The "Long's Park - Lancaster's Most Beautiful Escape - Part I" Story

Foreword:  On May 23 a powerful storm struck the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Severe damage was experienced in a few parts of the county with some of the worst damage being along the Harrisburg Pike area of the town.  The following day the images in the newspaper were unbelievable.  My story today tells of a trip my wife and I took to examine the storm damage and document it with photographs.  

 It was an ordinary day.  Driving with my wife through one of Lancaster's most beautiful locations...Long's Park, which is located on the west side of the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  A few days before, severe weather had swept through South Central Pennsylvania and destroyed property, both private as well as public landmarks.  One such landmark was Lancaster's public park known as Long's Park.  One city worker reported that "I've been here 23 years and I've never seen anything like this.  I kept hearing words like 'it's the worst damage I've ever seen' and 'it looks like a war zone.'"  City officials began receiving calls late Wednesday evening, telling of the damage.  One small area was hit particularly hard by strong thunderstorms.  Extensive damage covered much of the property along Harrisburg Pike as well as Lancasater's beloved Long's Park.  City crews woke up Thursday morning to destruction, primarily in  Long's Park.  As Carol and I watched the early morning news on our local WGAL-TV station, we were amazed with the damage throughout the beautiful park.  We phoned our oldest son who works at the nearby Donnelly Printing Company and he reported that they had very little damage to their adjacent property...but, the park looks awful he reported.  The "Crown Jewel" of the City of Lancaster was in trouble, but shortly after, a plan was in place.  Over 50 trees had been downed in the park as well as a construction trailer toppled across the street from the park.  Storms with heavy winds struck a corridor along Harrisburg Pike between Route 30 and Crossings Boulevard near Long's Par, causing debris to be strewn throughout the area.  Harrisburg Pike was closed to traffic near Long's Park for quite some time.  The storm knocked out power in the southwest portion of Manheim Township with traffic signals out of order.  Fire police were called to help with traffic control to keep everyone away from the area.  By the time Carol and I have wandered into the area a few days after, the park was open once again, but there was still plenty of work to be done to clear all the downed trees.  The park is 80 acres of beautiful wooded land with quite a few pavilions and a small zoo that allows you to visit and walk amongst the animals.  

Sign as you enter the park

As you enter the park you are greeted by a sign that says, "WELCOME TO LONG'S PARK" and closeby is another sign that says "Welcome to Long's Park, Lancaster, PA." It goes on to say, "Formerly the farm of Henry G. Long.  This seventy-four acre estate was willed to the city of Lancaster by his daughter, Miss Catherine H. Long in 1900...to be used as a delightful place of resort for the people of this city.  As directed by Miss Long's will, the Long Park Commission was formed and continues to supervise administration of the park."  

Another sign telling about the park

One of the main attractions of the park is the large bandstand that has been the home of the Summer Music Series for nearly 60 years.  

The bandstand with seating in the park.

Free concerts as well as other events are offered usually on Sunday in the summer months.  This year a few of the concerts will be: Maggie Rose (a Nashville-based singer/.songwriter), Thornetta Davis (Detroit's Queen of the Blues), The Big Takeover (a seven piece reggae band from New York) and The Kenny Roger Band.  Live Aid Tribute with musicians such as Elton John, Davie Bowie, Queen, U2. etc have played on the stage at one time or another at Long's Park.  

The storm damaged this pavilion.

So, you can see that the storm we experienced a day ago could have been a disaster had it not been for the quick response of all the workers who arrived to clean up the downed trees in the park.  

One of the roads in the park was closed due to trees downed.

The park looks empty in some parts, but it will gain its green nature back in a short time...as it always has in the past.    Everyone is just glad that no one was injured when the trees toppled to the ground.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

A few more trees downed in the park.  Cleanup taking place below.