By then, the Stone family found itself in an unfamiliar position: unsure of how long the park could survive. 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. A Save the Carousel effort began in earnest in February, with local residents lobbying Larry and Phyllis Stone to keep the merry-go-round intact, and keep it in Hull. Salisbury Beach was a once a year treat. The Hurricane in Aug of 1954 finally put an end to it. The same unwritten rule applied to the Jungle Safari ride (tunnel of love). A great park for a day trip with the family. Yet seeing these places thrill and entertain todays families also makes us nostalgic for the now-closed New England amusement parks that paved the way. Not only was the band funny, but exceptional musicians . Rollercoaster, FunHouse, Clambakes at the Pavillion, roller skating rink, Dancing ( with name bands, my Aunt sang there with a band for a while! Golden. Of course, we miss Rocky Point and Crescent Park, they were in our state of RI; however, Jolly Chollies was an equally amazing amusement park. Its not very long, but theres a scene where kids are running around a portion of the 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. Lincoln Park, North Dartmouth, Ma. They were all fun. Somewhere in between, the Arcade Bazaar was lost due to a fire. At about this time, a movement within the town of Hull to legalize casino gambling complicated Paragons status within the town vision for the future. One bidder paid $25 for the entire lot of rainbow-colored trash cans. Thank you William C. Could you be my brother Billy? I also remember Bensons fondly . Newton High Schools Senior Proms were held in the Totem Pole Ballroom ~ what a special memory!! sadly lasted only about 10 years. Pleasure Island, Wakefield, Mass. Is this all about Massachusetts or not? One of the best. Hopefully at a family get together that poor kid is now telling his children (or grandchildren), You ARE NOT going to believe what happened to me in 1984 at Whalom Park, it sure wasnt funny then but looking back, Back in 1973, a guy made a sci-fi home film that had several filming locations, one of them being the Fun-o-Rama park at Salisbury Beach, MA. I took my children there all the time ides were reasonable for a family. I do recall later that year being able to pick up a trinket or two at Building #19, a local salvage and odd lot shop, but even now the sight of this sign makes me kick myself. Sorry when it closed. (Water World had room to expand because both of DCs older parks had closed some years before.) I use to go to Lincoln Park in Dartmouth, Ma. 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.). So many wonderful memories. Married and lived there myself. That was wicked cool when you were a kid. In late 1915, he had leased parts of the park to fruit peddler David Stone and fellow hotelier Albert A. The carousel was always a favorite ride no matter how young or old I was. Benson opened his property to the public in 1924, and from there he added attractions such as rides, games, and concessions. I really did enjoy Paragon Park. Trailblazer (1974). Till I was a teenager lived in Naugatuck CT and lived to ride the wonderful carousel at nearby Lake Quassapaug! It remained on the site for a short time after the closing, a hulking ghost of the parks past. That magic of entering the Nantasket Beach area is gone, but at least the magic of The Giant Coaster excuse me, The Wild One lives on. White City Amusement Park on Lake Quinsig in Worcester, MA. 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. Now its a shopping center. About a month later, a huge blaze destroyed much of the roller coaster, the front entrance, and concessions along the front. the wonderful carousel at nearby Lake Quassapaug! A perfect ending to another day in paradise at the shore! We did just one stop at Bensons when I was a child and didnt like it. The 1917 season would bring with it major changes at Paragon. I remember Whalom Park and Bensons Animal Farm fondly. In the aftermath of the fire, a new dance hall and roller coaster were constructed in the front of the park. Ive been on the one at Canobie and maybe one other but that was enough for me! Im so glad that these cool old places- even when theyre unfortunately gone, hold a special place in folks lives. This brings back memories. All rights reserved. Yes. The wooden coaster was previously known as Giant Coaster when it was located at Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts. This land, combined with the Rockland House hotel atop the hill in the rear, would become the basis for Paragon Park. Thanks for addding your history to the thread of Paragon Park. At about the same time, Dodge decided to scale back from running Paragon on a day-to-day basis. As a teenager I remember sitting on Santas lap during the Christmas celebration. Does ANYONE remember the giant blue slide that was down next to the clock where they moved the Carousel too? I loved Rocky Point. Roller skating, rides, swimming even a boat that gave rides around the lake. We would start pressuring Mom and Dad to take us to Rocky Point as soon as the last of the snow melted. Whalom Park! Those poor animals. Long before there was Disneyland, there was Wonderland. It was often referred to as Disneyland of the Northeast. There are at least two books published reminiscing about Pleasure Island. Unfortunately it was replaced by a Six Flags. He didn't survive the incident. Also remembr White City Park near Worcester fondly. Built in 1917, the wooden. The town of Hudson subsequently acquired the property and turned it into a recreation park. Now that Im a vegan and animal rights activist, Id hate it. The Stone family, by now in sole control of Paragons operations but still sharing ownership of the land with Golden, suffered losses in 1946 and 1949. My mom told me about going to Whalom Park as a child (she grew up in Fitchburg) but I didnt get there until I had my own family and we returned to Massachusetts after a tour of duty in Europe. Real estate interests were inspired both by the removal of what some considered the honky tonk amusements and by the zoning loophole Kahns plans had exposed. External links Paragon Park on the Roller Coaster DataBase. Shore dinners especially the clamcakes. I remember being very unhappy when Paragon was closed because the beachfront was more valuable for condos and snickering at the condo developer going broke when the 1980s bubble burst. I have fond memories of an amusement park called Mountain Park that Isnt mentioned. While the fire didnt physically touch the park, its effects on the economy and the prospects for the resort were profound. Condominiums already were under way on Atlantic Hill and Telegraph Hill, as well as at Spinnaker Island, but in the months following the Paragon announcement, new plans were floated Nantascot Place, River Crossing, and the former Showboat Mayflower property on George Washington Boulevard, Ocean Place, SeaWatch, and Murray Plaza along the beach, the Hall Estate, Damon Place, and the former Worrick Mansion (which would burn to the ground in 1986) on Atlantic Hill, Milford Street, Marina Beach, and One A Street at Waveland, Mariners Landing, Sunset Arms, and the Boathouse at Allerton. I have fond memories of the Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, and asked her to check it out when shes in the area. It remained so until 1925, when it was topped by two feet by the Revere Beach Cyclone just down the road. It will be interesting to see if in time enough energy is generated that can bring this park back. peter; It is now located next to the old train station and clock tower. I remember riding the Virginia Reel 7 times one night! There are so many memories made at these parks no one will ever forget. I believe Lake Compounce still there. Among the amusement rides in operation during Paragon Park's history was a traditional-style Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel (PTC #85) built in 1928 with hand-crafted horses, a bumper cars ride known as "Auto Scooters", a Ferris wheel, a horror-themed dark ride called "Kooky Kastle", and a wooden roller coaster known as The Giant Coaster.[1]. Even though that was in 1984, every time he tells the story he apologises to the poor kid sitting behind him all over again. Maybe I might see them again in Heaven. The rest of the site is devoted to condominiumdevelopment. This makes the second fatal accident at an amusement park this year. A rider suffered head, wrist and ankle injuries on Monday after being ejected from a roller coaster in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The Batman roller. The year 1929 is significant in American history as the beginning of the Great Depression, and its impact also was felt at Nantasket Beach. about three woopdie doos If I remember it correctly and about 10 lanes wide. Great memories growing up there with the park, the bowling alley and the roller skating rink! Who makes these lists? you do know the Giant Coaster exists, right? With the economy still climbing out of a recession, they faced stark reality years of deferred maintenance and the rising popularity of larger theme parks meant that significant investment would be required to modernize Paragon and make it competitive as a destination. I am looking for a picture of the flying scooters on the roof accross from the admin bldg. 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! 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. It was located off route 5 on Mt Tom in western Massachusetts. Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA! Dad saw Mom and went over and told her he was going to marry her. As a South Shore kid I really miss Paragon Park in Hull MA (Nantasket Beach). New England offers plenty of memorable amusement park experiences, from Six Flags New England and Canobie Lake Park to Story Land and Lake Compounce. Jack! Great memories and was able to take my kids to a couple of these growing up. At its opening, Trailblazer was the first major coaster to be added to Hersheypark in 18 years. The last roller coaster-related death in the country was reported in 2007, when an axle on a car broke during a ride in Expoland in Osaka and sent the roller coaster crashing into a guardrail. For one that could never do twirly rides I loved the roller coaster the best. How wonderful you met your husband at Lake Whalom. Master carousel artisan Charles I.D. We used to go every year! Maurer Rides, a company from Germany,. 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. Due to a private event, the Paragon Carousel will be open from 12pm - 4pm on Saturday October 22. On March 28, 1923, flames ripped through Paragon, causing $500,000 in damage and destroying much of the southern end of the park and the cottages along the way toward Atlantic Hill. It closed in 1984. Still remember the black rubber knife I bought as a souvenir. The Lynn Shore and Nahant Beach Reservations will be charged the same new fees. How Id love to take one more slide ride. At the center of the park was a lagoon that served as the splashdown point for the popular Shoot the Chute gondola ride. Dodge commissioned the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) to create a new coaster. On June 26, 2019, two trains at Cedar Point bumped on the Valravn roller coaster. About a dozen years later I visited Paragon Park while on spring break from RIT and took a few pictures. Nantasket Beach. By the 1980s, attendance had started to decline, along with the facility itself. Skeeball and pinball machines were favorite games at Paragon Park's penny arcade. A roller coaster ride took a fatal turn at an amusement park in Mexico City this weekend. Most definitely Riverside in Agawam. 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. 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. Today, all that remains of the park is the carousel that was built in 1928, which now is housed in a pavilion a bit down the road from where it once stood, yet still allows for children to ride its hand-carved horses almost a century after they were first created. Great place to go! This is an unused Paragon Park t-shirt from the long defunct amusement park that was located in Nantasket Beach, Hull Ma. But its now been 7 years since the efforts began to try to restore and reopen the park and nothing has been fully accomplished to date. I had so many old photos of me so young with families and cousins srbthede park, Canobie is still open, far as I could tell, Canobie Lake Park is definitely not closed. We held Strong Family reunions there, one year my cousin Ted Strong parachuted into the Park! The park opened to rave reviews. We enjoyed quite a few evening visits in the 80s. Remember Revere Beach and Canobie Lake when I was a kid growing up in Somerville, Ma. No Paragon Park??? 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. More for little ones and still open are Storyland and Santas Village in NH a place families still can enjoy. It is called the Wild One now. Larry and Phyllis Stone found little common ground in their day-to-day management. good memories. I spend my life in that park. Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, is an exposed beach break with consistent surf that can be used at any time of year. As Paragon lumbered along, relatively little changed during the following two decades except the names and locations of some of the rides. There were daily parades and a scenic railroad, too. What about Treasure Island in Wakefield Massachusetts? So glad you shared yours here too . I loved Norumbega Park and all the rides. Damage estimates topped $300,000. Rick glad you have fond (or freezing?!) On September 20, 1922, George A. I still think of it and its thrills in y late 70s. We moved to Gulf Breeze, FL and several years later they started . Kelley McLaughlin, 13, and Ann Nigro, 14, of Hull, rode past the Giant Coaster at Paragon Park in Hull on their way home from school on March 24, 1984. American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) recognizes Wild One at Six Flags America as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark, a designation reserved for rides of historic significance.. Wild One's long history began at Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts. My favorite ride was the wooden roller coaster and enjoyed being an usher at the playhouse. A new stone-carved front entrance designed by Hugh Cairns would add elegance to the Nantasket Avenue side. Believe it or not: You can still ride the historic coaster today, if you dare. The coaster is now called \"The Wild One\". Thank you for the wonderful memories. The Aftermath: Roller Coaster. I used to love Paragon Park! Had my first date with my future husband at Riverside. What are two most common biomes in Africa? Fond memories! Developed by nickpc. Jankovic was riding "The Voyage" roller coaster on June 4 when she became "unresponsive," the theme park said in a Facebook post. I vividly remember a Killer Kowalski wrestling show at the pavilion during one of my visits. It was in Holyoke, MA, I believe. But I do have a copy of the book Savin Rock Memories by Gil Johnson and Bennett W. Dorman. The historic "Fascination" game room closed in 2019 due to storm damage. A teenager was decapitated by a roller coaster after he hopped a pair of fences and entered a restricted area Saturday at Six Flags Over Georgia, authorities said. In Africa, what are the two most common biomes? No one riding on the roller coaster was injured, Sheth said. Remember the himalaya ? 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. Newton High Schools Senior Prom was held there until, I think, the very early 60s..a special ending to your school years. New owners took over after Bensons death in 1943, and although the park still drew crowds, it had up-and-down years for the next few decades. Wish I had more photos from back then, but had no idea the park would be closed. Yes, Riverside Park was memorable as was Mountain Park. Perhaps the most famous attraction at Whalom Park was its 1940 Flying Comet wooden roller coaster, built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, the same outfit responsible for the wooden coasters at Coney Island. This incident. Oh Rich, I know EXACTLY what you mean about smelling the beach before you even got there. 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. In its 96 years, 1985 was the only season of operation the roller coaster has missed. The park celebrated the ride's centennial in 2017, although it is thought that none or the original lumber remains. As each season ended, friends and family recall the Stones saying privately that it would be the last; they no longer had the energy to devote to such a draining enterprise. Thank you for putting these wonderful pictures together. A. Schiff & Associates steel wild mouse roller coaster located at Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts, USA. So little love for Nantasket Beach and Paragon Park!!! that I will always remember. At 98 feet high with an 88-foot drop, the park's giant wooden roller coaster used to be the world's tallest before the park closed in 1984. A scenic railway was added in 1900. Sad that its gone now!! Oh just one more comment,thanks to Larry Stone who put me to work every summer running the flying scooter, flying cages, or the rocket swing,then the lindyloop, I lived at Nantasket from 75 79. 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