We would drive to Hull from our house in Boston. Next, What a great time to be a kid. Shortly after railroad executives signed the paperwork the following March, fire broke out in a paint shop at the park. Billed as a miniature worlds fair, the 10-acre park built by the Eastern Park Construction Company was, in fact, fashioned in the image of an actual fair the Worlds Columbian Exposition of 1893. I spend my life in that park. We were upset we had been looking forward to that ride. Many years back the classic shore dinners in a pavilion over the water made it famous. Thanks for the article which sent me many, many years back in time. I took my children there all the time ides were reasonable for a family. These old beach attractions are truly an endangered species. They rehearsed in our barn further down Northampton Street. Today, the only surviving remnant of Paragon Park on the boardwalk is the historic Paragon Park Carousel, which was moved from its original site. Worked there for a while after graduation. Climb on board the classic, wooden \"Giant Coaster\" at Paragon Park at Nantasket Beach on Boston's South Shore. I grew up in Springfield and would rather go there than its competitor, Riverside Park in Agawamnow Six Flags. The amusement park closed for good in 1984. It ended in the 70s after a series of fires destroyed it. Dad took us there at least once every summer???????? The roller coaster hit speeds of up to 53 miles per hour during a ride of less than 2 minutes. Neither one mentioned. I remember that was my choice Pleasure Island or a birthday party, and I always picked going to that park! Yet some may have taken a day trip away from the New Bedford and Fall River areas to visit another of New Englands great amusement parks of old the seaside gem Paragon Park on Nantasket Beach in Hull, Massachusetts. One year I went to Rocky Point Amusement part, this would have to be about 1984-1985 and my Dad at the time worked for Sealtest Ice Cream and they would have a big summer thing down there and we would spend the day first doing carnival activities hosted by the company, then spend the rest of the day at the park. Sundays: 11am-9pm (9:30pm for Creamery) Hands down, Mountain Park in Holyoke (Western Massachusetts). It was closed in the 80s and there are condos located on the site. My favorite was Riverside Park in Agawam MA. Fortunately, there were no deaths involved in Valravn's 2019 crash at Cedar Point. What about Treasure Island in Wakefield Massachusetts? Glad to know that the Giant Coaster is still around and can be enjoyed by those who have the stomach for it . Not sure if youre on Facebook, but you might enjoy the Paragon Park Memories page there: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paragon-Park-Memories/103289636409972 and who knows, it may spark some additional good ones! Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA where I grew up. As a teenager I remember sitting on Santas lap during the Christmas celebration. Not only did they have the rides which we loved as kids, they had a fabulous summer theater, the Valley Players, owned and operated by Jean and Carleton Guild. The antique carousel is still there. Hi Joanne, I skated most every week end at the roller rink, Lil and her husband were great. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I also remember the Revere Beach Amusements alomng Revere Beach in the 50s and 60s. A scaled down replica of a tour around the Holy Land, the premise certainly has promise. Youd once drive into Hull on George Washington Boulevard and watch the horizon for the rising coaster in the distance; now, its a monstrous condo building. Title . Unfortunately it was replaced by a Six Flags. My girlfriends father operated the roller coaster. )Danny Sordello. Dartmouths Child World Store Was Way Better Than Toys R Us, Dartmouth Bootleggers Role in Ending Prohibition, Dartmouth Responds to Homelessness [TOWNSQUARE SUNDAY], Cheers to National Margarita Day at These SouthCoast Spots, Dartmouth Man Pledges $25,000 to Shawmut Diner Rehab, Dartmouth To Be Home Of First SouthCoast Crumbl Cookies, New Bedford Shawmut Diner Donor to Bristol County Sheriff: Use It or Give It Back, Dartmouth School Bus Rear-Ended in Morning Crash, Have Heart-Shaped Pizza Delivered This Valentines Day. Among the most popular attractions of that era was a 500-pound silverback gorilla called Colossus, who was promoted as being among the largest in captivity and once ran for president as a publicity stunt. Here's a list of 13 of the deadliest roller coaster accidents in the last two decades. All rights reserved. It still is the best! Paragon Park Hull, Massachusetts, United States Defunct, Operated from 6/10/1905 to 1985 Videos Maps Parks nearby Defunct Roller Coasters: 6 Location Located on Nantasket Beach. The Massachusetts real estate market blossomed in the mid-1980s, and the factors that in the past had limited Paragons ability to expand now gave it extra value it was sandwiched between two bodies of water and the views that came with them. I grew up in Hull and I was in fifth grade when closed the park. The Likelihood of Dying on a Roller Coaster. 2023 www.patriotledger.com. My favorite memories were watching all the people and traffic on Nantasket Boulevard on Friday and Saturday nights, it was better than watching the movie American Graffiti. During really hot days, the guys running the giant roller coaster let me ride for free during my breaks just to cool off. Bemsons was my other favorite with animals and rides. We had some good times there. Newton High Schools Senior Prom was held there until, I think, the very early 60s..a special ending to your school years. I think fondly of Whalom Park also. Vendors along the boardwalk sold fried clams, salt water taffy made in a pulling machine visible to patrons, hot dogs and other food. There were daily parades and a scenic railroad, too. Lincoln Park was THE BEST! This is one of the smaller "camel humps" of the Giant Coaster being disassembled so that it could be reborn as The Wild One in Maryland. Feeling nostalgic. In the aftermath of the April fire, Paragon reopened without its signature front entrance. I know it was small compared to others mentioned, Salem Willows was always a blast! That park put $1 million into renovating the coaster, and it has been refitted and redesigned multiple times over the decades. Paragon fans rejoiced that incredibly, two of the signature pieces of Paragon Park would survive its imminent death. Even though that was in 1984, every time he tells the story he apologises to the poor kid sitting behind him all over again. Cause of death was categorized as a result of either external trauma or a medical condition based on available information. The propertys history as a public attraction dates back to the 1840s, when a steamboat captain named William Winslow purchased the property and started offering scenic dinners there. Yes, cant believe they forgot Norumbega Park!! The sale was set to close in March, only a few weeks away. We lived in NH but Fitchburg was where we did a lot of our shopping so in the summer we would stop by Whalom some times. Activist Judeth Van Hamm Wiers, who had initially raised the issue in February and started the fundraising drive in earnest in November, pulled together three local businessmen who pooled their resources to submit the winning bid of $598,800 only $1,200 short of their credit limit in dramatic fashion at the auction. I can almost picture it. In 1931, David and Rose Stone created the Paragon Park Operating Company to hold their ownership interest and shield it from creditors. Somehow, a roller coaster in Japan known for accelerating more quickly than any other in the world and operating at what's dubbed "super death" speed has started to cause injuries. The Giant Coaster sat silent, and the undulating tracks looked like the skeleton of a dinosaur carcass, being slowly dismantled and eaten away at by the vultures that couldn't wait to turn the site into a condominium complex. I believe the amusement park in Lincoln Rhode Island is no longer there. A new stone-carved front entrance designed by Hugh Cairns would add elegance to the Nantasket Avenue side. But it didnt take him long to see opportunity in the endless parade of locals coming by to catch a peek at his lions, elephants, monkeys, and other exotic animals. Paddle boats ! http://themeparks.about.com/library/coasters/blwildone.htm Maybe 1977? Lizzie- Myrtle Beach is definitely in the air today as a pal just asked about retro roadmap worthy places to go around that area. Doesnt anyone remember two of the most popular parks in CT Savin Rock in New Haven, CT and Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport, Ct that was a lot smaller than the Rock but had one of the best ballrooms in the country with constant top named performing bands in attendance. When I heard they were getting rid of the park it broke my heart. The park celebrated the ride's centennial in 2017, although it is thought that none or the original lumber remains. We used to ice skate at the pond by the fire station and enjoyed swimming at the jetty. 10 Kings IslandMason, Ohio. Boston Public Library/Tichnor Brothers Postcard Collection, Visitors walking the grounds of Rocky Point State Park today may not realize that they are treading on entertainment history, but the reminders are there if you know where to look. Mom would always say well have to start saving our pennies, and we did. Newton High Schools Senior Proms were held in the Totem Pole Ballroom ~ what a special memory!! Yes, Riverside Park was memorable as was Mountain Park. Became engaged watching the submarine races there in 1961. An Ohio woman who passed out while riding a roller coaster at a southern Indiana theme park later died at a local hospital, a coroner said. It put Paragon Park on the map as a must-visit for anyone coming to New England, and was beloved by locals as well. Buildings were rebuilt quickly in utilitarian style flat-roofed, single-story concrete block structures that were fire resistant but lacked the grandeur and artistry of past architecture. The Giant Coaster, which was built in 1917 and was removed from the park in 1985, is now known as The Wild One at Six Flags America. The only coaster at the park was Viper, a Huss-Arrow looper from 1982. Roller coasters. memories of Nantasket! When I drive around that corner approaching Paragon park I am still a little startled when I see a bunch of condos instead of the roller coaster. Except for the flying swings incident. Nearly a quarter of a century later, the Wonderland Greyhound Park opened on the same property. I loved the Giant Coaster and the Congo Cruise. They closed long time ago. White City Amusement Park on Lake Quinsig in Worcester, MA. The amusement park closed in 1994 and sat abandoned for years before its remains were finally demolished out of concern for public safety. Miss Rocky Point, grandparents had a cottage right next to the park, spent many summer weekends visiting the cottages and walking to the park, loved the pool, playing speedball, the pizza slices and the bumper are. But I do have a copy of the book Savin Rock Memories by Gil Johnson and Bennett W. Dorman. Elvis came there back in the 50s. Lincoln Park, North Dartmouth, Ma. Thanks for reviving a special memory! It was known as Disneyland of the East. Superman: Tower of Power in Louisville, Kentucky The 25.9-acre amusement park the nation's largest at the time included roller coasters and other rides, games, vaudeville and movie theaters, a funhouse, and a "health center" where premature infants in incubators were put on display. Lincoln Park, N. Dartmouth, MA We went there all the time as children. Touted as the strangest farm on earth, this park was developed by John Benson, a British animal trainer who had originally purchased a 200-acre lot about an hour north of Boston to serve as a temporary home for animals he would buy and sell. Flag item for content or copyright Most fun ever as I grew up in Fitchburg. Not only was the band funny, but exceptional musicians . Built in 1917, the wooden roller-coaster stood 98 feet high at its peak and was the tallest roller coaster in the world for eight years until the Cyclone roller coaster was built at Revere Beach. After all, when did Paragon Park first open? The roller coaster, known as the Green Streak, replaced an earlier, figure-8 model that had been located at the rear of the complex next to the Palm Garden. sadly lasted only about 10 years. I remember riding the Virginia Reel 7 times one night! Most of the time, news of an injury or death at a theme park involves a roller coaster. The Palm Garden restaurant, function facility, and performance hall at the base of the hill drew guests of the surrounding hotels and larger parties of conventioneers, corporate dinners, and class reunions. The $6 million roller coaster replaced the Inverter, a ride that was discontinued in 2017 off the main boulevard.
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