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=Mount Holly Park= Mount Holly Park was a summer resort developed along Mountain Creek in Mount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania. The park operated from 1901 until 1918.

History
Mount Holly Park was originally opened in 1901 by Harrisburg entrepreneur Patricio Russ, serving as the attraction for his "Trolley to Holly" line. The park began near the Holly Inn and continued south for approximately 1 mile along Mountain Creek.[1]

In 1904, Russ leased additional land, including an artificial lake that had been created in the 1880s by damming Mountain Creek, originally used to supply water and generate power for the nearby paper mills.[1][3] Russ extended the trolley line to provide direct access to the lake. Visitors would disembark near the present-day Deer Lodge restaurant, and the park ran along the road connected to restaurant's parking lot.[1]

The trolley line peaked in 1906 with a maximum ridership of 212,605 passengers.[2] At times, upwards of 10,000 people would attend the park in a single day.[6]

Attractions

 * Restaurant
 * Bandstand
 * Dance Pavilion -- measured approximately 80 feet long by 40 feet wide, different kinds of dances were held depending on the day of the week
 * 2 Lane Bowling Alley
 * Baseball Field -- included a clubhouse, which burned down in 1930
 * Tennis Courts
 * Flower Gardens
 * Play Grounds
 * Ferris Wheel -- the first Ferris wheel in Cumberland County[1]
 * Roller Coaster -- named a "Kelly Slide"
 * Observatory -- located at the top of South Mountain, featured a telescope
 * Mineral Springs -- the quality of the drinking water was a selling point that was reportedly recommended by prominent doctors. “Natural springs are scattered all over the park and are noted for their medicinal qualities,” the pamphlet reads. “Some contain iron, and all are clear, cold and sparkling at all seasons of the year.” lithia
 * Boating
 * Picnicking
 * Hiking Trails
 * Lover's Walk

Rollercoaster Fatality
In 1916, Thomas Blair of Newville, PA was killed when he stood up on the rollercoaster and fell out of his car. Another car crashed into the car he had been occupying, crushing Blair's breastbone and jaws. He died later at a local hospital.[5]

This accident prompted the closure of the ride, and may have ultimately lead to the closure of the park itself.[1]

Closure
The popularity of Mount Holly Park decreased with the increased adoption of personal automobiles, the onset of the Great Depression, the rollercoaster fatality, and damage to the dam due to flooding.[1][2] Trolley service in Carlisle and Mount Holly Springs ended December 1, 1930.[1]

It is still possible to view the remains of the restaurant's foundation, and the upper and lower dams.[1] The dam was demolished in 1989, but the earthen wall and spillway foundations remain.[?][3]

Mount Holly Springs Marsh Preserve
The property today is known as The Mount Holly Marsh Preserve. It was acquired by The Nature Conservancy in 1992 with help from the Holly Gap Committee, a group of local community members who raised funds to permanently preserve the land. Cumberland County currently owns the land, managing it in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy.[2][3] Activities within the preserve include hiking (over 7 miles of trails) and bird watching.