Preface
| Early History
| Westville Founded
| Transportation
| Industries
| Schools
| Churches
| Community
Organizations | Parks,
Beaches, and Boating | Sports
| Borough Incorporated
| Commemorative Events
| Residents of
Westville | Washington
Park | Electric Fountain | Ferris
Wheel
Electric Fountain
Probably
the most fabulous of all the attractions at the park was the spectacular
electric fountain, built at a cost of $75,000 and the first electric fountain
ever seen in this part of the country. In the center of the swaying dancing
streams of water was a high glass box, actually a stage under glass, where
actors and actresses would portray famous scenes from history. The stage was
housed underground, as were the dressing rooms, a mammoth elevator raised the
glass box in the center of the fountain display to a height where all could see,
then lowered it underground for a change of scene. Three to four different
scenes were staged every evening with multi-colored lighting changing the
sparkling fountains to a fairyland of dripping color.
According to the late Albert J. Corcoran, the water never seemed to blur the scenes. Some of the fountains of water went very high and seemed to accentuate the scenes rather than detract from them. He particularly recalled the portrayal of Washington crossing the Delaware. The glass box was large enough for an actual boat and with the streams of water and colored lighting everywhere, it gave the illusion that the boat was moving.
Each night there were different scenes which seemed to rise out of nowhere in the midst of the fountains and just as magically disappear. Lovely lawn and gardens of flowers surrounded the fountain the fountain area making it an attraction during daylight hours also.
