The Chicago event introduced the concept of the midway of attractions now common at amusement parks and carnivals (known then as the Midway Plaisance), and inspired the construction of hundreds of enclosed parks across the country, many of which took their names from the White City nickname of the whitewashed buildings that surrounded the Columbian Expositions central lagoon. Collections: Detroit Publishing Company Part of: . A small miniature golf course is located on one of the smaller sites that once housed a water slide and, previously, a few rides. The park's Ferris wheel was moved to the New Bedford waterfront and the Comet roller coaster was torn down on July 11, 2012. I recall a Western theme park in Northeast CT, named Cowboy Village. This was a Great deal $ ! Almost all of the rides were dismantled and auctioned off. Lincoln Park, North Dartmouth, Ma. There are over 297 million people in the United States alone that have had the opportunity to ride 1.7 billion different amusement park rides, most of which being roller coasters. Rosanna Arias/FEMA Tmmertransport med hest langs elva Lera ved Dalseng, som renner ut i Brumunda i Veldre, Ringsaker. My sons favorite memory is throwing up on the flying swings. There was one that you didnt mention it was between Fall River and New Bedford, along the highway then. I remember the blue slide my grandfather had the restaurant under the clock I worked there for many years with my whole family,Gee what a great time to live. 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. You forgot my favorite, Paragon Park on Nantasket Beach in Hull Ma. My question exactly! With the Stones out of town on vacation, disaster duty fell to Klayman. As the story goes, were it not for the limited number of months in the year it could be open, Disney would have been more involved. The Lynn Shore and Nahant Beach Reservations will be charged the same new fees. 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. Police said the ride was going full-speed when the Ferguson was struck. Eric- what cool memories! I know it was small compared to others mentioned, Salem Willows was always a blast! One of the best. Rick glad you have fond (or freezing?!) Paragon Park in Hull, Ma-Lincoln Park, Dartmouth, Ma. Two people are dead and two are seriously injured after the last car on the Quimera roller coaster at the . [1] More rides that Paragon hosted over the years were the Trabant, the Tilt-A-Whirl, Galaxy Coaster, the Skydiver, Paratrooper, Matterhorn, Himalaya, Round Up, Scrambler, Crazy Tea Cups, Twister Kiddie Coaster, Caterpillar, the Whip, Batman-slide, Super-slide, Salt and Pepper Shakers, Swing ride, Rotor, along with many rides that were smaller versions of these, geared towards children. About a dozen years later I visited Paragon Park while on spring break from RIT and took a few pictures. Fire struck again in the fall, destroying the Chateau ballroom at the rear of the park. What is the state of ionic compounds at room temperature. the wonderful carousel at nearby Lake Quassapaug! The Friends operate the carousel next door to the former railroad station, and in 2013 opened a small museum of Paragon memorabilia. The year 1929 is significant in American history as the beginning of the Great Depression, and its impact also was felt at Nantasket Beach. 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. Im so glad I caught the Art Deco lines and colors, as well as a bit of the ski lift ride as well! The coaster itself was shortened in order to be ready by the Fourth of July holiday, with its final circular turns left off the drawing board in the interest of time. How wonderful you met your husband at Lake Whalom. Park. Ghosts of Paragon Park 1971. My first job was parking cars in the lot across the street. Great memories. The Stones took control of the main Paragon property, as well as its rear parking lots and warehouse, while Golden retained the section of former railroad bed that would later house the Turnpike Cars ride and the Magic Mine Train. Paragon Park opened in 1905 and lasted for just under 80 years, closing in 1984. Cause of death was categorized as a result of either external trauma or a medical condition based on available information. Kids ride tickets were only 15 cents . 2023 www.patriotledger.com. Thank you for the flashbacks! Maurer Rides, a company from Germany,. After all, when did Paragon Park first open? Somewhere I have an old B&W photo of tiny little me looking up at an elephant in awe. It was a fun, reasonably priced park and like other parks in New England was probably not profitable enough to keep running. One day in June 1911 while the roller coaster company's owner was standing up in a roller coaster car delivering a speech to other passengers about safety, he ironically fell to his death. On June 26, 2019, two trains at Cedar Point bumped on the Valravn roller coaster. EDMONTON - It's been 30 years since Rod Chayko was flung from a flying roller-coaster at West Edmonton Mall, and it bothers him still that there is no memorial at the site to honour the three. They had a great time. After spending months being battered in the public realm, Kahn and Quinn abruptly changed course. What a great story. In the winter racing cars on the lake. Did you hold on tight or tempt fate and ride with your hands stretched toward the sky? 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. It was in Killingly, many miles north and east, and my parents had a cranky little boy on their hands. It remained on the site for a short time after the closing, a hulking ghost of the parks past. Well friends, you never know whats going to happen because the park never reopened the following season, and when I returned in the summer of 1985 I was greeted with this sad sign: Not only had Paragon Park been permanently shuttered, but I had even missed the public auction of all of the goods from the place. I used to go to Paragon park/Nantasket beach with my family a lot during the sixties. Traveled from CT many times in my childhood. You forgot Pleasure Island. Maybe I might see them again in Heaven. There was a miniature golf course under the roller coaster. So sad that it is gone. It was a historic park. The 1917 season would bring with it major changes at Paragon. Kahn already knew that the towns zoning rules for the park property lacked a key ingredient: a height limit. Schuck said the normal force of the ride caused the tear in . My family always preferred Mountain Park then Riverside. The question would never be fully answered, however, as the 1982 election of gambling opponent Michael Dukakis as Massachusetts governor sealed the fate of any casino dreams. At the time, the park was called Wild World; hence its new name. Till I was twelve, lived in Naugatuck CT and lived to ride The coaster was rebuilt and reopened in 1986. Yea and I still remember that poor gorilla confined in that cement cell of a prison. The carousel moved down the block the following spring, by which time the developers had returned with a new plan for a seven-story, 112-unit brick building fronting Nantasket Avenue. I remember thinking that day that I would come back and photograph the place right, and get some good shots as there were rumors that the park would close after the next season. There are so many memories made at these parks no one will ever forget. Who makes these lists? This magazine should also research Savin Rock which was in West Haven, CT good history. My favorite ride was the merry go round and, when I got older the race track where you could drive cars around a track. By the 1980s, attendance had started to decline, along with the facility itself. It was safe and so much fun. Still remember the black rubber knife I bought as a souvenir. But I do have a copy of the book Savin Rock Memories by Gil Johnson and Bennett W. Dorman. 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. Whalom Park was my go to place, the rides, the roller skating rink and the summer stock Playhouse. 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. I can almost picture it. During the late Forties and early Fifties my father had a car Number 87 in those races. Yes. In 1917, another man fell and got creamed into paste after reaching out of the Derby Racer to retrieve his fallen hat. No one riding on the roller coaster was injured, Sheth said. Mark Mason, the manager of the Wild World amusement park near Baltimore, paid $28,000 to buy the Giant Coaster, and promptly announced plans to dismantle the ride piece-by-piece and have it rebuilt in time for the next season. Too bad theyre all just sweet memories now. Growing up, Paragon Park, a small amusement park in Hull MA just across from Nantasket Beach was my idea of the ultimate place to go, and wed hopefully go there once a summer if we were lucky. For the younger crowd, there was the Normandy Room. Although the park suffered $5 million in damages, the park owner has no doubt of its return. It is now located next to the old train station and clock tower. The doll has to be from the fiftys because my aunt died, and she was 81 when she died in 1992. I remember Savin Rock very well. A postcard view of Rocky Point Amusement Park in Warwick, Rhode Island, c. 1930-1945. See it here at. We used to go every year! the carousel (PTC #85) that they saved and moved down the street, http://themeparks.about.com/library/coasters/blwildone.htm, http://www.paragonparkmemories.com/Index.html, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paragon-Park-Memories/103289636409972?sk=wall, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paragon-Park-Memories/103289636409972. Then in myn40s met a man. The wooden coaster was previously known as Giant Coaster when it was located at Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts. The park, which had been in the family of Larry and Phyllis Stone for 65 years, closed after the 1984 season and was sold for a condominium development. That is the first one for me about 1952. In 1931, David and Rose Stone created the Paragon Park Operating Company to hold their ownership interest and shield it from creditors. Beginning with the 1920 season, Stone and Golden took over management of the entire Paragon operation, leasing all of the rides and concessions controlled by Dodge. Great place. I have a 24 doll won by my aunt at the Nantasket beach, the doll has no markings, but has the tag still stapled on the voil dress she has on, the tag said won at Luckys Nantasket beach park . I also recall a booth with a figure inside dressed like a gypsy woman. I havent thought about that place in years! Correct, Leo, only the name was Pleasure Island. See my post below. The site is now home to condominiums. Built in 1917, the wooden. It was dismantled and completely rebuilt down in Maryland. Ron what a great time you mustve had there! Yes, Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA! At the very last minute, it would make a sharp turn to keep everyone dry. Worked there for a while after graduation. All rights reserved. Me toonear 77, remember Bensons fondly==I was born and raised in Webster Mass.-I still have a scarf, pik with horse on it that says Bensons Wild animal park on it. I still think of it and its thrills in y late 70s. Take a ride down Memory Lane! Thank you so much for posting these pictures, I have been looking for photos of the last year of Paragon for years now and I am so happy to finally have found them!!! Paragon Park was an amusement park located in Hull, Massachusetts, USA. In Africa, what three biomes are the most common? Following the show, wed watch the fireworks from the parking lot. 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. Even the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 did little to improve things, although the ability to obtain liquor licenses made it manageable. Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA where I grew up. I Never see ANY photos of it either. White City was the bestthe whole family would go on a Sunday afternooncousins, aunts and uncleswhat a blast! 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. Jankovic was riding "The Voyage" roller coaster on June 4 when she became "unresponsive," the theme park said in a Facebook post. It was small, but close to home, so we got there often! I loved Rocky Point. I worked for Paragon Park as a ride operator for three consecitives summers from the age 14-17. As recounted in his 1922 obituary, a friend of Dodges invested in what became known as the Nantasket Steeplechase, a collection of amusements licensed from Coney Islands Steeplechase Park that was built on land leased from the Old Colony Railroad. I have many fond memories of Whalom Park and Im glad you included it. The parks owners were challenged in a way they hadnt been previously, as cleanup from a fire is relatively straightforward the burned and damaged areas are removed and replaced. WHAT IS IT? 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. Neither of their two children expressed an interest in carrying on the family business. Maybe 5 +. Sad we have to grow up. Your story brought back many memories. Dogs are banned from the state-owned Nantasket Beach Reservation from May 1 to September, and a local law change would have no effect on the states rules. https://vimeo.com/382437881, Paragon PkSo MUCH fun My Family would go into Boston and take the boat I cant remember what pier but it took about 1/2hr 2 get 2 Nantasket BeachIt was a LIFE time ago the Memorys last FOREVER. Romantic Totem Pole with sofas next to table lamps, and one time, the Spike Jones Band. I remember as a young girl with some friends taking the train to Revere Beach Amusement Park in the 50s many times. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paragon-Park-Memories/103289636409972?sk=info. The Nantasket Beach Steamboat Company struggled for several years before declaring bankruptcy; the Old Colony Railroad suspended train service in 1932, substituting buses to and from the Nantasket Junction depot in Hingham. If my memory serves me, there was a airplane ride that soared over the lake ! memories of Nantasket! Paragon park roller coaster on nantasket . the Zoo in GB. Norumbega Park loved going there when I was young! Glad to know that the Giant Coaster is still around and can be enjoyed by those who have the stomach for it . 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. 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. Met my husband at Lake Whalom and we have been married 57 years this year. Lincoln Park, N. Dartmouth, MA We went there all the time as children. Thanks for reviving a special memory! 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. Date Posted: 8/23/2009 2:00:02 PM. Loved the donkey rides. rollercoaster type ride , called the wild Mouse Does anyone know of this? In the aftermath of the April fire, Paragon reopened without its signature front entrance. My parents met at the roller rink at Canobie when young. My brother and I had great times there. )And I grew up in Holden, so, yes Whalom Park. My wife and I had our first date there. It was where the class went after graduation of Grammar School in 56 too we also would go to the speedway. We would make sure to hit every ride and try our luck at the various games of chance as well. 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.). But its not the same. In late 1915, he had leased parts of the park to fruit peddler David Stone and fellow hotelier Albert A. Launched as a trolley park (parks at the terminus of trolley lines were all the rage at the time), the property soon evolved from a series of serene walking paths to a bustling destination filled with midway games and rides like Ferris wheels and carousels. Ill never forget Lincoln Park Great Great Memories. You can help Coasterpedia by expanding it. Larry and Phyllis Stone decided to divorce, and Klayman, caught in the middle of a dispute between the owners, found himself looking for a new job after 30 years. I think fondly of Whalom Park also. This thing was the greatest. David Goran is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News Barnum in that regard created a system in which his patented inventions (with cheeky names like Funny Stairway, Earthquake Floor, Third-Degree Room, Cave of the Winds, and Revolving House of Delusion,) became the basis for the fledgling amusement industry in America. The actors included many stars on their way up including Hal (and his then wife, Ruby). I grew up in Springfield and would rather go there than its competitor, Riverside Park in Agawamnow Six Flags. they actually replaced a section that burned in the 1960s so the coaster is the way it was originally designed. A great little park! I hope that whatever parks are now available to families offer todays kids memories that they will carry with them into their 70s too. Sorry when it closed. The developers said theyd received at least 100 deposits from potential condo buyers; evidence, they said, that the market existed for high-rise units overlooking the ocean and the bay. Rollercoaster, FunHouse, Clambakes at the Pavillion, roller skating rink, Dancing ( with name bands, my Aunt sang there with a band for a while! Makes me a bit homesick for Mass, summer, the beach and childhood. The midway featured games of skill and chance and performances by Hugo Zacchini, aka the Human Projectile. Who knows, maybe youll reconnect with some of your HS pals! Well put. It had a scary ( to me at the time! ) Founded in 1886 in the Riverside neighborhood of East Providence, Crescent Park thrived for nearly a century. My older brother worked at Paragon for two summers running rides. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In addition to a massive saltwater swimming pool and a Ferris wheel with an ocean view, popular rides included the Corkscrew Loop Roller Coaster, the 13-story Freefall, the Log Flume, and the Castle of Terror. 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. Download Go. Mountain Park in Holyoke was my favorite, my cousins and I would go there when they visited from Acton. Loved Kings Castle land as a fun place to take my grandson when he was young. He didn't survive the incident. War rationing and blackout drills during the 1940s put more strain on the parks operations. My family lived at Hulll Coney entrepreneur George C. Tilyou, one of the most prolific showmen at the turn of the 20th century rivaling P.T. 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 circled the site, which seemed so big when I was a kid, and realized how small it was, surrounded by chain link fencing now. Thanks so much for adding them to the thread here on Retro Roadmap. No Paragon Park??? So many wonderful memories. 19T E 347058 N 4681323. But most significantly, Dodge looked to make an impact with the new and improved park. Does anyone remember the amusement park in Medway, MA that was destroyed in a fire back in the 70s? Great memories. David Stone lost two houses on Rockland House Road in the fire; others involved in area concessions lost their homes and businesses as well. We were bused to school at Hingham. 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. On that trip my Dad and I and the oldest boy from the other family went to Mystic Seaport. The Giant Roller Coaster of Paragon Park was one of the first sights youd notice as you drove into Hull on George Washington Boulevard. Thanks for the memories. Married and lived there myself. The park celebrated the ride's centennial in 2017, although it is thought that none or the original lumber remains. It was. Back before we moved to Connecticut in the. I do remember Whalom Park and Bensons Wild Animal farm as well, we took our own children there a few times as well! Find it all and much more with the interactive Roller Coaster Database. But they would find that recovering from a flood was entirely different. The rest of the site is dedicated to condominium development. We were just in Hull last week and reliving fond memories of Paragon- totally remember the Himalaya! Due to a private event, the Paragon Carousel will be open from 12pm - 4pm on Saturday October 22. There was also a small park in or near Whitman, MA cant recall the name that we went to once. Wild Mouse was a B. I remember that well, and the Diary Ice Cream place up the road on the other side. Time finally caught up with Whalom Park, however, and not long after it closed permanently, the parks remaining structures were razed to make way for a condominium complex. Im a big baby when it comes to riding roller coasters but I do love the look of an old fashioned white wood one curling around a park. Zoom in Zoom out Rotate right Fit screen Full expand. I remember going to Paragon Park during those same years. Does anyone remember Funland Park worked there too. Keep us posted on your book and have a great weekend! Six Flags America in Maryland purchased the coaster and relocated it in 1985. Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. I thought the title of the article said New England Amusement Parks. Although he and Eastern Park sold off the Rockland House as part of their 1907 separation, Dodge later bought the Pemberton Hotel and Pemberton Inn, adjacent hotels at the farthest end of the Hull peninsula. 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 really did enjoy Paragon Park. Items in the Price Guide are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members' research needs. 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. 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. Whalom Park! Cyndinow living in South Jersey but always a New Englander. I did not know that, thanks Larry! Thanks for the great memories! It was designed and constructed by the Philadelphia Toboggan Co., which later built the park's carousel that remains in Hull. But my most vivid, and fond memory was Misquamucut, and this mystery park! In late 1985, they canceled the development all together, and announced that they would sell the beloved carousel at auction 28 days later. STILL one of my fave attractions there and it wasnt even part of the park REALLY. 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. Great times and wonderful memories of a time long gone by. Lincoln Park was the highlight of my summer in the early 70s. 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. The carousel was always a favorite ride no matter how young or old I was. My family lived in Agawam at the time , and on Sat .nights we could hear the cars racing at the track. There was a coast guard station at lands end and a rather exquisite abandoned nightclub also at lands end. They closed long time ago. Maybe 5 years old. Could hear the train whistle every Saturday from my yard. It put Paragon Park on the map as a must-visit for anyone coming to New England, and was beloved by locals as well. Dawn R. Jankovic, from Brunswick, Ohio, fell unconscious while riding The Voyage roller coaster at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana . 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 was similar to another of its kind in the Adirondacks north of Schroon Lake, Frontiertown. It must have been about 1956 when we went to Cowboy Village. We lived in Hamden and Dad thought it was fairly close by in Killingworth. I remember riding the Virginia Reel 7 times one night! I just found out that the Giant Coaster was relocated to Six Flags in Maryland and is now the Wild One. Then there was the Normandy Room (dancing for the younger crowd) but the definite highlight was the Totem Pole Ballroom if your date invited you to go there, you were on top of the world!! 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. Contents 1 History 1.1 Sale and move Which now-closed New England amusement parks do you miss the most? 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 couldnt wait to turn the site into a condominium complex. Great place to go! That was wicked cool when you were a kid. 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. In the photo at right, from June 2, 1942, mechanics who had just finished the annual inspection and repairs to the Paragon Park roller coaster gave it the first ride of the 1942 season. I liked Riverside Park in the 70s. Navy man, Ill sure the trip was more for him than the two of us kids! What about Jollie Chollies in Massachusetts? I got to Paragon Park just once, the year before it closed; I was amused that the condo development the park was torn down for was one of the first to go bust when the economic bubble burst. A wood coaster was just what the park needed for its 10th anniversary, and Predator delivered. Wildcat, Bell's Amusement Park, 1997. I use to go to Lincoln Park in Dartmouth, Ma. I loved the carousel. First, patriarch David Stone died during the off season in Miami; three years later, his oldest son, Joseph, died in the middle of parks 1949 season. Now, it's. At its opening, Trailblazer was the first major coaster to be added to Hersheypark in 18 years. The town of Hudson subsequently acquired the property and turned it into a recreation park. In Africa, what are the two most common biomes? Lincoln Park was THE BEST! 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. I grew up there I really do miss it. It will be interesting to see if in time enough energy is generated that can bring this park back. The storefront includes the workshop of James Hardison, the artist who is painstakingly restoring each of the 66 wooden horses, where visitors can watch the continuing efforts to preserve the remnants of Paragon Park at Nantasket Beach. 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. 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.

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