand-painted attractions, vintage carousels, skating facilities, and the Bar'l of Fun funhouse. The park's most important period of development began in the 1930s, when Thomas Long leased the property in 1933 and furnished it with a hand-carved carousel associated with his family. Long purchased the park in 1939 and operated it with his wife, Mabel Long, who was widely known as “Mom” Long. Their stewardship made Bushkill Park a family-run destination centered on classic amusement traditions rather than large-scale mechanized rides. The Long family connection also linked the park to several historically significant carousels. Long Carousel No. 8, built by members of the Long family, eventually became a Bushkill attraction in the mid-1930s, while another carousel associated with Willow Mill Park was acquired by Bushkill in 1993. Bushkill's identity has also been shaped by the Bar'l of Fun, a pre-1935 funhouse that retained extensive folk-art decoration and unusual mechanical features. Its attractions included a rotating barrel, mirrors, a maze, a rolling walkway, a wooden slide, and other traditional funhouse elements. The building's survival made it an important example of early twentieth-century amusement-park design, and it received national exposure through a Discovery Channel feature in 1999. After restoration, the attraction reopened under the name Hilarity Hall. The park's location has been both an asset and a major vulnerability. It lies in a flood-prone area that is nearly surrounded by the Bushkill Creek. Hurricane Ivan produced a severe flood in 2004, destroying the Haunted Pretzel and miniature golf course and damaging the bumper cars and Whip ride. The park did not open during the 2005 season and suffered additional flooding in April 2005 and June 2006. Vandalism in 2007 further damaged the site, leaving many buildings and rides in poor condition. Most of the park's pre-flood rides were eventually destroyed or sold. The owners undertook periodic cleanup and revival efforts. In 2010, the park was visited by Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz for the television program American Pickers. The program's producers bought vintage sideshow banners from the park, and part of the resulting profit was returned to support restoration. Bushkill also gained attention through the 2011 horror film The Fields, which used the flood-damaged park as a setting. Limited operations resumed in January 2017, initially involving the skating rink, indoor arcade, children's party area, and private rentals. A public 115th-anniversary fundraiser in July 2017 featured children's activities, food, the Bar'l of Fun, restored small rides, and displays of surviving ride vehicles. In May 2019, co-owner Neal Fehnel sold his share to Sammy Baurkot. Bushkill Park reopened in 2022 and marked its 120th anniversary on July 4 of that year. Its present identity is that of a heritage-oriented, family-scale amusement venue whose appeal rests on restored historic attractions, seasonal activities, parties, skating, and nostalgia rather than a large inventory of modern thrill rides.
History
Bushkill Park was established in 1902 in Easton, Pennsylvania, in a recreational area shaped by the Bushkill Creek. Its location offered a natural setting for a local amusement destination, but the same creek system later exposed the park to repeated flooding. The venue operated for much of the twentieth century as a small, traditional amusement park rather than a large regional destination. A major chapter began in 1933, when Thomas Long leased the park and installed a hand-carved carousel acquired with members of his family. Long purchased Bushkill Park in 1939 and ran it with his wife, Mabel, who became known to visitors as “Mom” Long. The Long family period lasted through Thomas Long's death in 1965 and Mabel's death in 1989, with Mabel continuing to operate the property after the death of co-operator Melvin Heavener in 1986. The family association gave Bushkill a strong connection to historic carousel craftsmanship. Long Carousel No. 8, a three-row menagerie carousel made by members of the Long family, eventually settled at Bushkill in the mid-1930s after moving among several parks. It remained there until the park and carousel were sold separately after Mabel's death. Bushkill also acquired other historically important equipment. In 1993, the park purchased a 1915 Allan Herschell carousel from the former Willow Mill Park in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, together with a Wurlitzer band organ. The carousel was later sold between 2001 and 2007, and the building that housed it collapsed under heavy snow in the winter of 2014. A separate 1907 Dentzel carousel was repaired in Tom Long's workshop behind the park, although it was not operated as a Bushkill attraction; it was sold to Centreville Amusement Park in Toronto in 1966. The Bar'l of Fun became the park's best-known surviving attraction. Built before 1935, the funhouse retained painted folk art and a collection of classic features, including a rotating barrel, mirrors, a maze, a rolling walkway, a wooden slide, and a Hall of Mirrors. Its unusual preservation attracted national attention, including a Discovery Channel feature in 1999. The attraction later underwent restoration and reopened as Hilarity Hall. The park's continuity was severely disrupted by environmental damage. Hurricane Ivan caused a catastrophic flood in 2004, destroying the Haunted Pretzel and miniature golf course and damaging the bumper cars and Whip. Bushkill did not open in 2005, and floods in April and June 2006 compounded the damage. Vandalism in 2007 left the property in especially poor condition. The owners began cleanup work in 2010, but progress was constrained by the need for additional funding and the difficult condition of the site. Public attention helped preserve the park's cultural identity. In 2010, the television program American Pickers filmed at Bushkill and purchased two vintage sideshow banners. One was subsequently attributed to banner artist Fred G. Johnson, and the unexpectedly high resale value led the program's hosts to return part of their profit to the park. Bushkill was also used as a setting for the 2011 horror film The Fields, which depicted the atmosphere of the damaged amusement site. Limited activity returned in January 2017 through the skating rink, arcade, children's party space, and private rentals. On July 9, 2017, the park held a 115th-anniversary fundraiser with family attractions, food, giveaways, displays, and a one-day opening of the Bar'l of Fun. The event also presented the restored clown and swan rides and introduced the Do*more the duck mascot. The owners described plans for a smaller future park with approximately seven or eight rides and the funhouse, acknowledging that most of the former ride inventory had been destroyed or sold. In May 2019, Neal Fehnel sold his ownership share to Sammy Baurkot. Bushkill Park ultimately reopened in 2022 and marked its 120th anniversary on July 4. The reopened venue continued the site's family-scale and heritage-oriented model, combining restored attractions such as Hilarity Hall with skating, parties, arcade activities, and seasonal amusement offerings.
- 2022
Park reopens and marks its 120th anniversary
[1]Bushkill Park reopens, celebrates its 120th anniversary, and presents the restored funhouse as Hilarity Hall.
- 2019
Baurkot becomes the remaining named co-owner
[1]Neal Fehnel sells his share to Sammy Baurkot.
- 2017
Limited operations and 115th-anniversary fundraiser
[1]Indoor activities resume, followed by a public anniversary fundraiser featuring restored rides and the Bar'l of Fun.
- 2010
American Pickers visits Bushkill Park
[1]The park appears in the program's episode “A Banner Pick,” bringing attention to its historic artifacts and restoration needs.
- 2007
Vandalism worsens the site's condition
[1]Vandalism leaves the park heavily damaged after the earlier floods.
- 2004
Hurricane Ivan flood devastates the park
[1]Flooding destroys the Haunted Pretzel and miniature golf course and damages other rides.
- 1999
Bar'l of Fun receives television exposure
[1]The historic funhouse is featured by the Discovery Channel.
- 1993
Willow Mill carousel acquired
[1]Bushkill purchases a 1915 Allan Herschell carousel and a Wurlitzer band organ from the former Willow Mill Park.
- 1939
Long family ownership begins
[1]Thomas Long purchases Bushkill Park and operates it with Mabel Long.
- 1933
Thomas Long leases the park
[1]Thomas Long takes over the park's operation and furnishes it with a hand-carved carousel associated with the Long family.
Products and positioning
A heritage amusement park focused on family entertainment, traditional rides, historic attractions, and nostalgic preservation.
Funhouse · 1935
Hilarity Hall
Hilarity Hall is the restored successor to the historic Bar'l of Fun, a funhouse built before 1935. Its traditional design includes a rotating barrel, mirror features, a maze-like dark room, a rolling walkway, a Hall of Mirrors, and an antique wooden slide. The attraction is notable for retaining painted folk-art decoration and other period details. It became one of Bushkill Park's signature attractions and was restored for operation after the park's wider revival.
Carousel · 1902
Long Carousel No. 8
Long Carousel No. 8 was a three-row menagerie carousel built by members of the Long family. After moving among several amusement parks, it arrived at Bushkill in the mid-1930s and remained there through the Long family's ownership. The carousel was sold separately from the park after Mabel Long's death in 1989. Its last reported location was intact in a warehouse in Ohio.
Carousel · 1915
1915 Allan Herschell Carousel
This 1915 Allan Herschell Company carousel was purchased from the former Willow Mill Park in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1993, together with a Wurlitzer band organ. It was subsequently sold between 2001 and 2007. The building that housed it collapsed under a heavy snow load during the winter of 2014.
Indoor recreation
Roller skating rink
The skating rink is one of the indoor facilities used in Bushkill Park's post-flood operating model. It reopened on a limited schedule in January 2017 and remained part of the park's combination of skating, parties, arcade entertainment, and seasonal amusement activities.
Amusement rides
Children's rides
Bushkill Park has historically emphasized rides for younger visitors. The 2017 anniversary event displayed or operated restored small attractions including the clown ride and swan ride, while surviving vehicles from former attractions such as the Whip, bumper cars, and Haunted Pretzel were displayed for visitors.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017115th-anniversary fundraiser
United States
A one-day public fundraiser marked the park's 115th anniversary with inflatable rides, face painting, food, ticket giveaways, restored children's rides, displays, merchandise, and access to the Bar'l of Fun.
Outcome. Nearly 3,000 people attended, and proceeds were directed toward Bushkill Park's restoration and reopening plans.
- 2010American Pickers restoration-support appearance
United States
Bushkill Park appeared in the third-season premiere of American Pickers, where Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz purchased vintage sideshow banners from the property. The appearance publicized the park's historic character and restoration needs.
Outcome. The banners later sold for substantially more than their purchase price, and the hosts gave part of the profit to the park's owners to support revival work.
Brand decisions
2022
Reopen as a family and heritage attractionStrategyBackground
Years of flood damage and restoration work had reduced the surviving attraction base, but the park retained historic structures and community recognition.
Action taken
Bushkill Park reopened with restored attractions, including the former Bar'l of Fun under the name Hilarity Hall, alongside family-oriented activities.
Aftermath
The reopening established a lower-scale operating model centered on preservation, nostalgia, and younger audiences.
2017
Adopt a smaller, heritage-oriented reopening planStrategyBackground
Flooding, vandalism, and the loss or sale of most of the pre-flood ride inventory made a full restoration of the former park impractical.
Action taken
The owners outlined a plan to reopen with approximately seven or eight rides and the historic funhouse, while continuing indoor activities and private rentals.
Aftermath
The plan shaped the park's later family-scale revival and eventual reopening in 2022.
Recent events
- 2022
Bushkill Park reopens after restoration efforts[1]
Product launch · Other
The park reopened and celebrated its 120th anniversary, with the restored Bar'l of Fun operating as Hilarity Hall.
- 2019
Neal Fehnel sells his ownership share[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Co-owner Neal Fehnel sold his share of Bushkill Park to co-owner Sammy Baurkot.
- 2017
Bushkill Park resumes limited indoor operations[1]
Other
The skating rink, arcade, children's party area, and selected rental activities reopened on a limited schedule.
- 2017
115th-anniversary fundraiser draws visitors[1]
Campaign
A July anniversary event offered family activities, food, inflatable rides, restored children's rides, and access to the Bar'l of Fun while raising money for the park.
- 2010
American Pickers features Bushkill Park[1]
Campaign · Other
Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz visited the park and acquired vintage sideshow banners. A portion of the later profit was donated to the restoration effort.
- 2007
Vandalism leaves Bushkill Park heavily damaged[1]
Other
Vandalism further deteriorated the already flood-damaged park and left much of the site in disrepair.
- 2006
Additional flooding delays park operations[1]
Other
Flooding in April and June contributed to the park's prolonged closure and complicated attempts to restore the property.
- 2004
Hurricane Ivan flood damages Bushkill Park[1]
Other
A severe flood destroyed the Haunted Pretzel and miniature golf course and damaged several other rides, including the bumper cars and Whip.
Sources2 sources
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