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| "Come Have Fun On Us!" |
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| Casino | Lake Julia | Julia F. Buhl Memorial Garden | Albert Acker Gazebo | Performing Arts Center | Arboretum | Wetland |
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The park is loaded with special features awaiting your discovery.
Come explore the hidden treasures the park has to offer! |
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The historic Casino opened in 1915 and its impact was immediate. Almost overnight it became a focal point of the park, regularly housing social gatherings and park activities.
Amazingly, when it was built in 1914 the entire construction cost only $35,000.
Later in 1936 when a swimming pool was erected, bathhouse facilities were added.
The Casino has always been well utilized over the years with a great variety of activities such as concerts, plays, teen dances, art shows, wedding receptions, prom parties, and more. The Casino’s fame even reached Hollywood when it was used as the setting for a scene in the movie Tiger Warsaw starring Patrick Swayze. |
 The legendary Buhl Farm Park Casino. |
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 Lake Julia at dusk with the Casino in the distance. |
Lake Julia, named in honor of Mrs. Buhl, was originally designed in 1914 as a public area for swimming.
Approximately 2,000 tons of silvery sand was brought in from Lake Erie to develop the beach.
Later in 1936 when a decision was made to build a swimming pool, Mrs. Buhl carefully oversaw the renovations that would transfer swimming from the lake to the public pool.
In early days and for many years to follow, Lake Julia was also used for ice skating. It was a very popular activity in the winter months but was discontinued on the lake when a new ice skating rink was built within the park in 1968. Today, the 7.4 acre lake adds aesthetic beauty to Buhl Farm Park with its central fountain and swans and ducks swimming by. It also remains a popular fishing hotspot for those hoping to reel in a blue gill, bass, or carp. |
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This beautiful sunken garden near the Buhl Boulevard entrance of the park was developed in memory of Mrs. Julia Forker Buhl, who passed away on June 3, 1936.
After descending the steps into the garden you will find paths for walking with natural wildflowers as well as flower gardens planted and maintained by the park. This area promotes the growth of natural habitat by attracting birds of many species. It is also a popular location for students of art and bridal couples seeking picturesque photographs. |
 The stairway entrance to the lavish Memorial Garden. |
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 The Albert Acker Gazebo atop the kite field. |
On July 7, 1999 the magnificent gazebo was dedicated to Albert E. Acker, who served as trustee to Buhl Farm Park from 1968 to the time of his passing in 1998.
The construction was made possible through the generosity of the Acker family, Acker friends, and the Mercer County Bar Association.
The gazebo, a charming open structure, sits atop the kite field and allows a passerby to stop, take a break, and capture the spirit of Buhl Farm Park. Its serene setting overlooks the entire park and surrounding community with the west hill of Sharon visible in the distance. Annually on May 1st, Law Day is celebrated here with an informative speaker and the gathering of judges, lawyers, and community friends. |
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The Performing Arts Center was built to replace the old band shell and was dedicated on June 14, 1981.
The Center’s stage is nestled among the trees and has a large grassy area in front creating a natural viewing area for spectators.
During the summer, outdoor concerts are held every Sunday at 6pm and Wednesday at 6:30pm for audiences of 300 to 1500 who often relax in chairs, on blankets, or seated on available benches. It is also common to see audience members bring picnic baskets of food and non-alcoholic beverages to enhance their concert-going experience. If you would like to see the current schedule of upcoming concerts, please visit the Summer Concerts page within Special Events. The Performing Arts Center also plays a major role for the activities on Buhl Day with singers, dancers, and bands performing on its stage throughout this festive day. |
 The Performing Arts Center. |
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 The Arboreturm adds beauty to the kite field. |
When Buhl Farm Park opened in 1915, Mr. Buhl had approximately 75,000 trees and shrubs planted by his work crews.
Most of these trees still remain, but in 2001 the F. H. Buhl Trustees determined a need to reforest and develop new wooded areas throughout the park.
An arboretum committee was formed with community professionals volunteering their expertise in horticulture, gardening, and reforestation.
Since the committee's inception, over 250 new trees have been added throughout the park.
One benefiting area is near the gazebo atop the kite field. A variety of pear, oak, maple, spruce, sweet gum, and birch trees have been planted. Becky’s Garden, named in loving memory of Becky Koborie who was a victim of the World Trade Center attack, features a combination of lilac, spirea, and rose shrubs. Packs of rhododendron planted on the wooded hillside complete this picturesque area of the park. |
| New red maple, pine oak, and shag bark hickory trees have also been added near the Performing Arts Center and six new red maple trees have been planted in front of Shelter #3. A fourth area enhanced with new plantings is along the road from the Gatehouse to the Sharon Country Club. This strip is affectionately referred to as “Oak Alley” and includes pine oak, burr oak, red oak, single oak, and swamp oak trees. | |
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In 2002, Buhl Farm Park was awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to develop a wetland
which could offer an invaluable environment for educational study. Vegetation for the area was purchased through a grant from the Community of the Alleghenies
and the three to four acre wetland was created. Currently it provides flood and sediment control for the large adjacent pond.
With assistance from Mercer County Conservation District and First Energy Corporation, interpretive wetland signs have been placed throughout the area to educate the community regarding conservation and wetlands. The adjacent .9 mile fitness trail which encircles the wetlands, offers an excellent opportunity for residents to appreciate the beauty of our natural wetland and to learn about the vegetation and wildlife from the new interpretive signs. |
 The newly developed wetland area. |
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