HR 448

                                               PRINTER'S NO.    3044
             THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
      HOUSE RESOLUTION
         No. 448
                                         Session of
                                           2026
INTRODUCED BY STEHR, HAMM, M. MACKENZIE, RAPP, MADDEN,
   STAMBAUGH, HADDOCK, BRENNAN, NEILSON, KAUFFMAN, GILLEN,
   PICKETT, MALONEY, RADER, STENDER, SCHEUREN, ROWE, HOHENSTEIN,
   FLICK, TWARDZIK, HEFFLEY, BRIGGS, ARMANINI, WATRO,
   BENNINGHOFF, CIRESI AND LEADBETER, MARCH 19, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
   DEVELOPMENT, MARCH 23, 2026
                          A RESOLUTION
1 Designating July 4, 2026, as "Knoebels Amusement Resort Day" in
2    Pennsylvania, celebrating 100 years of operation in this
3    Commonwealth.
4    WHEREAS, Knoebels Amusement Resort, commonly referred to as
5 "Knoebels," is a family-owned-and-operated amusement park and
6 campground located in Elysburg; and
7    WHEREAS, Knoebels is the largest free admission park in the
8 United States; and
9    WHEREAS, Knoebels opened on July 4, 1926, upon a beautiful
10 valley in central Pennsylvania; and
11    WHEREAS, The Knoebel family purchased a plot of land in 1828
12 for $932 and used the land predominantly for farming until the
13 early 1900s; and
14    WHEREAS, The location later turned into a popular picnic
15 destination named "Knoebels Grove," where visitors could enjoy
16 the creek-fed swimming hole and purchase soft drinks and snacks;
1 and
2WHEREAS, Popularity for Knoebels Grove grew and the Knoebel
3 family began to lease plots of land along the creeks as summer
4 cottage sites, with some of these cottages still existing on the
5 property today; and
6WHEREAS, In 1926, the Knoebel family's entrepreneurial vision
7 included adding a restaurant, a steam-powered carousel and
8 transforming the old creek-fed swimming hole into a concrete
9 filtered swimming pool named "The Crystal Pool"; and
10WHEREAS, The Crystal Pool became the focal point of the park
11 with over 50 attractions, rides and games added for visitors to
12 enjoy; and
13WHEREAS, Knoebels thrived over the years, spanning 150 acres
14 and featuring 64 attractions that include roller coasters and
15 water rides; and
16WHEREAS, In those thriving years, the amusement park endured
17 many challenges with Mother Nature; and
18WHEREAS, Due to the amusement park's proximity to water
19 sources, Knoebels has suffered substantial damage to property
20 from major flooding in 1972, 1975, 1996, 2004, 2006 and 2011;
21 and
22WHEREAS, Despite Mother Nature's best attempts at
23 destruction, Knoebels continues to reopen year after year, with
24 the help from dedicated staff and loyal community support; and
25WHEREAS, Knoebels is more than just a free admission, free
26 parking and free entertainment amusement park, Knoebels is a
27 shining example of what Pennsylvania is known for; therefore be
28 it
29RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate July 4,
30 2026, as "Knoebels Amusement Resort Day" in Pennsylvania and
20260HR0448PN3044  - 2 -
1 celebrate a century of pure Pennsylvania amusement and
2 entertainment.
20260HR0448PN3044  - 3 -