Cascade Park

In 1897 the New Castle Traction Company created an amusement park with a carousel, baseball field, theater, and dance pavilion as a destination on its trolley route. Over the years  bumper cars, roller coasters, a whip ride, and a penny arcade were added. The roller coasters were unique because they started at the top of a steep hill and ran down into a valley, cutting through the forest, then back up the opposite side, turned around and went back down into the valley and up the hill to return to the starting point. The park continued to operate until the early 1980s when the main roller coaster was crushed by a fallen tree. The rest of the rides were dismantled and the park underwent a restoration to make it into a green space and picnic area. 

There are still remnants of the amusement park. The dance hall has been restored. Part of the roof of the carousel building has collapsed and is slated for repair. There also an abandoned community pool that looks like it will never be repaired. The main attractions are the waterfalls and picnic area in the valley. 

We decided to visit the park even though accessibility looked doubtful. I thought we could walk/roll along the trails but we didn't make it far because they quickly started downhill into the valley. We tried to drive down to the waterfalls but the road is very steep and we weren't sure about the amount of room to turn around or if we could continue on the loop road. The park looks like an interesting place to explore but not if you have mobility issues. 

The parking lot on the hill above the park is large enough for any vehicle. The roads through the park are narrow and steep. Park  40.97937, -80.3215