paragon park roller coaster death
I have always been a fraidy cat about going on roller coasters, and I remember my mother telling me that when she was a kid she made my grandfather take her on the giant coaster, and it was the first and last coaster ride shes been on! Like Lincoln Park, the land on which Paragon Park was situated is now the site of condominiums. Trailblazer (1974). 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. In short, we Davids son, Joseph, entered into negotiations with the Old Colony Railroad to purchase the land under Paragon. After the first fire, it was partially redesigned by Herbert Paul Schmeck who worked on its original construction. I have fond memories of the Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, and asked her to check it out when shes in the area. A trip to Rocky Point was the highlight of our summers in the 1950s. I use to go to Lincoln Park in Dartmouth, Ma. Paragon Park was great, noise, lights, smells(mostly good) the ocean, good times. My Mom and Dad went dancing there when they were dating! The Likelihood of Dying on a Roller Coaster. It is now adjacent to the old train station and clock tower. 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. I remember watching Bea Lillie and Robert Emhardt among others. Believed by many to have helped inspire the future Magic Kingdom, this amusement park flashed briefly across the New England entertainment scene, opening in 1906 and closing at the end of summer in 1910. Went there as a little kid driving Rt.2 all the way from Hartford. 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. Thanks for reminding me of some really great times. I worked for Paragon Park as a ride operator for three consecitives summers from the age 14-17. What about Treasure Island in Wakefield Massachusetts? In 1931, David and Rose Stone created the Paragon Park Operating Company to hold their ownership interest and shield it from creditors. Smaller than Riverside (Six Flags) in Agawam, but a very nice park for kids. Ple My family always preferred Mountain Park then Riverside. peter; The town of Hudson subsequently acquired the property and turned it into a recreation park. 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. I remember those rides at White City and that airplane ride over the lake scared the bejesus out of me ! The Great Blizzard of 1978 put the park under six feet of water as the Atlantic Ocean and Hull Bay converged on the Hull peninsula and left a wake of destruction. Thank you William C. Could you be my brother Billy? Many made the pilgrimage to photograph the park for the last time, and members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts visited to see the Giant, at one time the worlds tallest coaster, before it met its fate. The most visible prize at the June auction didnt attract the highest bid, but garnered the most attention. You can definitely make out a number of landmark features like the Witch Castle, Toboggan roller coaster, Coaster Dodgem, and Midway Flying Horses. We were upset we had been looking forward to that ride. Doesnt anyone remember two of the most popular parks in CT Savin Rock in New Haven, CT and Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport, Ct that was a lot smaller than the Rock but had one of the best ballrooms in the country with constant top named performing bands in attendance. memories of Nantasket! Nearly a quarter of a century later, the Wonderland Greyhound Park opened on the same property. Thanks so much for sharing your memories here! Rollercoaster, FunHouse, Clambakes at the Pavillion, roller skating rink, Dancing ( with name bands, my Aunt sang there with a band for a while! Whalom Park! My parents met at the roller rink at Canobie when young. But it didnt take him long to see opportunity in the endless parade of locals coming by to catch a peek at his lions, elephants, monkeys, and other exotic animals. 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. A Visit To The Retro Roadmap Photo Archives Photos from the American Roadside. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Disneyland, 2003. The park closed December 3, 1987, owing $48,000 in taxes and $13,000 in unpaid police details. 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. 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. 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.). 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. Copyright 2021 Retro Roadmap. It was a fun, reasonably priced park and like other parks in New England was probably not profitable enough to keep running. Thanks for the great memories! 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. And in the early 1960s, there was Pleasure Island in Wakefield, MA, with a pirate theme. It put Paragon Park on the map as a must-visit for anyone coming to New England, and was beloved by locals as well. Thank you so much for this page! We would start pressuring Mom and Dad to take us to Rocky Point as soon as the last of the snow melted. Now, it's. 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. Keansburg, N.J., March 14, 2013 -- Workers at Keansburg Amusements Park dismantle a roller coaster rendered useless by Hurricane Sandy. Roller coasters, water slides, bumper cars; it had it all. One of the most intriguing to me is Holy Land, USA in Waterbury, CT. Its one of those in-between places that some might say doesnt belong on the list because its being, well, you might say resurrected. Neither of their two children expressed an interest in carrying on the family business. 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. The Friends operate the carousel next door to the former railroad station, and in 2013 opened a small museum of Paragon memorabilia. Take a ride down Memory Lane! 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. 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. 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. We used to park before we got to the park, because there were so many pretty girls we couldnt keep our eyes on the road. It remained on the site for a short time after the closing, a hulking ghost of the parks past. In fact, a penny would get you a lot in those days, especially in the penny arcade. Im now in what you would call the elderly stage of my life (Im almost 77). Who lived where the park was. At about the same time, Dodge decided to scale back from running Paragon on a day-to-day basis. In the aftermath of the April fire, Paragon reopened without its signature front entrance. Thanks for addding your history to the thread of Paragon Park. about three woopdie doos If I remember it correctly and about 10 lanes wide. I miss Pleasure Island in Wakefield MA! 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. Which now-closed New England amusement parks do you miss the most? Mountain Park in Holyoke MA. I remember riding the Virginia Reel 7 times one night! Im so glad I caught the Art Deco lines and colors, as well as a bit of the ski lift ride as well! . What is the state of ionic compounds at room temperature. When older went with my friends. Riverside was also my favorite. In this video you will ride the coaster THREE times! Makes me a bit homesick for Mass, summer, the beach and childhood. At its opening, Trailblazer was the first major coaster to be added to Hersheypark in 18 years. You say Wonderland may have helped inspire Disneyland, but Disney employees were actually involved with Pleasure Island in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Skeeball and pinball machines were favorite games at Paragon Park's penny arcade. I was a lonely kid wandering the park every night, until I And in the mid-1960s, local radio station WBZ would sometimes have live broadcasts from Paragon Park. Does anyone remember Funland Park worked there too. The park featured wild-animal shows, shooting galleries, performances by natives of far-away lands, a foolish house, the dragons den, the haunted swing, the laughing show, an arcade and man smaller buildings, according to the opening-day press. Each week, it seemed, brought a new development proposal. Paragons next major milestones arrived in 1963, when three separate fires swept through the area. day. For one that could never do twirly rides I loved the roller coaster the best. 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!!! http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Paragon-Park-Memories/103289636409972. I remember going to an amusement park, I thought we walked there from the rental. The Summer of 1985 seemed like the longest ever, as day by day more and more of Paragon disappeared. A Thanksgiving Day fire at nearby Nantasket Pier destroyed most of the fleet of steamboats that carried passengers to and from Boston. The Dream Machine arcade is still in operation. 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. Newton High Schools Senior Prom was held there until, I think, the very early 60s..a special ending to your school years. Sad we have to grow up. There was a beautiful picnic area and was home to to the Mountain Park Playhouse for avid theater goers. The deejays used a trailer, called the Sundeck Studio, which was outfitted with broadcasting equipment. Fire struck again in the fall, destroying the Chateau ballroom at the rear of the park. Traveled from CT many times in my childhood. In the aftermath of the fire, a new dance hall and roller coaster were constructed in the front of the park. Did you hold on tight or tempt fate and ride with your hands stretched toward the sky? Too bad theyre all just sweet memories now. It ended in the 70s after a series of fires destroyed it. While my mother caught up with her pal Betty, whom she hadnt seen in years, and my sisters made new friends with Bettys daughters I roamed around and snapped random photos with my new 35mm camera. 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. Wonderland itself was inspired by the massive Worlds Fair exhibits that had been an international sensation since the mid-19th century. Paragon Park was an amusement park located in Hull, Massachusetts, USA. Photo, Print, Drawing Roller coaster, [Paragon Park], Nantasket Beach, Mass. Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. Pleasure Island Norumbega were our amusement parks of choice. A park worker's fatal joyride Raymond Boyd/Getty Images Lets not forget Savin Rock in West Haven CT! 2022 Dennis Connors Photography. My parents brought me and I brought my kids. So little love for Nantasket Beach and Paragon Park!!! A new stone-carved front entrance designed by Hugh Cairns would add elegance to the Nantasket Avenue side. I also recall a booth with a figure inside dressed like a gypsy woman. Benson opened his property to the public in 1924, and from there he added attractions such as rides, games, and concessions. 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. Most fun ever as I grew up in Fitchburg. Somehow, a roller coaster in Japan known for accelerating more quickly than any other in the world and operating at what's dubbed "super death" speed has started to cause injuries. I really loved Lincoln Park.If youre not you made my morning just for letting me remember Lincoln Park!!! I also remember Bensons fondly . For out-of-state visitors, parking at Nantasket Beach will increase from $10 to $15 per day, and $20 per day. Over the winter, Stone and Golden began working on how they would secure the continuation of Paragon. Mountain Park in Holyoke MA has left wonderful memories of class trips and later bringing my children. Navy man, Ill sure the trip was more for him than the two of us kids! well, all was fine till halfway home and my brother starts getting sick I was on top of my step sister out the window most of the ride home Still great times and I miss when we used to have no cares but having fun.. also Nantasket Beach. Crowds dwindled in the 1970s, and the park finally closed following the 1977 season. We could ride the rides all day. 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. I thought the title of the article said New England Amusement Parks. Thoroughly rebuilt after the hurricanes of 1938 and 1954, what was by then called Rocky Point Amusement Park reached its zenith in the late 1950s and 1960s. Fond memories! David Goran is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News I spend my life in that park. Whalom Park was a wonderful place for so many in the 60s. They married in 1935. 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. Oh Rich, I know EXACTLY what you mean about smelling the beach before you even got there. My Late Dad used to work at A&P ( another memory ) They used to have an annual picnic at the park. It was in Holyoke, MA, I believe. Damage estimates topped $300,000. My family lived in Agawam at the time , and on Sat .nights we could hear the cars racing at the track. Dodge, a Boston businessman who had made a fortune selling whalebone, a substance that was used for so many products that it has been called the plastic of its day, was the prime mover behind the construction of Paragon. Police said the ride was going full-speed when the Ferguson was struck. It closed in 1984. A second or was it actually the third? There were daily parades and a scenic railroad, too. Younger brother Larry, 30, and mother Rose, 73, were left carry on the management of the family business. Cyndinow living in South Jersey but always a New Englander. 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. I remember taking the ferry from Rowes Wharf in Boston to Nantasket Beach as a kid. While the Lincoln Park Comet may have rotted away until it was finally removed, The Giant Coaster from Paragon Park lives on at another park. I have many fond memories of Whalom Park and Im glad you included it. I also went to Lincoln Park & Kings Castle. It remained so until 1925, when it was topped by two feet by the Revere Beach Cyclone just down the road. Today, the only surviving remnant of Paragon Park on the boardwalk is the historic Paragon Park Carousel, which was moved from its original site. About this Item. On May 28, 1985, a 29-year-old man stood up while riding the Cyclone, and his head hit a crossbeam. Some restaurants and openncafes had pictures of it years ago. As one of the most historic and popular highways in North America (and dare we say the world), Route 66 has gone through a series of changes since its inception in 1926, going from . I loved Rocky Point. Today, the only surviving remnant of Paragon Park on the boardwalk is the historic Paragon Park Carousel, which was moved from its original site. 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. He is working on a book about the park's history. A 20-year-old man also fell when he attempted to stand up on the coaster in 1934, and a maintenance worker was killed in 1946 after he was struck while working on scaffolding on the coaster. I remember Savin Rock very well. He contracted with the Philadelphia Toboggan Company to build the tallest roller coaster in the world, Paragons 98-foot Giant Coaster. My older brother worked at Paragon for two summers running rides. Rosanna Arias/FEMA Tmmertransport med hest langs elva Lera ved Dalseng, som renner ut i Brumunda i Veldre, Ringsaker. Summing lessons in Lake Whalom, wonderful memories. Could hear the train whistle every Saturday from my yard. Find it all and much more with the interactive Roller Coaster Database. Roller coaster, [Paragon Park], Nantasket Beach, Mass. At the center of the park was a lagoon that served as the splashdown point for the popular Shoot the Chute gondola ride. I lived and graduated from Lunenburg High School in 70. I too have fond memories of the place, and even though its a shell of its former self, I cant help but hope it returns to its former glory. In Africa, what are the two most common biomes? 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. Beach was great! Keep us posted on your book and have a great weekend! And as young teens roller skating. This post was first published in 2020 and has been updated. Part of its track bed would later be incorporated into the footprint of the amusement park. It is 1984! My dad worked there. I found this video in my archives! The two men would face their first challenges early in their tenure. You forgot White City Amusement Park in Shrewsbury MA. Paragon Park was an amusement park located on Nantasket Beach in Hull, Massachusetts. Also, not far from the park was the original (and still is) Frank Pepes pizzeria. I recall a Western theme park in Northeast CT, named Cowboy Village. It is now located next to the old train station and clock tower. By the 1980s, attendance had started to decline, along with the facility itself. Somewhere in between, the Arcade Bazaar was lost due to a fire. savin rock amusement park in west haven ct. should definitely be added to this list. Ill never forget Lincoln Park Great Great Memories. Most of the time, news of an injury or death at a theme park involves a roller coaster. During the next several months, the town of Hull was in turmoil. . Such fond memories. \r\rThe coaster was built in 1917 and operated till the amusement park closed for good at the end of 1984. Dodge believed in his vision and bought out his partners in 1907. 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. 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. Paragon fans rejoiced that incredibly, two of the signature pieces of Paragon Park would survive its imminent death. Thanks so much for adding them to the thread here on Retro Roadmap. Photo: Rich Koppelman. The reason for the hoopla appears to be "Paragon Park: The Musical," co-written by Zoe Bradford and Michael Hammond with music and lyrics by Adam Brooks. 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! If youre on Facebook theres a Paragon Park Memories page you might enjoy too: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paragon-Park-Memories/103289636409972. 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. Thank you for the wonderful memories. When it closed a man I knew bought the huge statue of the steer they had and someone else got the elephant. 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. Silver-colored flagpoles stretched across the entrance, now enclosed by chain-link gates that would swing inward.
paragon park roller coaster death