Vacation Acres began as a dream shared by George R. and Hazel Slack, inspired by their deep love of the mountains—particularly the Poe Valley area. In the early 1930s, George was a member of the CCC Camp No. S-63, located along Poe Valley Road. On weekends, he would walk from the camp to Spring Mills, imagining a future where he owned land in the Valley.
That dream began to take shape on December 10, 1949, when George and Hazel purchased their first parcel of land—just 100' x 125'. It marked the humble beginning of what would become known as Vacation Acres.
In the early 1950s, George was hired as a Forest Ranger for the Poe Valley District, which included Poe Valley and Poe Paddy State Parks. He spent countless hours walking and maintaining trails for the public to enjoy.
Around this time, the first building was constructed—now known as Cabin 113, an L-shaped structure. Each weekend, George and Hazel, along with their five children, would travel to the property. At the time, there was no electricity or running water. Hazel cooked meals on a wood stove, lit the cabin with kerosene lamps, and fetched water from the nearby stream. An outhouse was soon built to serve the family’s needs.
On October 1, 1961, George and Hazel purchased the second and third tracts, consisting of approximately 3 acres. At that time, the second cabin was constructed beside the A second cabin was built beside Cabin 113—now known as Cabin 151, originally one large room. Shortly after, Cabin 115 was constructed in an L-shaped style like Cabin 113. Eventually, Cabin 151 was relocated along Poe Valley Road to serve as George’s forestry office. In the mid-70s, two bedrooms were added to the structure for year-round tenants.
George later installed a septic system and had a well drilled, leading to the creation of a bathhouse with separate men's and women’s areas. Though there was no electricity, transparent panels in the roof let in natural light, and the bathhouse provided hot and cold water.
As Vacation Acres grew, friends were invited to bring campers and stay on the property. George hired a surveyor to lay out designated rental sites, eventually expanding to 18 lots for campers and mobile homes.
In the early 1970s, George and Hazel placed a mobile home on-site for their personal use and began welcoming both friends and paying guests to the cabins—turning Vacation Acres into a true business.
A highlight of that era was the social atmosphere. George and his friends once converted a milk delivery van into a “beer wagon” with taps, gathering often for bonfires, cookouts, and festive celebrations. The Fourth of July became a beloved tradition known as “Christmas in July,” where the park was decorated, carols were sung, and every family contributed to a grand potluck picnic.
In 1987, their daughter Ruth Ann and her husband Elwood Williams Jr. moved a mobile home onto the property to help care for the park. That same year, with George’s help, they had West Penn Power install individual electric meters and new power lines for each site.
After George and Hazel moved to a nursing home in 1997, Ruth Ann and Elwood purchased the park on November 24, 1998, renaming it Vacation Acres II to continue the legacy.
The Williams family set out to improve and modernize the park. In 2001, they completely renovated the bathhouse to include electricity, heating, private showers, and modern restrooms. They also reworked and stoned all park roads.
Over the next two decades, they:
Added new roofs to all rental units
Built porch roofs over patios
Installed vinyl siding and new windows
Updated interiors with new furniture and décor
Connected cabin rentals to the well system
Installed vinyl railings on steps
Made many additional improvements—all driven by love and hard work
The Williams also continued the beloved Fourth of July tradition with rotating themes like Hawaiian, Western, Halloween, and, of course, Christmas in July—each celebrated with decorations, costumes, and delicious potluck dishes.
When 911 addressing was introduced, the roads within the park were named Slack Drive and Williams Drive in honor of both founding families. A connecting road was named Centre Drive.
In October 2021, the park was sold to HUTYLA, LLC (The Probst family), who restored the original name—Vacation Acres—to honor its roots.