York’s Shady Dell’s in bad shape: ‘It still has a pool table and ice cream bar …’
The Shady Dell, longtime teen hangout in Spring Garden Township, was known throughout York County including an annual visit to the fair. The Dell has been closed for more than a decade and its buildings are deteriorating. Here is the Dell, the circa 1930. (Update, 5/15: The Dell has since been extensively remodeled.) Background posts: Shady Dell was home away from home for many York County teens in ’60s, ‘Dell rat’ blogs about southside York hangout where owners put out welcome mat and Nostalgia and memories blog category.
Anyone want to own a York County icon?
Toni Deroche is owner of the house and barn that once housed the Shady Dell.
She has put the hillside site up for sale… .
“It puts a lot of joy on ‘Yorkers’ faces just mentioning it,” she wrote.
She supplied some details about the buildings in recent years.
– The graffiti is still inside the “dance hall.”
– Her son’s rock band practiced in the barn for about two years.
– He found old treasures – photos, books and a unopened bottle of perhaps 40-year-old sherry. He also found old posters touting food specials and a Dell membership card.
– Often, people would drive up and ask if they could walk around and reminisce.
The Dell’s in bad shape, Toni wrote. It needs expensive renovations.
“It still has a pool table and ice cream bar and bar and red round stools around it. Duel stairs going up to the house,” she wrote. “The barn still looks the same with couches and fireplace but with a lot of leaks in the roof.”
For more details, see this ‘Dell Rat’ post.
Additional posts on the Shady Dell or White Oak Park:
–Just try to resist this memory-tugging photo of White Oak Park.
–Stadium will be site of The Oaks music reunion
–Wanted: Old photos of teen hangout.
–Memorabilia from ‘the Oaks’ hard to come by.
–Memories of The Oaks pile up.
–Memories of The Oaks pile up – Part II
–The Dell: ‘It was like family’.
–White Oak Park welcomed Blaw-Knox workers .
