Oct 3, 2002 By Patty Shultz 5 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – Over the years, East Park has been the venue for family picnics, baseball games and a Sunday afternoon stroll to view fall’s changing colors. Its pristine beauty is marked with two waterfalls and an abundance of greenery. The stonework throughout the park enhances the surrounding nature, and, while it has been improved upon to meet the needs of the community, it remains a favorite setting for the young and old.

Today, the city’s oldest public gathering place will be rededicated during a 10 a.m. public ceremony.

“I have so many memories of East Park,” said Councilwoman Chris Wagner as she recalls her days as a teen-ager. “I remember when I turned 13 and my parents agreed that I was finally old enough to go to the park on Thursday nights with my friends.

“There would be a band and a movie. Someone would be selling concessions. And we would have the best time talking and listening to the music.”

Wagner, who now oversees the maintenance of the park as director of parks and recreation, will lead the ceremony to mark the recently completed renovation of the facility.

“It’s just beautiful,” she said as she looks over the new ballfields, tennis courts and other recreational areas that have undergone upgrading and improvement.

The project, which began several months ago under the direction of the city redevelopment authority, included the restoration of the original stonework, renovation of the amphitheater and construction of new restrooms.

But before the evening concerts and movies and the soaring of swings high into the air, or before a park was a consideration, the site was used for spinning wool, raising animals and growing crops.

According to local historian William Balsley, a “carding” or spinning mill was once located near the falls of Connell Run, which meanders through East Park.

The building was a four-story stone facility that allowed access from Fairview Avenue. The waterfalls powered the machinery that wove the wool and flax.

In the later 1800s, Balsley’s grandfather, Thomas Balsley, purchased a piece of the property from the James B. Hogg family and built his family home.

“He was quite an outdoorsman,” said William Balsley. ” He had fish ponds, raised exotic birds and all kinds of animals.”

A gifted craftsman, Thomas Balsley is credited with assisting in the construction of the early high school.

His talent is also displayed in varieties of long-rifles that are known as Pennsylvania Rifles.

“He made quite of few of them,” said William Balsley.

Although many remain and have been viewed by his grandson, none are as notable as the one he retains in his possession.

“I’ve never seen one like this one,” he said as he pulled the covering from the family heirloom. “I believe this is the only one.”

From the sculptured grapevine that weaves its way from the stock to the barrel to the carvings of animals and gold and silver inlays on which Thomas Balsley crafted other outdoor creatures, the rifle displays his grandfather’s immense talent, said William Balsley.

“I’ve been told it took him about 10 years to make it for my father,” he said. “Of course, he probably only worked on it during the winter months.”

In addition to his farming contracting work and manufacturing of rifles, Thomas Balsley also served as the local iceman.

Because of the farm’s location near the waterfalls, each winter the water supply would furnish needed ice for the family and community residents.

“They’d go out and cut the ice from the falls and then store it in the icehouse,” said William Balsley. “There were no refrigerators, so people needed the ice to keep their food cold.”

Following his grandfather’s death, his grandmother, Louise Balsley, continued to stay in the family home for several years, but eventually the homestead was returned to the Hogg estate.

In 1915, the Hogg family deeded a portion of the property to the City of Connellsville for the development of a park.

The city fathers called for a playground and amusement resort for the Connellsville residents, but could not immediately afford the improvements.

The officials asked for volunteers to provide landscaping and businesses to donate needed items.

While the park continued to evolve, it was not until the 1930s did it see an abundance of development.

With the assistance of U.S. Rep. J. Buell Snyder and a federal allocation of $69,997, construction got under way as part of the Works Progress Administration.

Federal program workers erected an amphitheater, tennis courts and a castle lookout and what was once the Balsley farm was transformed into a park that was formally dedicated on Oct. 12, 1940, with parades, concerts and picnics.

“I remember going down and ice-skating after they would flood the tennis courts in the winter,” said Lida Balsley Dull. “It was a lot of fun.”

While she only has few memories of the former family home, she recollects the many times that friends would gather at the park to enjoy an afternoon together.

Art McGann, chairman of the Connellsville Redevelopment Authority, recalls that bonfires were held after city workers collected Christmas trees that were abandoned after the holidays.

“They would bring them down here, stack them and set fire to them,” said McGann. “It was something to see.”

The park has also been utilized for numerous concerts, high school vesper services, softball games and other activities through the years.

“I would like to see us do more things down here,” said Wagner. “This is a beautiful setting and should be used more often.”