The Tragic Story Behind This Beloved West Virginia Park Will Never Be Forgotten
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Rachel Whetstone
Author
In the little river town of Newell, West Virginia in the Northern Panhandle, there’s a little park with a lot of history. This park was once abandoned and forgotten, but in recent years, it’s been coming to life again.
The park was established in 1907, and contained a lake, outdoor theatre, walking paths, gardens, a large fountain, and a small zoo.
Tragic circumstances lead to the zoo being closed only a year later. There was an incident in which two male bears were mistakenly put into the same pen, and one was killed. Visitors poked other animals with sticks and threw stones into the enclosures. The zoo was closed to prevent further harm to the animals.
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The former lake was used as a trash dump during Laurel Hollow's forgotten years.
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Some of the original structures still exist, so you can take a stroll here and imagine what the park was like as a beloved community recreation area more than a century ago.
Laurel Hollow Park is located between Washington and Jefferson streets, across the street from the Homer Laughlin China Company.
For a West Virginia park with a zoo that is currently open to visitors, take a look at Oglebay Park.
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