Elk Park Remembered Traditional Geocache
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Another in our series of Girard-area historical caches.
At the turn of the 20th century, the Industrial Revolution was in full swing in Erie County. Trolley lines were being built to connect the country to compete with the railroads. In 1901, the Conneaut and Erie Trolley Line was started to connect those two cities. The center of the route was just west of Girard at Elk Park, where the company constructed its car barns and power plant, part of which still stands just north of the railroad tracks and Elk Park Rd.
To encourage riders, the company built a beautiful park near their car barns which included a dance hall, picnic buildings, a baseball field, "kiddie rides", and a large pond where a gentleman could rent a boat to row his date. Many paths surrounded the “lake” where picnics could be held, as well as benches to enjoy the views .
By the fall of 1922, the automobile had taken away a good portion of the trolley’s business and the line closed. By 1950, many of the remaining dilapidated structures were still present and the pond was silted in, much as it looks today. Enjoy the pictures of Elk Park in a bygone era.
Now, as you approach the cache, note the spillway/waterfall on the north side of the dam. You can see how deep the pond must have been when first built. Look on the south side to imagine the size of the pond that existed here over 100 years ago.
Bring a pen to sign the log. Special thanks to the Hazel Kibler Historical Society and Caroline Veith for the photos, and to Ken Springirth for his book “Erie to Conneaut By Trolley” for some of the documentation.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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