Based on this map above, here is a list of rides in Oakford Park in 1916:
Circle Swing
Merry-Go-Round
Slide
Three-Way Figure Eight (labeled Roller Coaster)
Jeannette will not forget the tragedy that ripped the fabric of city life almost a century ago. Nearly 100 years ago, the popular amusement complex Oakford Park, on the outskirts of the city, was filled to capacity. When the rain began, people took shelter under pavilions and crowded into the streetcar waiting room to ride out the storm. By 5:30 p.m. on July 5, 1903, the earthen embankments of a man-made body of water constructed by the Pittsburgh, McKeesport, and Greensburg Street Railway Co. collapsed under the strain. A surge of water 6 feet high descended upon the park. The cascading water down Brush Creek resulted in 21 deaths, according to "Vignettes" columns written by Robert Van Atta, history editor of the Tribune-Review. Somehow, Oakford Park recovered. Throngs of people eventually hopped trolleys to get to its roller skating rink and its vaudeville theater, which launched the Three Stooges. A later owner installed a pool. The Jeannette Area Historical Society will commemorate the rich history of Oakford Park with a book, which will be issued in time for the city's Fourth of July festivities, said society president John Howard. And Ron Terpko, who grew up in Jeannette and now lives in San Jose, Calif., has recently issued a 10-minute video "The History of Jeannette's "Oakford Amusement Park." Several copies are available at the Jeannette Public Library. Both commemorations will cover the flood, a defining moment in the park's -- and Jeannette's --- history. The merry-go-round, roller coaster and wooden buildings were carried off by the fast-moving waters. The arch under Gaskill Avenue and the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks were covered with water, wreckage and the dead. Streetcars derailed and tumbled off their tracks. Bridges as far away as Irwin were swept away. Restoration of the park began immediately. Picnic pavilions were constructed and a huge dance hall was added in 1908. Sunday concerts returned as did sensational entertainment, including high-wire and high-dive acts. Many courtships sparked at Oakford Park. The park's roller skating rink attracted young and old, while a theater for vaudeville acts lured big-name entertainers, such as Fred Waring and the Stooges. "The Jeannette school picnics used to be held at the park," said Jane Reitz, of Jeannette. "There used to be families picnic baskets on the tables and some of the more ornery kids would steal them." Reitz's older brothers, Jim Stevenson, 88, of Greensburg, and Bob Stevenson, 81, of Jeannette, remember the Whip, the Whirly Bird, and the scooters. Residents of the Jeannette area most vividly recall the swimming pool, which drew throngs of people from the 1940s through the '70s. When Edward Antonacci, an Italian immigrant who settled in Jeannette, purchased the park in 1945, he devoted his energies to making the swimming pool a popular hot spot. "You could get on the streetcar to get to the park," said Reitz. "We used to live in West Jeannette and we'd walk along the railroad tracks to get to the swimming pool." Graff Bomberger, former editor of the Jeannette News Dispatch, said the pool was an even bigger attraction once the amusement park closed down. "It was always very busy," said Bomberger. "People from all around would come there to swim." A pool pass cost $1 for the entire year, Reitz remembered from her junior high school days. Tony Rinaldi, 77, of Jeannette, said he remembered riding the streetcar from West Jeannette to the park for 3 cents. "I don't think we paid for the streetcar on school picnic days," Rinaldi added. "And the swimming pool was the largest in the area." The children of Edward Antonacci -- Irmo, Kiki, Dave and Mel -- scrubbed down the pool every spring to get it ready for the season. Between 25 and 30 people worked at the park. A typical Sunday would draw nearly 1,200 people to Oakford Park's picnic area and pool. "When I remember the park, I flash back to warm summer late afternoons, when a lot of the people had already gone home," said Terpko. "It seemed like I had the whole park to myself then. And the french fries with ketchup and vinegar -- I'll always remember that great taste." Terpko's video details in pictures the 1903 flood and the importance of trolleys and the pool to the park's existence. "I came back to Jeannette last year and was able to get some footage of the trolleys," said Terpko. "I wanted to preserve a little bit about the park because it holds so many memories for so many people." The video is the first of his "Keeping the Memories Alive" series in which Terpko uses photographs, home movie footage and other artifacts to re-create the history of Oakford Park. "I've been contacted by people who used to live in Jeannette, but now reside in California, Florida and Kentucky," he said. "One woman wrote and told me how she met her husband at the swimming pool. They've been married now for about 50 or 60 years. "Many of my friends would go to the park and even when we didn't have a pool pass, we'd go and talk to the girls who ran up to the chain-link fence." The Jeannette historical society will detail also the history of the flood and the park with photographs, Howard said. He has been "literally knocking on doors," to find old photographs. A visit to a friend paid off, when his wife uncovered a rare photograph. "It actually shows where the dam was in relation to other buildings," Howard said. "It clearly shows where the break is." While many photographs have been collected, the society is seeking other treasures for the book. "The main thing we're looking for is stories, to put a personal touch to the pictures rather than just pasting pictures in a book," Howard said. Those with possible contributions can contact Howard at --------. The society's book will be the first of a series covering Jeannette's history. Last summer, Terpko made an odyssey to the site of the former park, which was sold at an auction in 1977. The pool has been filled with dirt and the nearby hillside is choked with weeds, he reported.
