From Farm to Hotel and First Gatherings
Originally, in 1845, the land where Riverview Beach Park in Pennsville was a farm with a tavern and a ferry. In 1851, a building called the Silver Grove Hotel opened on the property. The hotel was named for the 16 silver maple trees planted between it and the river. Starting in 1889, Mr. Samuel Taylor sponsored the first annual farmers’ picnic. Year after year, the event grew gaining attention as well as new attractions such as a merry-go-round and some of the first publicly used phonographs. A barber shop and a store were soon added between the hotel and Front Street due to the influx of people visiting the park.
Mr. Acton’s Vision for an Amusement Park
Then in 1914, Mr. William D. Acton had a vision for a much larger and more appealing look for the grounds. He opened a small amusement park between Main Street and West Pittsfield Street which included swings, a picnic area, a larger merry-go-round, a beautiful sandy beach, and a dance hall that hosted movies once a week for 5 cents. This began to draw many out of state visitors to the area especially in the summer. During the summer months families on vacation from out of state rented cottages along the riverfront.
The White Line ran steamboats down from Philadelphia and Delaware to Riverview Beach Park, and they were always jammed packed (as seen in the photos). The “Adelaide” and the “Queen Anne” were two of the luxurious watercraft dawned with ivory, marble, and the finest of linens.
New Additions of Roller Coasters, a Pool, and more!
In 1922, owner Mr. Acton decided to purchase the adjoining 30 acre Baker Farm which made the park one of the largest in South Jersey. With pressure building to peak the interest of new visitors, he decided to add new attractions. These new attractions included an airplane ride, water slide, a Ferris wheel, a roller skating rink, and a 75ft x 150ft swimming pool which held 60,000 gallons of water. In 1936 when complete, the Olympic sized pool cost $150,000.
In 1953, after years of owning and managing the park and its 300 plus employees, Mr. Acton finally decided to pass the torch of ownership to Alvis Wallace who immediately sold the park to F.C. Morton of Salem that very same year.
At its peak, Riverview Beach Park offered five Ferris wheels, two roller coasters (pictured), a roller skating rink, a dance hall, plus more! Of course, there were also dozens of food venues for the thousands of visitors to enjoy while at the park.
Four years later, the park was again sold. This time to Riverview Lines Inc. for a whopping $700,000. Unfortunately, with the rapid decline of industry in the area & the overall number of visitors in general, the riverboat ferries were discontinued in 1961, and the amusement park was eventually abandoned.
Today’s Riverview Park
Since then it has been known as Riverview Park, and even though the luster and majesty of yesteryear has come to pass, the park is still enjoyed by families and friends alike on a daily basis. So, the next time you’re at the annual Septemberfest celebration or just simply strolling along the river for an afternoon walk, ponder this: You’re not the first to be there enjoying the park nor will you be the last!
