The Thunderbolt roller coaster at Kennywood Park.
There’s a special place in the hearts of all Yinzers like me, one that has imprinted memories upon young and old. It's a National Historic Landmark that's also a gathering point for families, school children and thrill seekers. Kennywood Park. A ridiculously fun amusement park in West Mifflin, located on the aging PA route 837 which once connected all of the steel mills and factories along the Monongahela’s south riverbank. There's a 104-yr old wooden roller coaster that still makes you jump out of your seat, and new amazingly fast coasters that can turn your stomach in a heartbeat.
Kennywood symbolizes a rite of passage - yearly for many, occasionally for others and once for some. School picnics, family outings, and even date nights. Kennywood has a character about it that is very real, not manufactured. Perhaps that is because Kennywood is more than 125 years old, and feels like an ever evolving, patchwork quilt of an amusement park. You can still ride the Turtles, a coaster from 1927 that your Nonno probably rode as a child. Old meets new, young meets old. Fun meets excitement.
On this 412 Day, I salute Kennywood Park, a place that still brings me back to my childhood each time I visit. And maybe that’s the entire point. When you walk through those gates, you can drop all of our worries. Just find a ride or a game, and laugh while soaking it all in.
