IT HAS BEEN CALLED THE WORLDS LARGEST INDOOR MINIATURE VILLAGE. Click LIKE is you have fond memories of Roadside America growing up as a child or visiting there with your children & grandchildren. Laurence Gieringers lifetime labor of love began to take shape in the early 30s during the depths of the Great Depression. His growing train & miniature train display was a hit wherever it was located. In 1939, it was located in the carousel building at the defunct Carsonia Park near Reading. In late 1940 Gieringer bought a piece of land in Shartlesville & began construction of a warehouse-size building to house his display. Roadside America opened in 1953 & it celebrated its 60th birthday last year. Gieringer passed away in 1963 & Roadside America is currently operated by his granddaughter & family. The 8,000 square foot miniature display contains 18 trains, trolleys, & cable cars; 300 miniature structures, 4,000 miniature people, 10,000 hand-made trees, & 600 mini lights. The display is constructed with 21,500 feet of electrical wiring 17,700 board feet of lumber 6,000 feet of building paper 4,000 feet of sheet metal under the plaster work 2,250 feet of railroad track 648 feet of canvas for waterproofing 450 feet of pipe 18,000 pounds of plaster 4,000 pounds of sheet iron 900 pounds of nails 600 pounds of rubber roofing material 75 pounds of dry paint 75 gallons of liquid paint 225 bushels of moss 25 bags of cement Three barrels of screened sawdust Three barrels of tar 1 of my fondest memories growing up was my parents taking my brother & I to Roadside America during the holiday season. Im certain many of you will agree. More info about Roadside America can be found at: roadsideamericainc/ If this is the 1st time youve seen a COAL REGION CONNECTIONS post--scroll down our page, check out our old photos, & enjoy more great nostalgic memories. Thanks for your LIKES, SHARES, & COMMENTS. Please check this page every 2-3 days because Facebook does not include ALL posts in news feeds.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 00:28:16 +0000
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