The Dreamland Park, north of Reading is a defunct amusement park. Closing in the 1950's, the park is more synonymous with horrors than with children frolicking and laughing.
Along Pricetown road in Rascombmanor township lies the remains of the Dreamland Amusement Park. Opening in the 1930's by a gentleman named Ralph Kreitz, Dreamland had all the necessities for a fun time, young or old. Buildings were set up with gambling devices and card games. Also were some children's rides, a rollerskating rink, and a theatre for concerts.
Mr. Kreitz owned and operated the park until it's closing in the 1950's. The park should have just become a forgotten memory of a failed dream. However on a hot August night in 1969 a young couple was parked along nearby Skyline drive. Surely admiring the nearby Pagoda, along with the beautiful view of the city below. But things were about to take a dark, horrendous turn.
Two Pagan gang members approached the vehicle and forced themselves inside. They than forced a young Glenn Eckert (20) and his date Marilyn Sheckler (18) to drive them to a train station in Leesport, Pennsylvania. There they were confronted by two more members of the notorious motorcycle gang. The four Pagans commanded the youth into an awaiting box truck. They drove the couple along the back roads of Berks county, each taking turns brutally raping the young woman. According to the police reports at approximately 2:00 A.M. the gang took the pair to Dreamland Park and murdered them.
After several months of searching, their bodies were discovered on October 23, 1969. The duo was found in the woods surrounding Dreamland Park. Marilyn had been bludgeoned to her death, while Glenn suffered gunshot wounds. The trial began the following Summer after the gang members began turning on each other. Two of the men were convicted of the murders.
Today there are a few buildings lying in ruins in these woods. "No Trespassing" signs litter the area. Nearby neighbors and the new owner are weary of trespassers, and with the history surrounding the area. Could you blame them?
Sounds more like a nightmare than a Dreamland.
4 comments:
Okay, that's gotta be seriously unsettling to be there.
not as bad as you would think, lived in one of the homes in the rear of the park for 8 years, heard some things at nite, other wise its very quiet, the only nitemare is when we had bad weather, the landlrds never plowed!
I grew up in the house across the street from the park and played with the children of the owner my entire childhood. We went in those buildings all the time, there is nothing there. True, it was scarey at night, but what woods aren't?
Glenn Eckert was my 2end cousin. the story still remains , but no one suffered more for the loss then my uncle charlie and aunt helen ,parents of Glenn Eckert
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