Central Park (Allentown, Pennsylvania) Central Park (Allentown, Pennsylvania) Central Park is a former amusement park in the Rittersville section of Allentown, Pennsylvania. It was closed in 1951. Central Park's origins date to 1868 when J. Frank Reichart laid out a race course north of the Allentown-Bethlehem turnpike (Hanover Avenue) which was opened for trotting and pacing from May to August. In 1872 the Rittersville Park Association was organized. The park was enlarged to 16 acres and was known as Manhattan Park. When the Allentown & Bethlehem Rapid Traction Company took ownership of the area from Thomas Ritter it was called The Greater Central Park.
Central Park Bandstand week; movie screenings and church services were also held at the bandstand. Beginning in 1947, the bandstand became an event stage for the Midwest Corn Show, which later became the Orion Fall Festival; the structure is now mainly used during the festival. The bandstand was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 2002. Central Park Bandstand The Central Park Bandstand, also known as the Music Pavilion, is a historic bandshell located within Central Park in Orion, Illinois. The bandstand was built in 1913 following a series of successful outdoor concerts in the park. Local engineer J.C.