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Park Profile
www.parkworld-online.com
characters that took the place of heavy equipment on the site of an
Cinderella’s Pumpkin Coach
old saw mill. The only ride was Freddy the Fire Truck, a real fire engine
built in 1923 that took guests on a path through the woods.
Making Memories
Bob and Ruth's two children, Stoney and Nancy, both grew up at Story
Land. Although their parents passed away in the 1990s, they
continued the park's long-established traditions. The park has grown
little by little over the years, adding features and sometimes entire new
sections as economics allowed and demand dictated, and now
encompasses about 40 acres of all-day fun targeted at young
children, their parents and grandparents.
Stoney Morrell held the reins of the operation from the mid 1980s
until his own passing in 2006. His sister Nancy then guided the park
into a storybook marriage with the Kennywood Entertainment
Company family of theme parks in 2007, a larger company with even
deeper roots in the amusement business. In June 2008 the Kennywood
parks, including Story Land, joined the Parques Reunidos group of
international parks and attractions.
But the spell cast on the Morrells a half-century ago continues to
marvel families who come to Story Land. “We’re really not about
rides and games,” said Jim Miller, Story Land's recently-departed
STORY LAND
It's all about the memories
Story Land in Glen, New Hampshire, is what a theme park is business co-ordinator (Jack Mahany now fulfils many of his roles).
supposed to be; themed. Fully themed. In this child size world, “We’re about memories. We create lifelong memories for families
storybook characters come to life in a land of wonder and fun. with young children. This is the only place in the world where children
Paul Ruben visits a park that has been delighting families for can meet Mother Goose, take a spin through the insides of a giant
55 years with a mix of wonderfully themed rides, shows and cuckoo clock, see a circus show and walk through the Three Bears’
storybook characters House.”
S
tory Land opened in 1954 in New Hampshire’s White Parents' Priority
Mountains. Founders Bob and Ruth Morrell were inspired by the While children are the theme park’s main constituency, Story Land’s
magic of children's fairytales and the dream of bringing them to most loyal customers are mothers, many who visited as children
life. Opening day attractions included Humpty Dumpty, the Old themselves. As one-time visitors become parents and grandparents,
Woman in the Shoe, the Three Little Pigs, Peter Rabbit, Heidi's they return with a new generation of guests.
Grandfather, the Red Schoolhouse, plus a few other familiar “It’s a testament to how much of a priority it becomes for parents to
JUNE 2009 LEFT TO RIGHT: Flying Fish, Henrietta’s Eggs-traordinary Tractors, Cuckoo Clockenspiel 39
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