Eagle Scout’s exhibit adds history to old amusement park

FARMINGTON, Conn. – Suburban Park – an abandoned amusement park in Unionville – has long been a hidden gem in Farmington.

Now, those hiking its trails will be able to learn a little more about the park’s short existence from 1895 to 1905 as they walk through, and even more if they travel to the nearby Unionville Museum.

It’s there that Timothy Germano, a 16-year-old member of Farmington’s Boy Scout Troop 170, put the finishing touches on his Eagle Scout project focusing on Suburban Park through a new exhibit that opened on July 21. The exhibit will remain on display through Oct. 27.

The park, operated by the Farmington Street Railway Company, was outfitted with a dance pavilion, ice cream parlour, cafe, a carousel, a swimming lake, and more. It closed in 1905 after the trolley company’s schedule became reduced. The Town of Farmington purchased the land in 1999.

Germano, who will be a senior at Farmington High School this fall, decided to focus on Suburban Park when his mom told him about it. He had no idea it was there, and figured others in town might similarly be in the dark about it too.

“A lot of people didn’t know about it,” Germano said. “If a lot of people didn’t know about it, I thought I should help people. It’s a big thing in the centre of town and if no one knows about it, then what’s the point? I thought it would be good to bring that out. I felt this was a really good project to do.”

Germano placed signs containing historical information about the park throughout the property. The signs provide information about the different aspects of the park’s original attractions.

Germano also installed a new sign at the park’s entrance and also did some work on the park’s trails to make hiking them more accessible and comfortable.

“It was kind of neglected,” Germano said. “Everything was covered with a thick layer of leaves. I cleared that out. There were also a lot of fallen trees. We put the fallen trees on the sides of the path.”

The exhibit at the Unionville Museum, he said, contains similar information to what is on the trails, but because there’s more space, Germano and the museum were able to expand on things and include more historical photos and clothing that might have been worn during the park’s existence.

“Because the museum is so close to the park, my thought was that after people go on a walk, they can come down and see more pictures,” Germano said.

Germano is thankful to all of the local businesses and organizations that either donated money, materials, or their assistance to his project. It helped him achieve his Eagle Scout project, he said, which was something he felt was important to do and taught him a lot about leadership and planning.

“I really do believe in what the Boy Scouts stand behind,” Germano said. “It felt right to commit to it fully and do my part as a Boy Scout to help the town and benefit the community as a whole. I feel like with this project, a lot of people can enjoy it.”

Germano is working to plan an event sometime in October, he said, to celebrate Suburban Park and the exhibit. If all goes to plan, they might have a trolley, carousel, and more on-site.

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