PEN MAR, Md. – Did you know that Pen Mar Park once was the home of a roller coaster? And a movie theater? And was once one of the most popular tourist locations in Washington and Franklin counties? Well, it is not myth or folklore, but all true.
The park was the creation of Col. John Mifflin Hood (1843-1906), a native of Howard County, Maryland, and former director of the Western Maryland Railway. Once a soldier in the American Civil War (1861-1865) and serving with Company C of the 2nd Maryland Regiment, he used his engineering abilities to try and help with the South’s limited railroad capabilities. This would lead to a career with the railroad after the war.
After choosing the spot along the Mason Dixon line separating Washington County and Franklin County for a railway station, the park was created in 1877 as a tourist attraction to complement the station. At 1400 feet of elevation and overlooking perhaps one of the grandest mountain ranges in the area, the location of the park was the perfect choice.
To capitalize on the ideal location and the convenience of the railway train, the park was loaded with attractions that would appeal to all ages. An amusement park was built featuring a carousel, a miniature train and a roller coaster. There was also a penny arcade, a photo studio, a children’s playground and a concession stand.
For nighttime entertainment there was a movie theater, a dance pavilion and a picnic shelter. Of course, to top it all off was the most popular attraction, the overlook. The large two-story white viewing structure was built at the edge of the mountainside where visitors could look out at the wonders of nature and the beautiful landscape of Washington County.
The park was a huge success for the railway, bringing in thousands of guests every summer. Then in 1943, at the height of the Great Depression, popularity declined. America was heavily involved in World War II, and the automobile was slowly taking the place of train travel.
The amusement park, theater, pavilion and overlook were dismantled and the park closed. The scenic mountain location would remain quiet and serene with no more music or children’s laughter to fill the silence. It would remain silent for another 34 years.
In the summer of 1977, the park was reopened. A committee was created called the Pen Mar Park Pavillion Committee which took on the responsibility of rebuilding the pavilion. Committee members worked tirelessly to raise the funds and design the new structure, which was built on the same grounds where the original had once stood. It officially opened in August of 1980.
This was followed by the rebuilding of the picnic shelter, the children’s playground and a new overlook, once again offering visitors a scenic view of the land and mountains. Today, the park is as lively as ever. During the peak summer months concerts and events are held at the pavilion, and the park is a popular tourist destination with tourists and locals alike.
While the days of riding the roller coaster or visiting the movie theater at Pen Mar Park may be lost to time, the happiness and experience of being in nature that Col. J.M. Hood had once envisioned still thrives. There is still music and laughter in the mountains filling the void of silence.
