HEILWOOD PARK

The earliest reference to this area of the town, a patch of ground adjacent to the baseball field, is in a June 1907 letter to the Freas Company of Punxsutawney. In preparation for the upcoming Fourth of July celebration, mine Superintendent Harry P. Dowler had hired the Freas Company to install wiring in an area he refers to as "The Grove." Dowler wanted about fifty lights attached to the trees, and even requested some red and blue bulbs.

Additional lights were also to be installed in the the pavilion located in the same area; an outside, raised, wooden platform utilized as a dance floor (see photo below at left). It's possible that there were two or more of these platforms in the park area, one of which was later enclosed to become the gymnasium for the high school (see photo at bottom left).

In addition to the dance floors, there was a large wooden structure with multiple sliding boards (see photos at left and below) for the children, as well as booths for local civic groups (see photo).

Example of the type of sliding board built inside the park area.