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Roadside America, Shartlesville Pa 1953-2020
Laurence Gieringer began making miniatures as a young boy. In the 1930s, he and his wife were displaying a large village for Christmas, in their home each year. The display was then set up in a fire house, and then in an amusement park, before being shown at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. In 1941, named "Roadside America", it was a 4,00 square foot display in the back of a gas station.
In 1953, Gieringer opened his own building on 80 acres in Shartlesville, with a zoo, miniature train, and pony rides.
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The Roadside America Indoor Miniature Village was a nearly 8,000 square foot building of miniature America - trains, hand built buildings, and scenes of everyday life, with walkways around the perimeter. There were buttons to push, and overhead observation deck for parents, and an "underground" portion depicting Luray Caverns, and a Coal Mine.
"There were hundreds of buildings – churches, farms, stores, diners and movie theaters. There were mountains and waterfalls and caves. There were covered wagons, cars and canoes, tractors, trucks and trains.
And there were people, over 4,000 of them to be exact ranging rom pioneers and policemen to carpenters and construction workers to cowboys and cavemen. There were kids at the circus, kids at the candy store and kids on the playground. "
A sign in the gift shop read:
“Who enters here will be taken by surprises—be prepared to see more than you expect! You will be amazed at Roadside America’s beauty and mechanical skill—over 50 years in the making by our family. You and your children can run the trains, trolley, etc. etc.”
Buttons would make a windmill spin, a steam roller roll and the organ grinder play music. Visitors could control the cable car and how much oil the refinery produced. Parents on the observation deck above could activate the buttons as well.
The display included more than 300 structures, 18 trains and trolleys, 4,000 people, 600 light bulbs and 10,000 trees. It involved more than 21,000 feet of electrical wiring.
A "sound and light" show played every half hour, with images of the statue of liberty, American flag, Jesus, among others, shown on one wall while a recording of Kate Smith singing God Bless America, played.
According to the family, Gieringer began building miniature items in 1899 - at the age of 5. (Older newspaper articles, when Laurence was still alive for the interviews, place his age at closer to 8.) The story of 5 year old Laurence says that he was enthralled by a "miniature" house on a hill a distance from his own home. When his parents ignored his pleas to go see the toy house, he set off on his own, unbeknownst to his family. When it was realized that the 5 year old was missing, the town organized search parties, and he was located the following day - half way up the mountain. His parents later took him to the drive way of the house, where he finally realized it was not a toy at all - but an ordinary sized dwelling.
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"As the official story goes, and one told often in the countless Roadside America brochures printed throughout the years, young Laurence Gieringer and his brother, Paul, once climbed up to the top of Mount Penn. As they looked down in wonder and amazement at the miniature-like city of Reading below them, nine-year-old Laurence said to his brother, “Say, Paul, wouldn’t it be swell to make little houses the way they appear from here? Future generations could see how things are now!” Paul agreed.
They told their parents about the idea once they got back home, and seeing how enthusiastic they were about it, their father built them a little workbench in the family’s basement and even gave them some tools to start their new hobby with. Over time, they got better and better at their craft; however, Paul would eventually grow up and move away, leaving Laurence alone in crafting his beautiful buildings. Nevertheless, by the time he was 14, Laurence had gotten so good at building miniatures, he would later include some of them in his Roadside America attraction.
Laurence would continue his hobby even after he had grown and gotten married. Soon, word got around about his miniature village that he displayed in his living room, and people would come from miles around to see it. "
In 1935, Gieringer’s living room display of miniatures won first prize in a Christmas contest.
"Originally set up as a Christmas display in the Gieringer home for showing to neighbors and visitors, the miniatures were later exhibited in a Reading fire house and in a local park." - Perry County Times, 1947
The first such display was set up for six weeks and brought 50,000 visitors. People stopped considering Laurence Gieringer a "nut." Through the depression, the family moved from house to house, yet even when sheriffed and bankrupt, no one took the little models. Roadside America remained in the family's hands. - June 1953, Wichita Falls Times
In 1938, his work was displayed in the old carousel building at Carsonia Park [an old trolley line amusement park 1896-1950].
In 1939, Geiringers display was shown at the Worlds Fair in New York.
In 1941, Roadside America Miniature Village opened in the Schlenker Service Station (with tourist cabins) in Hamburg Pa.
"The present Roadside America was established in 1941, a portion of the proceeds still going to charity. Although wartime gas rationing shattered attendance, a record number of visitors viewed the displays last season and still larger crowds are expected this summer" - The Perry county Times, 1947
"Less than a 2 hour drive from Bloomsburg is he world's greatest indoor miniature village, officially known as "Roadside America" - Morning Press July 1947
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In 1952 A reader of the Philadelphia Inquirer inquired, "can you tell me where the exhibit of Roadside America can be seen?" the Inquirer replied that it was located in the rear of Schenkler's Service Station, Route 22, four miles west of Hamburg.
The Philadelphia paper further described the display as a "4000 square foot miniature exhibit, which portrays the story of American life from pioneer days to present."
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In 1953 Geringer purchased a former dance hall in Sharlesville Pa. The Lubbock Avalanche Journal wrote:
"Today Laurence Gieringer is entering upon the final chapter of his dream. He is finishing a new, larger building to house Roadside America, on their own grounds, with a beautiful gift shop, a small zoo, a pony ride, and a little engine to ride the children around. It is exactly 50 years after Laurence and his brother (now monsignor and record of the Josephinum College Seminary) first formed their boyhood vision."
In 1954, papers across the nation reported on the P&R Model Mine being added at Roadside America. The scale model, built 3/16th of an inch to a foot, was of the Locust Summit Central Breaker, "the world's largest".
Sign for Roadside America
The Pennsylvania Dutch Gift Haus, next door to Roadside America
"What Gieringer didn’t make by hand, he purchased from various sources, including Britain and France. Most of the figures (mostly cast in lead or plastic) are bonafide antiques and many of the materials Gieringer sourced simply don’t exist anymore. "
A 1952 Philadelphia Inquirer article said that Gieringer created his miniatures from "weeds, rags, wire, picture glass, tin cans and other scraps."
Gieringer died in 1963, but his family continued to operate the roadside attraction.
In 2020, the display closed, during covid. For a number of years prior, the number of visitors to the attraction had been dwindling. Dolores Heinsohn, granddaughter of Laurence Gieringer, had fond it was becoming financially difficult for the family to continue to maintain the display, and had put it up for sale in 2018 (listed for 2.2 Million dollars), hoping someone else could continue the tradition.
In January of 2021, more than 1,000 people came from as far away as Texas, to purchase a part of the display, as they were auctioned off.
A ten foot tall fiberglass Amish couple that sat outside Roadside America was one of the many items sold. The figures, the work of Rodman Shutt , were purchased by Andrew King, who moved them to his business, Creative Crafts, 125 Reistville Rd, Myerstown, PA 17067.
In November of 2021, an arsonist set fire to the figures, destroying the head on "Amos". A new head was constructed, and placed on the figure in 2023. They are now displayed in a wire cage to help prevent further vandalism.
1961 Shamokin News Dispatch
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A Souvenier Photo Book can still be purchased on Amazon
Roadside America is a 7,450 square foot miniature landscape located in Shartlesville, PA. Spanning over 200 years of American history, the massive exhibit created solely by one man, Laurence Gieringer, has stood in its current location since 1953. Completed in 1963 with Gieringer's passing, Roadside America stands as a memorial to this incredibly talented man as well as inspiration for all who pass through the display's doors. Maintained and open to the public year-round, Roadside America has long been considered one of the most incredible pieces of craftsmanship the country has to offer.
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