As the days of summer arrive, many residents head to any one of the several swim clubs in Monroeville to cool off. In early days, the Burke Glen Amusement Park with its cool spring-fed pool was the place to go!
Located along Rt 22 between Old William Penn and Elliot Rd, the pool at Burke Glen held legendary status as“ the coldest pool in the world”. As a frequent visitor in the‘ 60s, this author agrees wholeheartedly. The first cannonball into the pool shocked the system but was the most refreshing feeling ever.
The pool was just one feature of the Burke Glen Amusement Park. The Burke brothers, who opened the park in 1925, encouraged people in their advertisements to“ leave the smoke and dust of the mills and come to a park in the country with fresh air.” Those who ventured into the countryside were entertained by the park’ s featured roller coaster, The Speed Hound, calmer rides for small children, an arcade for those who wished to demonstrate their skills, several idyllic wooded groves for family picnics, a covered boardwalk that provided shelter for picnickers during inclement weather, and of course, a carousel for romantics and children alike. Eventually, the park included a miniature golf course and a
Monro��ill�’ s Amus�m�n� Par�
dance hall that was popular with teenagers of the day. Arlene Scalese, interviewed by the Monroeville Historical Society in the‘ 80s, described the Burke Glen Ballroom as“ a really fun place to dance with revolving mirror balls and flashing lights. The place was so big!”
The Burke brothers, plumbers by trade, purchased the land for their amusement park from the Thompson family; one of the first to arrive in Patton Township( now Monroeville) in 1816. The Thompsons were a prominent family very active in the community and in the Bethel Presbyterian Church. To some, turning farmland into an amusement park seemed like folly, but to the Burke Brothers it was an opportunity to create a park unlike others of the day. Yes, we are referring to Kennywood which opened in 1899 and relied on the trollies to bring customers to their park. The Burkes, on the other hand, catered to families with cars. They knew, once you had a car you took full advantage of the new mobility it created. The Burkes made sure to have plenty of free parking to attract customers and bus service from Wilkinsburg and Delmont.
Burke Glen weathered the depression, but gas rationing brought on by World War II in the‘ 40s hurt the park. As did a post-war project to widen Rt 22 that took property from the park and required the demolition of most of the rides. While unfortunate, this was not the end of Burke Glen. The pool, miniature golf course and dance hall remained and continued to provide entertainment to the rapidly growing community of Monroeville. In 1974, the rising maintenance costs of the pool and the loss of the dance hall to fire, forced Burke Glen to close. Luckily, memories live on. – Scott Philpot
Hear Ye, Hear Ye!
Be sure to join the MHS at the McGinley Homestead for our Heritage Day Festival, September 27 – 11 a. m. to 4 p. m. Admission to the grounds and the historical houses is free, with a charge for some activities. Stop by and visit with our members who are happy to show you around the“ ole homestead.” For more information on the MHS, visit monroevillehistorical. org or follow us on Facebook @ MonroevilleHistoricalSociety.
MONROEVILLE ❘ FALL 2025 31