Category:Dorneyville Golf Center, Allentown, Pennsylvania

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The Dorneyville Golf Center opened in May 1955 at the intersection of Cedar Crest Boulevard and Hamilton Boulevard just to the west of Allentown.

The center consisted a 16 1/2 triangular shaped tract just to the north of the Hamilton Boulevard/Cedar Crest Boulevard and Haines Mill Road. It featured a driving range, an 18-hole miniature golf course that featuredd a 10-foot waterfall, and a short-approach 9-hole golf course. When built, it was one of only three such combination golf centers in the country. In addition, the entire complex was floodlit so it could be used in the evenings. The golf course had a long hole of about 100 yards, and a short hole of about 40 yards. The course also included sand traps, water and shrubbery, which also added some beauty to the landscape.

In addition, the center featured a clubhouse with a golf professional on staff, and a snack bar. Also a patio was availabe which spectators could watch the attractions. Beginning in 1958, a Yocco's Hot Dog concession was added to the Golf Center. The Yocco's was closed in 1973 with the opening of the Yocco's West location on Hamilton Street near Cedar Beach.

Beginning in August 1972, the Pennsylvania DOT began to look at improvements to the US 222 corridor between Allentown and Kutztown. Part of this study was a northern bypass around Dorneyville which would branch off Hamilton Boulevard west of Cedar Crest Boulevard near the Dorney Park Racetrack and curve around Dorneyville, rejoining Hamilton Boulevard just to the east of the Reading Road intersection. In May 1977, the Golf Center was sold to Penn DOT, however the center remained open.

In Feb 1985, Penn DOT announced formal plans to build the Dorneyville Bypass. The plan was approved in 1986, and the Dorneyville Golf Center closed at the end of September. Part of the land was later developed into the US 222 Dorneyville bypass of Hamilton Boulevard, and part of it was purchased for a shopping center.

The nearby Grass Land Stables equestrian center, located on the east side of Cedar Crest Boulevard, also opened in 1955. It featured a barn which could be rented to stable customer horses, and a one-quarter mile track which offered riding instruction, and various equestrian events. The facility also offered various classes in horse riding, from beginner to advanced. It suffered a major fire in June 1973 in which the large barn which stabled horses burned down in an arson incident. Several horses stabled in it were killed by the flames. After the fire, the property never reopened, and the land was subsequently aquired by Penn DOT.

The bypass opened in June 1988, and the area has been totally redeveloped. The former golf center and stables formerly located there today is unrecognizable.

Object location40° 34′ 49″ N, 75° 31′ 21″ W Kartographer map based on OpenStreetMap.View all coordinates using: OpenStreetMapinfo