A Preston County place
Along U.S. Route 50 near Rowlesburg, Cool Springs Park grew from Harlan Castle’s small roadside business into a stopping place for travelers and local families. Castle began operating in a rented log cabin in early 1949, selling food, soft drinks, and gasoline. The store, restaurant, collections, and grounds developed over the years that followed.
Source: Norman Julian, “Cool Springs Park: Harlan Castle Goes Into Business,” Goldenseal, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Spring 1991), pp. 57–61. The 1949 date marks Castle’s business opening; the property’s earlier roadside history remains under research.Place timeline
Early 1949
In early 1949, Harlan Castle rented a small log cabin near Rowlesburg and opened the roadside business that became Cool Springs Park. He chose U.S. Route 50 for its east–west traveler traffic and began selling hamburgers, hot…
Open event and sourcesJuly 13, 1981
On July 13, 1981, a fire destroyed much of Cool Springs Park along U.S. Route 50 near Rowlesburg. In Norman Julian’s 1991 Goldenseal account, the fire was attributed to old electrical wiring in the original log cabin. Harlan…
Open event and sourcesThreads through time
Castle chose the highway for its east–west traveler traffic. Picnic tables and restrooms were already on the property when he rented it. After five years, he bought the property and continued expanding the business.
Over time, the park brought together a general store, restaurant, picnic area, machinery and railroad collection, animals, a trout pond, a covered-bridge replica, and a waterwheel.
A fire on July 13, 1981, destroyed much of the park. In the Goldenseal account, Castle recalled having no insurance. He and his family rebuilt and continued serving travelers and local customers.