He remembers seeing wooden picnic tables so heavy that it usually took four men to move them having been heaved over an eight-foot fence and carried by the raging tides to the other end of the park. 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. I still have pictures. Great memories. Some items, such as the motors and machinery of most rides, arcade games, prize inventory, needed complete replacement, while the buildings themselves needed to be dried out. A great park for a day trip with the family. For the life of me I can not remember the name.But it was a really big thing to me back in the day. Space Journey, Ecoventure Valley, 2010. John- what great evocative memories you have of Hull! Beach was great! I think you put money in and got some kind of fortune on a card. Paragon fans rejoiced that incredibly, two of the signature pieces of Paragon Park would survive its imminent death. But I do have a copy of the book Savin Rock Memories by Gil Johnson and Bennett W. Dorman. Format: Dry plate negatives. Sorry when it closed. Everytime I drive into town via George Washington Blvd I think back on when me and my siblings would try to be the first to see the roller coaster. The Dream Machine arcade is still in operation. But another group of preservationists began to think about how memories of the park could be saved, and fixed its gaze upon the antique carousel. Take a ride down Memory. 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. It was where the class went after graduation of Grammar School in 56 too we also would go to the speedway. My brother and I had great times there. On a dark winter evening homeward-bound in the front passenger seat in our 53 Chevy after Christmas shopping at the Paragon Parks Arcade Bazaar a warehouse-like fluorescent-lit discount toy store in Nantasket Beach my mom told me the heartbreaking truth about Santa Claus. How Id love to take one more slide ride. Magnificent as it was, Wonderland may have grown too quickly to support itself. Long time ago. I hope that whatever parks are now available to families offer todays kids memories that they will carry with them into their 70s too. Fire struck again in the fall, destroying the Chateau ballroom at the rear of the park. Storybook characters, a pirate ship and Dodge City with a saloon and stagecoach holdups were among the attractions. Ple It features a 450 spiral helix and a series of bunny hills that produce a significant amount of air time. It was known as Disneyland of the East. 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. For one that could never do twirly rides I loved the roller coaster the best. My girlfriends father operated the roller coaster. . Thanks for the article which sent me many, many years back in time. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It was in Holyoke, MA, I believe. Photo: Rich Koppelman. Believe it or not: You can still ride the historic coaster today, if you dare. Lincoln Park in Dartmouth, MA, just part of New Bedford, MA! Not sure what the weather is like where you are, but weve got snow-a-fallin here outside of Retro Roadmap HQ, so instead of going out on the roads, Im looking backward down memory lane via my own photo collection.I figured Id go back as far as I could in my own collection and start with Paragon Park, circa 1984. About This Item; Obtaining Copies; Access to Original; . 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. The antique carousel is still there. I have fond memories of the Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, and asked her to check it out when shes in the area. Wow spent every summer thare as a kid into my teenage yrs. Trailblazer (1974). In late 1985, they canceled the development all together, and announced that they would sell the beloved carousel at auction 28 days later. I worked for Larry Stone nights running the red mill and the carousel; and days at funland taking photos at a faux bar Singapore Sams. A friend, 20-year-old William Haithcoat, and a 20-year-old park employee named Darrel Robertson, attempted to rescue him. 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. 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. In October 2014, it was reborn as the 120-acre Rocky Point State Park. It was the place to go. This post was first published in 2020 and has been updated. Giant Coaster Paragon Park (Hull, Massachusetts, United States) Removed, Operated from 1917 to 1985. The Giant Coaster opened at Paragon Park in 1917; at 98 feet tall, it was the tallest roller coaster in the world at the time. 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. As a South Shore kid I really miss Paragon Park in Hull MA (Nantasket Beach). (Water World had room to expand because both of DCs older parks had closed some years before.) Thank you so much for this page! village from 54-56. i lived in hull for 7 yrs between 1971 and 1978 best years of my life were spent there at paragon park and was sorry when the big developers came in and tore it down what a shame. The first major fire at Paragon struck in 1911, leveling all of the buildings from the entrance south along Nantasket Avenue to what would become Park Avenue. 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. 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. Theyve got a Facebook page too a great place for everyone to gather and share their memories of the park and fun times there. The coaster is now called \"The Wild One\". Today, the only surviving remnant of Paragon Park on the boardwalk is the historic Paragon Park Carousel, which was moved from its original site. A nice man left money to the town I lived in and every year the town would set up the trip to Whalom Park! I still think of it and its thrills in y late 70s. I loved Norumbega Park and all the rides. For the younger crowd, there was the Normandy Room. 1950s. A 14-year-old girl has died after a roller coaster car came off the track at an amusement park in Denmark. There was one that you didnt mention it was between Fall River and New Bedford, along the highway then. A park worker's fatal joyride Raymond Boyd/Getty Images What about Jollie Chollies in Massachusetts? Master carousel artisan Charles I.D. 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. I took my children there every Wednesday . What about Treasure Island in Wakefield Massachusetts? My favorite was Riverside Park in Agawam MA. Remember Revere Beach and Canobie Lake when I was a kid growing up in Somerville, Ma. Among the amusement rides in operation during Paragon Park's history was a traditionalstyle Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel (PTC 85) with handcrafted horses, a bumper cars ride known as . My Aunt bought a house near back entrance. Boy, do the pictures bring back memories, coldest water you ever swam in but Pargon Park was so much fun on a hot summer day. The Philadelphia Toboggan carousel was rescued and now operates at Battleship Cove in Fall River. Dogs will not be allowed on Nantasket Beach in the summer, regardless of whether the law passes. It was safe and so much fun. Damage estimates topped $300,000. save the carousel effort was launched, but this time the result would be the formation of the non-profit Friends of the Paragon Carousel and the purchase of the antique merry-go-round for $1.1 million. News of the developers interest appeared in December 1984 in a place that was unlikely to attract attention a column in the pages of The New England Real Estate Journal, a trade publication generally seen only by those in the real estate industry. Glad when it finally close and that gorilla was sent to a sanctuary down south and CNN showed the gorilla touching grass for the first time in over 25 years. The amusement park closed in 1994 and sat abandoned for years before its remains were finally demolished out of concern for public safety. Now its a shopping center. The amusement park closed for good in 1984. We had some good times there. My first job was parking cars in the lot across the street. Games manager Myron Klayman, the brother-in-law of owner Phyllis Stone, was a selectman in Hull at the time of the storm, and recalled serving dual roles in helping the town clean up from the disaster while also directing crews at his employer. This article is a stub. The remains of the "Turnpike Cars" roadway ride are hidden in overgrowth beside the parking lot, although are very much visible via Google Maps. 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. We moved to Gulf Breeze, FL and several years later they started . The Super Screamer was there until 1999. Thank you! My cousin owned the pizza shop across the street from the parking lot and lived there. What are two most common biomes in Africa? 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. Great memories and was able to take my kids to a couple of these growing up. 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. spent hours running around the park and laughing! Location: Massachusetts, United States. Copyright 2021 Retro Roadmap. This makes the second fatal accident at an amusement park this year. 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. Lost in that fire was much of the holiday inventory of Toy-A-Rama, a seasonal store in Paragons former roller skating rink that competed against the Arcade Bazaar. He loved the junior rollercoaster! Thank you William C. Could you be my brother Billy? Newton High Schools Senior Prom was held there until, I think, the very early 60s..a special ending to your school years. My best memories of my being a teenager is my time being at Paragon Park. My family had the summer home on the hill directly behind Hurleys Bathhouse (for those who remember). The park celebrated the ride's centennial in 2017, although it is thought that none or the original lumber remains. A new stone-carved front entrance designed by Hugh Cairns would add elegance to the Nantasket Avenue side. Ron what a great time you mustve had there! Remember the himalaya ? as a young child my dad took me and then my grampa took my cousin and I when she visited from Ohio. It was in Killingly, many miles north and east, and my parents had a cranky little boy on their hands. I spend my life in that park. We enjoyed quite a few evening visits in the 80s. So many wonderful memories. \r\rEnjoy! . A scenic railway was added in 1900. We did just one stop at Bensons when I was a child and didnt like it. From dawn to dusk, the restaurant is open all year. The Friends operate the carousel next door to the former railroad station, and in 2013 opened a small museum of Paragon memorabilia. A Thanksgiving Day fire at nearby Nantasket Pier destroyed most of the fleet of steamboats that carried passengers to and from Boston. "It has stood the test of time." The parks next transformation would not come from fire, but from Mother Natures wrath. 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. Still saw remnants of the park in the area. Jankovic was riding "The Voyage" roller coaster on June 4 when she became "unresponsive," the theme park said in a Facebook post. Most fun ever as I grew up in Fitchburg. You forgot Pleasure Island. Sad we have to grow up. Six Flags America in Maryland purchased the coaster and relocated it in 1985. On May 28, 1985, a 29-year-old man stood up while riding the Cyclone, and his head hit a crossbeam. Also had my first date with my future husband at Riverside!! Tilyous inventions were so commonplace that fun houses of differing sizes became known as a steeplechase.. A roller coaster in Japan known for its "super death" acceleration to triple-digit speeds was reportedly shut down after riders suffered serious bone fractures. 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. I showed off my roller skating expertise to my junior high classmates back in the Im now a Hull year-round resident, 1/4 mile from where the park once stood. Its layout and format modeled those of Luna and Dreamland at Coney Island, with an ornate front entrance and exhibitions from foreign lands surrounding the lagoon and electric tower. Michael Jaramillo, 11, died Sunday after he and three others were injured on the Raging River water ride at . Somewhere I have an old B&W photo of tiny little me looking up at an elephant in awe. They open for the 2022 season on May 28. https://www.canobie.com/. 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. 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. I grew up there I really do miss it. 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. 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. 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. I got to ride on the roller coaster again after it moved to Maryland, long before Six Flags took over Water World; they restored a piece that had been taken out at Paragon after a fire. 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. Keep us posted on your book and have a great weekend! Cant recall what actually propelled them. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. 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. Developed by nickpc. During the next several months, the town of Hull was in turmoil. Thanks so much for sharing your memories here! Ill never forget Lincoln Park Great Great Memories. The musical runs from July 27 through . Paragon had its own saltwater lagoon, which surrounded a central electric tower that rose 110 feet into the sky, by far the largest structure at Nantasket Beach. In Africa, what are the two most common biomes? Like Lincoln Park, the land on which Paragon Park was situated is now the site of condominiums. 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