History The Park was situated on Harvey’s Lake the largest natural lake in Eastern Pennsylvania on what was once the Lehigh Valley Railroad Picnic Grounds. Some of the early attractions at the picnic grounds included a dance hall, carousel, arcade, bowling alley, a small roller coaster, miniature railroad, swimming beach, and a Shoot-the-Chute. In the 1920’s other attractions added to the park included a Shooting Gallery, Restaurant, Bingo, a Penny Arcade, and Dodgem. John A. Miller and Oscar E. Bittler built a sixty-five foot high roller coaster called the "Speed Hound" in the early 1930’s. A Pretzel dark ride was added in 1934, which later became Pirate’s Cove. Don Hanson’s father purchased the park in the mid 1930’s. He added a new bathhouse to the beach with a roller skating rink on its second floor. Some of the other activities around that time at the picnic grounds were boat races, diving shows, swimming races, and airplane stunt shows over the lake. Another activity added to the park around the end of the 1930’s were speedboat rides. In the 1940’s more rides and attractions were added to the park including a Ferris Wheel, Whip, Twirler, Flying Scooter, and a new miniature railroad. Hanson’s Drive In Theater was built in 1948 at the back of the park. It operated for a period of only three years. A kiddie land was also built that opened in 1950 including boats, fire engines, pony carts, a miniature whip, and the Starlight Express a small wooden children’s roller coaster. Throughout the 1960’s and early 1970’s Hanson’s second floor dance hall hosted such local bands as J oe Nardone and the All Stars, and Eddie Day and TNT. Some national performers who performed at the dance hall included Chubby Checker, Bobby Goldsboro, the Supremes, and Frankie Vali and the Four Seasons. This attracted a whole new generation of visitors to Hanson’s Amusement Park. Crowds and interest in the park continued to decline through the 1970’s, and early 1980’s. In 1980 the "Speed Hound" roller coaster was structurally damaged. This impacted adversely upon the parks ability to draw a crowd. Camping was later added to attract more business to the park. Sadly the park closed after the 1984 season, and the park's contents were auctioned off at that time. The picnic grounds shortly after became home to the Bud Light Amphitheater.