West Sadsbury Township Sets New Park Opening This Weekend

West Sadsbury Township supervisor Jim Landis (left) and Jim Groff are working to organize the grand opening event for Zion Hill Park on Saturday, Sept. 10.

This from the Gap-Parkesburg-Oxford Community Courier:

West Sadsbury Township will formally open Zion Hill Park on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The community is invited to enjoy food, fun activities, music and history-related events throughout the day.

West Sadsbury Township acquired the 31-acre park property at auction in 2003. The purchase fits in with the township's mission to preserve open space. "We weren't sure what we wanted to do, but we wanted to maintain the open space," said West Sadsbury Township supervisor Jim Landis.

Since then, the township supervisors have worked to develop the site so that it can be enjoyed by walkers and hikers, and now historic connections have been added to the site.

As the nation marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, Sept. 11 is the 160th anniversary of the Christiana Resistance, one of the important events leading up to the war.

The Christiana Resistance occurred at the William Parker House which was located near the park site. Plans for the park include the potential to build a replica of the William Parker House, where, in 1851, community members rallied to stop those who were hunting escaped slave. In the process, one man was killed and several others were injured.

Martial law was declared, and eventually, participants in the defense of the Parker home were tried for treason. "They say the first shot of the Civil War was shot at the William Parker House. I'd like to see local people (be aware of) what happened," said Jim Groff, who is leading the effort to build the replica.

"With Mr. Groff's assistance, we have started to develop it, not into just a park, but (also into) a historic entity to acknowledge the Christiana Resistance and the preservation or reconstruction of (the Parker House) and the events that led up to the Civil War," Landis added.

The timetable for the construction of the house is dependent on finding funding for the work. 

Although not on the actual site of the original Parker House, the building will be a close replica that can be used for historical and educational purposes, as well as community events. Plans include the possibility that the building can be used as the home of Boy Scout Troop 20. "We're eventually going to make this happen," Groff said.

The Scout troop will camp at the park throughout the weekend, plus there will be an encampment by the Third U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment Civil War re-enactors. For history buffs, there will be an informational lecture by local author Bud Rettew. 

The nearby Zercher's Hotel Museum, the Christiana Freight Station and the Mt. Zion AME Church are also scheduled to be open.

At the park, there will be live music, food and beverages, miniature train rides, an antique tractor show, a bounce house, face painting and hayrides. The Zion Hill Park is located at 610 Zion Hill Road, Atglen.

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