I think fondly of Whalom Park also. 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. 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. Dodge believed in his vision and bought out his partners in 1907. Let us know in the comments below! If youre on Facebook you might enjoy this page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paragon-Park-Memories/103289636409972?sk=wall, Or its sister website: http://www.paragonparkmemories.com/. A great little park! Thank you for the flashbacks! Title . Dodge assembled a group of investors to form the Eastern Park Construction Company and leased several acres from the railroad company. Location: Massachusetts, United States. Norumbegapark as a kid, Whalom park 8th grade class trip, nantasket beach high school end of year trips. They tore down the Pavilion the site of many a first kiss and more in the 50s and 60s in Myrtle Beach a few years ago. Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA! I am looking for a picture of the flying scooters on the roof accross from the admin bldg. Over the winter, Stone and Golden began working on how they would secure the continuation of Paragon. The atmosphere was always great! What about Treasure Island in Wakefield Massachusetts? Chuck Lawrence. Went there when I was a small child with my father and loved the flying horses. Took my kids to Kings Castle Land, Whitman, Ma, I miss Riverside Park, Agawam, Ma-not the same since Six Flags took it over. Great times and wonderful memories of a time long gone by. Long time ago. It opened in 1917, closed in 1984. Is there a wave on Nantasket Beach? A roller coaster ride took a fatal turn at an amusement park in Mexico City this weekend. What a surprise to have Colossus live at our Zoo here, for many years. 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. I think you put money in and got some kind of fortune on a card. You forgot White City Amusement Park in Shrewsbury MA. I use to go to Lincoln Park in Dartmouth, Ma. My family lived at Hulll The worst came in 1930, when a car on Omaha, Nebraska's Big Dipper roller coaster fell 35 feet to the ground, killing four and injuring 17. Although the park suffered $5 million in damages, the park owner has no doubt of its return. My favorite ride was the wooden roller coaster and enjoyed being an usher at the playhouse. One of the best. Married and lived there myself. NORUMBEGA AND TOTEM POLE BALLROOM, AUBURNDALE, MA. we went on the Congo Cruise, which I think briefly had a 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. It was a fun, reasonably priced park and like other parks in New England was probably not profitable enough to keep running. Ive been on the one at Canobie and maybe one other but that was enough for me! A second or was it actually the third? I remember going to Bensons Wild Animal Farm several times as a youngster. 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.). 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. 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. The two men would face their first challenges early in their tenure. 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. I have fond memories of an amusement park called Mountain Park that Isnt mentioned. Then in myn40s met a man. Thank you for the wonderful memories. But the ride was plagued with many problems that remained with it until it was . I grew up about miles from Pine Island Park. The amount of time the blackberry has been allowed to ripen has an impact on how bitter, Because of its shape, farfalle means butterflies and is commonly referred to as bow tie pasta. It was always fun to hang on the beach side with the arcades. It was worth the over an hour drive to get there. The Lynn Shore and Nahant Beach Reservations will be charged the same new fees. I remember Savin Rock very well. 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. When I heard they were getting rid of the park it broke my heart. 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. Yes, Riverside Park was memorable as was Mountain Park. 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. The Aftermath: Roller Coaster. I just found out that the Giant Coaster was relocated to Six Flags in Maryland and is now the Wild One. 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 . Also, not far from the park was the original (and still is) Frank Pepes pizzeria. Shore dinners especially the clamcakes. From 1971-78, I spent my entire summers at Paragon Park. About a dozen years later I visited Paragon Park while on spring break from RIT and took a few pictures. Loved the elephant ride at Benson Animal Farm. different name. No one riding on the roller coaster was injured, Sheth said. Younger brother Larry, 30, and mother Rose, 73, were left carry on the management of the family business. He contracted with the Philadelphia Toboggan Company to build the tallest roller coaster in the world, Paragons 98-foot Giant Coaster. Theyve got a Facebook page too a great place for everyone to gather and share their memories of the park and fun times there. Keep us posted on your book and have a great weekend! According to a Washington Post article from that time, it was purchased at auction for just $28,000. We were just in Hull last week and reliving fond memories of Paragon- totally remember the Himalaya! The amusement park closed in 1994 and sat abandoned for years before its remains were finally demolished out of concern for public safety. Pleasure Island & Bensons were family favorites. Mike! growing up in Nashua, it was an exciting and exotic school field trip in the early 70s. Paragon Park opened to the public on Saturday, June 10, 1905, transforming Nantasket Beach for the better part of the 20th century. The ride's top speed is 50 mph, according to the park's Web site. It remained so until 1925, when it was topped by two feet by the Revere Beach Cyclone just down the road. In this video you will ride the coaster THREE times! Ive cross posted your request for a photo of this ride on the Paragon Park Memories page on Facebook hope it helps! Your story brought back many memories. He loved the junior rollercoaster! \r\rEnjoy! I thought it was pretty cool that the Paragon Giant Coaster was on the list of the Smithsonians Top Ten Coasters list. The Bat, the world's first suspended roller coaster, failed because of design problems. The coaster shut down when Paragon Park closed in 1984. Very scary, but such an adventure. Early 50s. After all, when did Paragon Park first open? Roller skating, rides, swimming even a boat that gave rides around the lake. I still remember feeling sad for this elephant who had a steel cuff on its leg and was chained to the floor. I also remember Bensons fondly . A Visit To The Retro Roadmap Photo Archives Photos from the American Roadside. Its assets were sold off in 1979, with the land being cleared for a housing development. I used to go to Paragon park/Nantasket beach with my family a lot during the sixties. 2022 Dennis Connors Photography. 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. I also remember the Revere Beach Amusements alomng Revere Beach in the 50s and 60s. I still visit Nantasket when I can, thumbing my nose at the condos and visiting the carousel (PTC #85) that they saved and moved down the street. 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. Shortly after railroad executives signed the paperwork the following March, fire broke out in a paint shop at the park. In late 1985, they canceled the development all together, and announced that they would sell the beloved carousel at auction 28 days later. I have many fond memories of Whalom Park and Im glad you included it. They were all fun. It was closed in the 80s and there are condos located on the site. Whalom Park was a wonderful place for so many in the 60s. day. 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. Fire struck again in the fall, destroying the Chateau ballroom at the rear of the park. I really did enjoy Paragon Park. A woman has died after passing out on a roller coaster. the wonderful carousel at nearby Lake Quassapaug! 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 . STILL one of my fave attractions there and it wasnt even part of the park REALLY. congrats on 57 yrs. 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. The antique carousel is still there. That was wicked cool when you were a kid. Paragon Park in Hull, MA was the best of the lot of amusement parks, Id say! My favorite ride was the music express but not too soon after eating. Romantic Totem Pole with sofas next to table lamps, and one time, the Spike Jones Band. My girlfriends father operated the roller coaster. In addition to the amusement parks there were shows (I remember seeing Loretta Lynn and others) and they also had auto races on Saturday nights. Oh my those clam cakes. I still have a pin and coin purse inwon at games there when I was so very young. Thanks for the article which sent me many, many years back in time. By the 1980s, attendance had started to decline, along with the facility itself. Those were the days! Many in Hull remained unconvinced. Pleasure Island, Wakefield, Mass. I remember watching Bea Lillie and Robert Emhardt among others. In 1931, David and Rose Stone created the Paragon Park Operating Company to hold their ownership interest and shield it from creditors. I remember a vacation my family took in Misquamucut RI , in maybe 1957 . Unfortunately Im to old these days. They had a great time. Best wishes, and thanks for stopping by. Where is the Paragon Park roller coaster now, given this? Jack! Maybe I might see them again in Heaven. Eric- what cool memories! Ive nothing but great memories of how it used to be around here (sounds of the park were like music to my ears. A scenic railway was added in 1900. village from 54-56. We had so much fun. David Stone lost two houses on Rockland House Road in the fire; others involved in area concessions lost their homes and businesses as well. digital file from original About this Item. Most interesting, I went to Bensons as a child,. It is now adjacent to the old train station and clock tower. It was located off route 5 on Mt Tom in western Massachusetts. I really loved Lincoln Park.If youre not you made my morning just for letting me remember Lincoln Park!!! Photo: Rich Koppelman. 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. Great memories and was able to take my kids to a couple of these growing up. 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