It was one of the first landmarks you would spot when driving into Hull on George Washington Boulevard: The Giant Roller Coaster of Paragon Park. I think fondly of Whalom Park also. This was perfect! My family had the summer home on the hill directly behind Hurleys Bathhouse (for those who remember). The entertainment at the Palm Garden rivaled that in the city; in fact, Paragon was on the same circuit as Boston theaters and showcased nationally known performers in addition to the in-house song-and-dance troupe. Carousel Under the Clock, as it was known, operated as a private business until 1996, when the three businessmen who purchased the ride at the auction decided that they needed to recoup their investment. I have fond memories of the Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, and asked her to check it out when shes in the area. We used all our tickets there. It was where the class went after graduation of Grammar School in 56 too we also would go to the speedway. Waves are just as likely to come from local windswells as distant groundswells, and the best swell direction comes from the northeast. The town of Hudson subsequently acquired the property and turned it into a recreation park. It was one of the first landmarks you would spot when driving into Hull on George Washington Boulevard: The Giant Roller Coaster of Paragon Park. Sad we have to grow up. My favorite ride was the wooden roller coaster and enjoyed being an usher at the playhouse. I lived and graduated from Lunenburg High School in 70. On May 28, 1985, a 29-year-old man stood up while riding the Cyclone, and his head hit a crossbeam. Too bad theyre all just sweet memories now. My family lived in Agawam at the time , and on Sat .nights we could hear the cars racing at the track. It was 1971. Eric- what cool memories! We used to park before we got to the park, because there were so many pretty girls we couldnt keep our eyes on the road. Space Journey, Ecoventure Valley, 2010. Subsequent owners added various entertainments, including a baseball field on which Babe Ruth once played. It was a fun, reasonably priced park and like other parks in New England was probably not profitable enough to keep running. It ended in the 70s after a series of fires destroyed it. Also brought my kids to Mt. Thank you for the wonderful memories. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. I can always remember when we were getting close to the the beach and we would pick-up the scent of the ocean and we could hear the screams coming from the riders on the coaster. Pleasure Beach Ballroom had big bands like The Dorseys (before my time) , but being a product of the 50s I remember seeing Fats Domino and Patsy Cline there. I loved White City! A perfect ending to another day in paradise at the shore! Grew up going to Lincoln Park many times,roller rink, bowling alley , battle of the bands on weekends as a teenager and the rides,Kiddieland and famous for wooden rollercoaster then went to McCrays for fried clams on RT 6 . Summing lessons in Lake Whalom, wonderful memories. And I can still hear the excited screams of the daring roller coaster riders now. I spent most of my working time working this ride; and I meet Judy Garland and Liza when she was a teenager as they went on this ride. Only a few years later, another fire would wreak havoc at Paragon. A great little park! This land, combined with the Rockland House hotel atop the hill in the rear, would become the basis for Paragon Park. Rumors occasionally surfaced of a potential buyer showing interest, but as each winters gossip gave way to springs warmer temperatures, Paragons gates swung open to welcome the crowds. A trip to Rocky Point was the highlight of our summers in the 1950s. Im now in what you would call the elderly stage of my life (Im almost 77). But the ride was plagued with many problems that remained with it until it was . Nearly a quarter of a century later, the Wonderland Greyhound Park opened on the same property. http://themeparks.about.com/library/coasters/blwildone.htm the wonderful carousel at nearby Lake Quassapaug! 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. I think you put money in and got some kind of fortune on a card. I have fond memories of an amusement park called Mountain Park that Isnt mentioned. We were just in Hull last week and reliving fond memories of Paragon- totally remember the Himalaya! I thought the title of the article said New England Amusement Parks. By the time the flames were extinguished, the Green Streak was a shambles, as was the signature front entrance and much of the park facing Nantasket Avenue. Two things come to mind.I will bet all of us have family photo and slide albums, perhaps converted now to disc,of our good old days attending these venuestime waits for no one,but we have our memories..and second; it has always baffled me why Cape Cod,of all places,never seems to have boasted a world class amusement parkit would seem like a natural,but . Long time ago. Chris Haraden lecture - The History of Paragon Park, Official Site of the Paragon Park Carousel, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paragon_Park&oldid=1135406011, Buildings and structures in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Defunct amusement parks in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 13:40. . Luckily they saved the merry go round and youre able to ride on it still in its new location. If we had saved enough pennies, we would enjoy the shore dinner before we headed home. Many years back the classic shore dinners in a pavilion over the water made it famous. On a dark winter evening homeward-bound in the front passenger seat in our '53 Chevy after Christmas shopping at the Paragon Park's Arcade Bazaar - a warehouse-like fluorescent-lit discount toy store in Nantasket Beach - my mom told me the heartbreaking truth about Santa Claus. The doll has to be from the fiftys because my aunt died, and she was 81 when she died in 1992. The Bat featured cars shaped like bats, suspended below the track. Aw, Les that sounds like a lot of good times! Approximately 30,000 theme-park-related injuries occur each year, though not many of those can be classified as "serious injuries," and even fewer end in death. Chuck Lawrence. In October 2014, it was reborn as the 120-acre Rocky Point State Park. Ill always remember my trips to Whalom Park with my family and especially the rides on the Whip and Tilt-O-Whirl with my grandfather. I would add Norumbega Park in auburndale Mass, and pleasure Island. There were dances, performances, and exhibitions at the Alhambra Ballroom; the dinner hall on a bluff overlooking the bay was famed for its Rhode Island shore dinners (steamed clams, clam chowder, lobster, clam cakes, fish, corn on the cob, and watermelon). In 1931, David and Rose Stone created the Paragon Park Operating Company to hold their ownership interest and shield it from creditors. Six Flags America in Maryland purchased the coaster and relocated it in 1985. They rehearsed in our barn further down Northampton Street. We had a cottage nearby, until the great blizzard of 1978. Maybe I might see them again in Heaven. The Summer of 1985 seemed like the longest ever, as day by day more and more of Paragon disappeared. 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. Six Flags Over Georgia, Batman: The Ride Was 14-Year-Old Who Died at Orlando Amusement Park Too Heavy. about three woopdie doos If I remember it correctly and about 10 lanes wide. On June 26, 2019, two trains at Cedar Point bumped on the Valravn roller coaster. We used to go there every year for my birthday which is in June! He is working on a book about the park's history. When you were at the very top, you would head downhill so fast that it looked like you were going to end up in the water. Whalom Park was my go to place, the rides, the roller skating rink and the summer stock Playhouse. Ive nothing but great memories of how it used to be around here (sounds of the park were like music to my ears. 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! I remember going to Paragon Park during those same years. After the first fire, it was partially redesigned by Herbert Paul Schmeck who worked on its original construction. I grew up in Springfield and would rather go there than its competitor, Riverside Park in Agawamnow Six Flags. Paragon Park in Hull, MA was the best of the lot of amusement parks, Id say! digital file from original About this Item. Loved going to Rocky Point sometimes just for the chowder and clam cakes but always ended up in the amusement park. In talking to Alexander Graham Bell, 13 miles away in Providence, Hayes opened with the not-so-memorable quote, Please speak a little more slowly.). It was small, but close to home, so we got there often! It was in Holyoke, MA, I believe. Roller skating was a big thing for me. Nothing like Paragon Park has ever before been seen near than Luna Park at New York, The Boston Globe enthused, referencing the world-famous amusement center at Coney Island.George A. On Saturday, a 57-year-old woman died following an accident on a roller coaster called "The Hot Ride." The woman, identified as a German national, slipped from her seat while the coaster was. Movie Stars came from California The Three Stooges often preformed on stage I believe it closed in the late 60s. They open for the 2022 season on May 28. https://www.canobie.com/. Paragon Park was an amusement park located in Hull, Massachusetts, USA. Met my husband at Lake Whalom and we have been married 57 years this year. It is called the Wild One now. 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. Format: Dry plate negatives. My late Mom loved the arcade area, especially. 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 developers interest prompted the Stones to agree on something they both were tired of running the business and the $5.5 million purchase price would give them enough money to comfortably retire. My dad worked there. Savin Rock was an outstanding amusement park, with roller coasters over the water, the Virginia Reel, a fabulous carousel with brass rings to catch, fun houses and top name hamburger/hotdog drive ins to feed the appetite you worked up walking the miles of rides, races and arcades. I grew up in The Berkshires and looked forward every summer to making a trip to Mountain Park and stopping at the nearby dinosaur tracks along with way. I do remember Whalom Park and Bensons Wild Animal farm as well, we took our own children there a few times as well! This makes the second fatal accident at an amusement park this year. The amusement park closed for good in 1984. I believe the amusement park in Lincoln Rhode Island is no longer there. It officially became an amusement park in 1980 and featured a number of flat rides mostly from HUSS Maschinenfabrik as it served as a U.S. showcase for new Huss rides during the 1980s. well i will stop babbling tc and bs all!! I remember watching Bea Lillie and Robert Emhardt among others. Police said the ride was going full-speed when the Ferguson was struck. After spending months being battered in the public realm, Kahn and Quinn abruptly changed course. The Super Screamer was there until 1999. He loved the junior rollercoaster! In this video you will ride the coaster THREE times! It closed in 1984. About this Item. The coaster was rebuilt and reopened in 1986. Debts incurred in the purchase of the park from the Dodge estate were extended; banks and creditors alike were leaning heavily on the owners of the park. Thanks for the article which sent me many, many years back in time. Remember the himalaya ? So many times I think of the times spent there and tell my children and grandchildren about this magical place!! He grew up on Lake Quinsigamond, so Im familiar with White City as well , as the wild animal farm, Nantasket, ( I eventually settled in nearby Cohasset, the carousel is still there. I grew up right near norunbeger park me and my friends would take a row boat across the Charles river to get into the park, we would go almost every day in the summer, we didnt have much money but could go to the park by crossing the Charles river and just walking in. Giant Coaster Paragon Park (Hull, Massachusetts, United States) Removed, Operated from 1917 to 1985. Till I was twelve, lived in Naugatuck CT and lived to ride Although the park suffered $5 million in damages, the park owner has no doubt of its return. No more races. Thanks for reviving a special memory! It would be two years before Stone and Golden would be able to assume full control of the park, canceling the lease that had been signed in 1919 and making improvements to the fire-ravaged amusement center. Loved Kings Castle land as a fun place to take my grandson when he was young. Us and some of our neighbors would take advantage of $5 after 5 nights to take the kids to Whalom Park a few times a summer. One of its readers tipped off the local paper, The Hull-Nantasket Times, which went to press a day early to officially break the news on January 2, 1985 that a condominium developer planned to tear down Paragon Park. Selling the 18-story development to the public was a harder task than the developers had imagined, however, and by fall, even with a compromise reduction to 12 stories, Kahn and Quinn faced stiff opposition. We went with another family. Now 67 Grew up close to Canobie Lake Park and Bensons Wild Animal Park and spent so much time at both. At the very last minute, it would make a sharp turn to keep everyone dry. In the winter racing cars on the lake. But my most vivid, and fond memory was Misquamucut, and this mystery park! good memories. As I remember it was not a very large park, or maybe I didnt get to see it all.But memories are still there. Hands down, Mountain Park in Holyoke (Western Massachusetts). Here are 10 Disney movies that we think would make particularly great theme park rides, whether it be a dark ride, flume ride, or rollercoaster. My parents met at the roller rink at Canobie when young. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This setting should only be used on your home or work computer. Schuck said the normal force of the ride caused the tear in . In 1912, Dodge opened the Hotel Georgian in Park Square, an upscale nightspot in Bostons theater district that he operated until Prohibition forced it to close in 1919. We were bused to school at Hingham. 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. A park worker's fatal joyride Raymond Boyd/Getty Images It was. The Friends operate the carousel next door to the former railroad station, and in 2013 opened a small museum of Paragon memorabilia. He contracted with the Philadelphia Toboggan Company to build the tallest roller coaster in the world, Paragons 98-foot Giant Coaster. What about Jollie Chollies in Massachusetts? My sister and I roadtripped there in the early 90s we tried to make it from Massachusetts to Miami but found that the country is much bigger once you get out of the northeast, so we stopped in SC. Somewhere I have an old B&W photo of tiny little me looking up at an elephant in awe. What fun memories at all of these places! Mountain Park in Holyoke MA. 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. When young my parents would take me tomthe Wonderland Park in Revere MA. 6-year-old girl's death at Colorado amusement park due to seat belt issues and inadequate staff training, government agency says A 2020 IAAPA North American Ride Safety Report - in which it. It was the best rink around as they took good care of the hardwood floor, Curious would you have been from Leominster and chewed peppermint gum at the time, The 60s was my era for skating at Whalom. In 1987, Bensons Wild Animal Farm was renamed New Englands Playworld Amusement Park and Zoo, but the rebranding didnt help: It closed for good that same year. They closed long time ago. Copyright 2021 Retro Roadmap. During the 1930s, part of the Giant Coaster was rebuilt and a brightly colored Art Deco main entrance was erected in 1937. We would start pressuring Mom and Dad to take us to Rocky Point as soon as the last of the snow melted. Many of these are gone without a trace, but I still see a bridge identified as Mountain Park Road whenever I drive past Holyoke on I-91. My first date with my now wife of 38 years was there! Roller skating, rides, swimming even a boat that gave rides around the lake. During peak season, street parking (for free) fills up by 7 a.m. A couple of $20 grassy lots are available away from the beach but close, such as across the street. The musical runs from July 27 through . "They preserved the spirit of the ride," amusement park aficionado B. Derek Shaw told USA Today. I remember Savin Rock very well. Dodge commissioned the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) to create a new coaster. I loved the Giant Coaster and the Congo Cruise. Im so glad that these cool old places- even when theyre unfortunately gone, hold a special place in folks lives. However, the showpiece 1895 carousel complete with its original band organ and hand-carved figures including 61 horses, a camel, and four chariots was designated as a National Historic Landmark and fully restored, and today it continues to delight kids of all ages. Ownership interest and shield it from creditors lanes wide this makes the second fatal accident at amusement. 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