In the early 1900's, Billmeyers Park in Washingtonville Pa contained 20 elk, 70 deer, and hundreds of wild turkeys. No hunting was allowed, and admission was free. The 25 acre park was owned by Alex Billmeyer, a former congressman.
Billmeyers Preserve was a popular place for church, and family, picnics, and can be found mentioned as the location of many, many group activities in local newspapers over the years. According to a Fulton Pa Newspaper, 500 people visited the park on one summer day. Visitors came from Williamsport, Sunbury, Bloomsburg, and surrounding areas.
Jumbo was the finest and most dangerous animal at Billmeyers, weighing 1,100 lbs! He had a rack that spanned five feet, was four feet tall, and had nine prongs.
The Danville Morning News
July 16 1907
In 1907 Jumbo was a guest at the Elks BPOE convention in Philadelphia, having arrived on a handmade create attached to a flat car. A 30 foot banner was attached to the crate on the train which said "Alex Billmeyers Jumbo - King Of The Elks At the BPOE Convention Philadelphia." The train left from Watsontown Pa, and crowds of people came to watch as Jumbo passed through towns from Watsontown To Philadelphia.
Jumbo was a guest of the North American Newspaper for a week, and marched in the parade with 50 members of a local club. Although the Pottsville newspaper reported that Jumbo did not actually walk in the parade, he rode on a "specially designed truck" pulled by horses. He represented the national organizations movement to protect the Elk Population. During the week Jumbo greeted guests on the top of the North American Building. Because of the size of his antlers, he had to be fitted in a sling and and hauled up the outside of the building, then pulled in through a window, according to a 1993 edition of the Danville Morning News. Other modern papers report that he went upstairs by elevator.
The Danville Morning News
July 13 1907
'The Montour American, July 1907, Describes Jumbo's Trip Home From Philadelphia, and how the beast appeared to know when he was close to home.
Alex Billmeyer For Congress
Billmeyer, a wealthy lumberman who owned farms in several counties in Pa, as well as in West Virginia, was elected to the 57th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Rufus K. Polk. He served from Nov. 4 1902 to March 3rd 1903.
One term was enough, Billmeyer is quoted as saying "it was too crowded. Too much selfishness, and everybody wanted something. I like animals better."
According to Fred Diehl, A Danville Area Historian, Billmeyer came up with the idea to establish a game preserve after going on a big hunting trip. "It bothered me more and more," Billmeyer said. "Finally something told me that I had to raise a deer, to make up for the one I shot, and I thought it won't be much harder to raise a lot of them."
An article in the November 13 1915 edition of Pennsylvania Farmer talks about Billmeyers farming practices, then in the last paragraph, describes the elk antlers that decorate his property. The antlers can be seen in the photo below.
A Trotting Elk At Billmeyers Park
I came across this photo in an old ebay listing. It's obviously at the Billmeyer house, and appears to be the same cart hooked to an elk in the above photo.
One newspaper article referenced the "hundreds of squirrels" at the park and I assumed it was hyperbole, until I came across this photo.
The Danville News
October 1910
In 1928, four years after his death, Billmeyer park disbanded and the remaining elk, who had been frequently escaping their old fencing in Washingtonville, were purchased by an oil man in West Virginia. Billmeyers son reported that he could not find reliable help to feed the animals, and the fencing was beyond repair. A large number of people gathered at the railroad station at Strawberry ridge to see the five crates, which weighed a total of 4,040lbs, loaded.
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In 2020, you can still see elk nearby, in Milton Pa
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More Photos:
I am now the owner of the ground where the elk were kept. I did not know of it's history until after the purchase. Thanks for the history work.
ReplyDeleteI love knowing the history of this home - I drive by it often. Thanks for the cool info!
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