The coaster was 1,400 feet long and featured an 88-foot drop. Paragon park roller coaster on nantasket . 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. But if you are feeling nostalgic, all is not lost: Scenes from Whalom Park were preserved for posterity in the 1982 music video for Touch and Go by the Cars. Id have the day in the park while my parents and aunts and uncles would sit under the pavilion on a Sunday listening to the polka bands. Paragon Park - Roller Coaster on Nantasket Beach - 1984! The person, who has not been identified, was flung about 10 feet out . 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. We would start pressuring Mom and Dad to take us to Rocky Point as soon as the last of the snow melted. East Bridgewater High School. They loved it . You can help Coasterpedia by expanding it. The ride's top speed is 50 mph, according to the park's Web site. Without even knowing it, wed had our last ride at Paragon Park. The parks next transformation would not come from fire, but from Mother Natures wrath. This incident. White City was the bestthe whole family would go on a Sunday afternooncousins, aunts and uncleswhat a blast! Who makes these lists? (Water World had room to expand because both of DCs older parks had closed some years before.) In 1916, park owner George A. Paragon Park was an amusement park located in Hull, Massachusetts, USA. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Disneyland, 2003. He proposed twin 18-story towers, each double the height of the world-famous roller coasters first hill. as a young child my dad took me and then my grampa took my cousin and I when she visited from Ohio. The 25.9-acre amusement park the nation's largest at the time included roller coasters and other rides, games, vaudeville and movie theaters, a funhouse, and a "health center" where premature infants in incubators were put on display. "It was the noise. 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 grew up in Springfield and would rather go there than its competitor, Riverside Park in Agawamnow Six Flags. We had some good times there. Most fun ever as I grew up in Fitchburg. I vividly remember a Killer Kowalski wrestling show at the pavilion during one of my visits. It had a great wooden roller coaster as well as a Ferris Wheel and other attractions. Lincoln Park, N. Dartmouth, MA We went there all the time as children. I have vague memories of Savin Rock in West Haven, CT. Yet, in 14 years (1990-2004), there were only 54 amusement park fatalities. This was a Great deal $ ! Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. But its not the same. 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. My wife and I had our first date there. Yes, Riverside Park was memorable as was Mountain Park. One bidder paid $25 for the entire lot of rainbow-colored trash cans. Lizzie- Myrtle Beach is definitely in the air today as a pal just asked about retro roadmap worthy places to go around that area. Such wonderful memories of a different time!???? According to a Washington Post article from that time, it was purchased at auction for just $28,000. Movie Stars came from California The Three Stooges often preformed on stage I believe it closed in the late 60s. Makes me a bit homesick for Mass, summer, the beach and childhood. My older brother worked at Paragon for two summers running rides. Paragon fans rejoiced that incredibly, two of the signature pieces of Paragon Park would survive its imminent death. So folks, remember tomorrow never knows if theres someplace or something you like go there now, enjoy it, take photos, and do what you can to make sure it sticks around, because some day it might not be there anymore! It closed in 1984. There were daily parades and a scenic railroad, too. Hilarity Hall, a funhouse akin to the Steeplechase, was built next door, and a dance hall that later became a roller rink, toy store, and video arcade. I was just remembering visiting Bensons as a kid. If we had saved enough pennies, we would enjoy the shore dinner before we headed home. My first job was parking cars in the lot across the street. Wow spent every summer thare as a kid into my teenage yrs. In its 96 years, 1985 was the only season of operation the roller coaster has missed. Im now a Hull year-round resident, 1/4 mile from where the park once stood. I remember Savin Rock with a fond passion. 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. It remained on the site for a short time after the closing, a hulking ghost of the parks past. Those were the days! He also would own the row of storefronts along Nantasket Avenue from the front entrance northward to Fascination, although to most observers, the separation was not noticeable. I was so sad when Lincoln park closed. Loved Kings Castle land as a fun place to take my grandson when he was young. I remember Savin Rock very well. Also remembr White City Park near Worcester fondly. Till I was twelve, lived in Naugatuck CT and lived to ride Navy man, Ill sure the trip was more for him than the two of us kids! Within two seasons, however, Paragon was falling short of its financial projections, Eastern Parks investors wanted to abandon the concept. Im now in what you would call the elderly stage of my life (Im almost 77). I can almost picture it. The two men would face their first challenges early in their tenure. 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.). A great park for a day trip with the family. From 1971-78, I spent my entire summers at Paragon Park. Till I was a teenager lived in Naugatuck CT and lived to ride the wonderful carousel at nearby Lake Quassapaug! Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA where I grew up. As I have spent all my 51 summers at Pemberton point at my grandparents cottage, I will never forget spending my summers enjoying the park especially my favorite the roller coaster. Shame on you, lol As for Bensons, they had an enormous elephant you could ride on! 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. My favorite ride was the wooden roller coaster and enjoyed being an usher at the playhouse. 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. The Dream Machine arcade is still in operation. We used to ice skate at the pond by the fire station and enjoyed swimming at the jetty. It features a 450 spiral helix and a series of bunny hills that produce a significant amount of air time. My Late Dad used to work at A&P ( another memory ) They used to have an annual picnic at the park. A scenic railway was added in 1900. 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). The coaster shut down when Paragon Park closed in 1984. 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. 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. How about the screech of the wheels or the screams of the riders? When it closed a man I knew bought the huge statue of the steer they had and someone else got the elephant. . I hope that whatever parks are now available to families offer todays kids memories that they will carry with them into their 70s too. A 14-year-old girl has died after a roller coaster car came off the track at an amusement park in Denmark. Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. 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. 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 always fun to hang on the beach side with the arcades. So many times I think of the times spent there and tell my children and grandchildren about this magical place!! spent hours running around the park and laughing! What we know about the amusement park accident that killed an 11-year-old Iowa boy. Rick glad you have fond (or freezing?!) Kicking off the Park's expansion of Pioneer Frontier, it was the first attraction at Hersheypark to be completely themed.Trailblazer is the second-oldest running coaster in the Park and a family favorite.It features a helix that circles a total of 4 times and reaches speeds of up . I remember riding the elephant at Bensons. A new stone-carved front entrance designed by Hugh Cairns would add elegance to the Nantasket Avenue side. Rick- that vaguely rings a bell with me but I dont have any photos. My favorite ride was the merry go round and, when I got older the race track where you could drive cars around a track. I also remember the Revere Beach Amusements alomng Revere Beach in the 50s and 60s. Married and lived there myself. Cant recall what actually propelled them. Facing massive cost overruns, the parks owners started selling off assets following the 1910 season, which would be Wonderlands last. The historic "Fascination" game room closed in 2019 due to storm damage. The park opened to rave reviews. Wonderful memories! Sad we have to grow up. The Summer of 1985 seemed like the longest ever, as day by day more and more of Paragon disappeared. . good memories. We were upset we had been looking forward to that ride. Sad that its gone now!! Now, it's. The rest of the site is devoted to condominium development. \r\rDo you remember hearing the clicking of the cars as they climb to the top? sadly lasted only about 10 years. Its amazing how fast people forget. If youre on Facebook theres a Paragon Park Memories page you might enjoy too: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paragon-Park-Memories/103289636409972. The rest of the site is devoted to condominiumdevelopment. I loved the carousel. We had a cottage nearby, until the great blizzard of 1978. At the time, it was considered the deadliest. Now its a shopping center. 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. United States--Massachusetts--Nantasket Beach. Savin Rock Amusement Park in West Haven, CT, How about the old boardwalk at Revere Beach, Pleasure Island in Wakefield,Ma The Kiddie Ranch Rte 1 Saugus, Ma. It closed in 1984. I felt so sorry for that creature. The Hurricane in Aug of 1954 finally put an end to it. Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, is an exposed beach break with consistent surf that can be used at any time of year. It opened in 1905 and closed in 1985. With the Stones out of town on vacation, disaster duty fell to Klayman. Lincoln Park in Dartmouth, MA, just part of New Bedford, MA! Ple It was in Holyoke, MA, I believe. I still have a pin and coin purse inwon at games there when I was so very young. Ive nothing but great memories of how it used to be around here (sounds of the park were like music to my ears. Great memories and was able to take my kids to a couple of these growing up. Dodge commissioned the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) to create a new coaster. No Paragon Park??? \rIt is 1984! Thank you for the flashbacks! 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. Paragon Park opened to the public on Saturday, June 10, 1905, transforming Nantasket Beach for the better part of the 20th century. Ive cross posted your request for a photo of this ride on the Paragon Park Memories page on Facebook hope it helps! I loved Norumbega Park and all the rides. Space Journey, Ecoventure Valley, 2010. 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. Aw, Les that sounds like a lot of good times! Oh my those clam cakes. If my memory serves me, there was a airplane ride that soared over the lake ! My grandparents lived in Nantasket so I had the pleasure of going to Paragon Park many times during the summer months. All rights reserved. I also remember Mountain Park; the way to get to the site is still named Mountain Park Road, according to the sign on the bridge where it crosses I-91. Paragon Park opened in 1905 and lasted for just under 80 years, closing in 1984. A. Schiff & Associates steel wild mouse roller coaster located at Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts, USA. And as young teens roller skating. I also recall a booth with a figure inside dressed like a gypsy woman. 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. John- what great evocative memories you have of Hull! Around the same time, the town and the state began buying the property in stages. I graduated from Hull High School and lived at the very end of Sunset Point. While the fire didnt physically touch the park, its effects on the economy and the prospects for the resort were profound. Dad saw Mom and went over and told her he was going to marry her. Thanks for reminding me of some really great times. about three woopdie doos If I remember it correctly and about 10 lanes wide. More for little ones and still open are Storyland and Santas Village in NH a place families still can enjoy. Loved going to Rocky Point sometimes just for the chowder and clam cakes but always ended up in the amusement park. A case was defined as the death of a person which was associated with a roller coaster in the United States between 15 May 1994 and 14 May 2004. The site is now home to condominiums. Newton High Schools Senior Prom was held there until, I think, the very early 60s..a special ending to your school years. 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. In the winter racing cars on the lake. Riverside was also my favorite. We rented a big house, across the street from the beach. When Rose Stone died in 1969, the park lost one of its most familiar figures and its last link to the days when Dodge was still active in the parks operations. Beach was great! Whalom Park was my go to place, the rides, the roller skating rink and the summer stock Playhouse. Go there than its competitor, Riverside Park was an amusement Park accident that killed an Iowa! 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