Roadside America in Shartlesville Pennsylvania is one of the most unique tourist attractions in the United States. It is open year-round but the hours of operation depends on the season. See their web site for a complete list of their operating schedule.
Laurence Gieringer founded Roadside America and was one of the world's most respected builders of miniature models. His love for miniatures has said to begun when he was a small child, around the age of 5 years. Over the years that love grew and he built himself a large collection which is on display today for the world to enjoy.
The display first started in his home back in 1935 and moved to a bigger location in 1939. Then in 1953 it finally moved into it's final location along Interstate 78 in Shartlesville and has been there ever since.
Admission Rates:
* Adults ages 12 and over $6.75
* Children ages 6-11 years $3.75
* Children 5 and under are free
When you walk through the door you are in "awe" of the 8,000 square foot, fully landscaped miniature village display. There is something to see from every side, angle and corner. There are over 3,000 miniature buildings and up to 18 trains, trolley cars and cable cars running at any given time.
These are interactive miniature displays with animated working saw mills, construction sites, cable cars, circus animal parade, boats in simulated rivers & streams and so much more! In addition, these animations can be activated by visitors!
We went for a visit as a family. The oldest member with us is 55 years old and the youngest was 6 years old. Everyone...no matter what their age enjoyed visiting the Roadside America Miniature Village. We spent a good 90 minutes checking out all of the displays where are very realistic looking and interesting to see. It's like taking a step back in time and peeking in to see what it was like to live during that era.
From every angle...every scene has been meticulously recreated to look exactly like it may have looked back in those times. If you have ever sat down and look through old community books and newspapers...these scenes look exactly like those! It's amazing the attention that they paid to every little detail...from the cars, the landscaping, the clothing worn on the miniature people and so forth. I can't even imagine the hours and years it took to create something like this! Amazing!
You can learn more about the
Roadside America in Shartlesville Pennsylvania by visiting their site online. You can find driving directions, GPS coordinates and hours of operation. If you are ever passing through this area or if you live nearby...we highly recommend that you stop in for a visit. We had a great time!
Note: All photos in this post are clickable. You can click on each one which will open it in a new window and in an enlarged size so that you can see all of the details up close.
1 comment:
I did not know about this miniature village and I hope that I shall be able to visit it one day. I clicked on the photos to see each area more clearly. I am sure that the whole family would love to see this unique village.
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