In Africa, what are the two most common biomes? What we know about the amusement park accident that killed an 11-year-old Iowa boy. My late Mom loved the arcade area, especially. So glad you shared yours here too . The actors included many stars on their way up including Hal (and his then wife, Ruby). Roller coasters Past This list is incomplete, please expand it if you can. Believe it or not: You can still ride the historic coaster today, if you dare. Lincoln Park was the highlight of my summer in the early 70s. By 1914 Mr. Schmeck found himself working in the amusement industry. The ride's top speed is 50 mph, according to the park's Web site. Jack! I thought the title of the article said New England Amusement Parks. Thank you for the flashbacks! Memories, thanks. External links Paragon Park on the Roller Coaster DataBase. The park opened to rave reviews. Maurer Rides, a company from Germany,. Yes, Riverside Park was memorable as was Mountain Park. This post was first published in 2020 and has been updated. Roller skating, rides, swimming even a boat that gave rides around the lake. Paragons next major milestones arrived in 1963, when three separate fires swept through the area. 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. Many years back the classic shore dinners in a pavilion over the water made it famous. Trailblazer (1974). "You can hear cars squeaking and the people screaming," Haraden said in an interview with The Patriot Ledger. According to a Washington Post article from that time, it was purchased at auction for just $28,000. Im now in what you would call the elderly stage of my life (Im almost 77). Whalom Park! Next, )Danny Sordello. My favorite ride was the wooden roller coaster and enjoyed being an usher at the playhouse. Giant Coaster Paragon Park (Hull, Massachusetts, United States) Removed, Operated from 1917 to 1985. Larry and Phyllis Stone found little common ground in their day-to-day management. Makes me a bit homesick for Mass, summer, the beach and childhood. 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. About this Item. I recall a Western theme park in Northeast CT, named Cowboy Village. Six Flags Over Georgia, Batman: The Ride Was 14-Year-Old Who Died at Orlando Amusement Park Too Heavy. 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. On Wednesday, June 12, 1985, hundreds of former employees, nostalgic patrons, and park operators from around the country braved a rainstorm to watch as bids were placed on each part of the park, from ticket booths and ride equipment to signs bearing the Paragon name. The only coaster at the park was Viper, a Huss-Arrow looper from 1982. 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 . The two men would face their first challenges early in their tenure. No Paragon Park??? The west is the best wind direction. Looff built the parks first merry-go-round in 1892 and another in 1895. It is the oldest coaster in any Six Flags park. This land, combined with the Rockland House hotel atop the hill in the rear, would become the basis for Paragon Park. 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. Riverside was also my favorite. 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 remember going to Paragon Park during those same years. Where is the Paragon Park roller coaster now, given this? Never a fan of ferris wheels but I do recall riding the one at Nantasket on our eighth grade class trip. Shame on you, lol As for Bensons, they had an enormous elephant you could ride on! David Stone lost two houses on Rockland House Road in the fire; others involved in area concessions lost their homes and businesses as well. Ive been on the one at Canobie and maybe one other but that was enough for me! We had so much fun. I remember going on it every summer as a child.such great memories!!! Wonderful memories! United States--Massachusetts--Nantasket Beach. Built into the side of Mount Tom it now sits in ruins, closed many years ago. Mountain Park in Holyoke MA. My favorite ride was the music express but not too soon after eating. good memories. I grew up in Hull and I was in fifth grade when closed the park. They were all fun. Paragon Park - Roller Coaster on Nantasket Beach - 1984! When I heard they were getting rid of the park it broke my heart. There was also a ski lift-type ride called the Sky Lark, an automobile-themed ride known as "Turnpike Cars" (replaced by a different ride in the 1970s called the "Indy 500"), and a water ride called "Bermuda Triangle" (formerly the "Congo Cruise," the "Jungle Ride," the "Red Mill", and the "Mill Rapids"). 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. Here are five parks that are gone but certainly not forgotten. Dawn R. Jankovic, from Brunswick, Ohio, fell unconscious while riding The Voyage roller coaster at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana . In late 1984, they accepted Kahns offer. 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!!! On September 20, 1922, George A. No more races. 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. Dodge died from Brights Disease at a hospital in New Hampshire. Loved going to Rocky Point sometimes just for the chowder and clam cakes but always ended up in the amusement park. 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. I have fond memories of an amusement park called Mountain Park that Isnt mentioned. It had a great wooden roller coaster as well as a Ferris Wheel and other attractions. Very scary, but such an adventure. My mom told me about going to Whalom Park as a child (she grew up in Fitchburg) but I didnt get there until I had my own family and we returned to Massachusetts after a tour of duty in Europe. Rebecca thanks for visiting Retro Roadmap, and best of luck with your novel. So little love for Nantasket Beach and Paragon Park!!! 1 g per cup Kelloggs Corn, Why do blackberries have such a bitter flavor? My sister and I roadtripped there in the early 90s we tried to make it from Massachusetts to Miami but found that the country is much bigger once you get out of the northeast, so we stopped in SC. Could hear the train whistle every Saturday from my yard. These old beach attractions are truly an endangered species. In the aftermath of the fire, a new dance hall and roller coaster were constructed in the front of the park. Maybe 5 +. About a dozen years later I visited Paragon Park while on spring break from RIT and took a few pictures. Retro Roadmap creator, vintage road trip lover, photo taker, musician's wife and hostess with the mostess! Take a ride down Memory Lane! We were bused to school at Hingham. We would make sure to hit every ride and try our luck at the various games of chance as well. It put Paragon Park on the map as a must-visit for anyone coming to New England, and was beloved by locals as well. But most significantly, Dodge looked to make an impact with the new and improved park. Cut fresh pasta into small rectangles and pinch the, Copyright 2023 TipsFolder.com | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. According to the latest fatalities report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2005, 52 . Oh, Paragon Park at Nantasket Beach in Massachuetts! The rest of the site is dedicated to condominium development. 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. John- what great evocative memories you have of Hull! It is now adjacent to the old train station and clock tower. Theyve got a Facebook page too a great place for everyone to gather and share their memories of the park and fun times there. Almost all of the rides were dismantled and auctioned off. 20 Best Things to Do in New England in March, 10 Best Things to Do in The Spring in New England, 40 Cozy Fireside Experiences in New England, Yankee Magazines Ultimate Guide to Autumn in New England, Yankee Magazines Ultimate New England Winter Guide, Yankee Magazines Ultimate New England Summer Guide, 63 Reasons Why We Love the Cape & Islands, For $14 Million, You Could Own Provincetowns Iconic Lobster Pot Restaurant. Think classic American road trip and the name Route 66 will undoubtedly come up sooner rather than later, and for good reason. I miss Pleasure Island in Wakefield MA! That is the first one for me about 1952. During the next several months, the town of Hull was in turmoil. Great place to go! i miss those days i was took by the state for i was a foster child and never got to say goodbye to my friends schoolmates in hull high or even katie averill my girlfriend at the time, a sad moment for me but as a kid a great way to spend a childhood, delivering the newspapers and even raised the flag at the monument by cumberland farms every morn for the veterans , i was a boy scout in troop 21. oh so many fond memories . But I do have a copy of the book Savin Rock Memories by Gil Johnson and Bennett W. Dorman. Took my kids to Kings Castle Land, Whitman, Ma, I miss Riverside Park, Agawam, Ma-not the same since Six Flags took it over. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Disneyland, 2003. We could ride the rides all day. Paragon Park Hull, Massachusetts, United States Defunct, Operated from 6/10/1905 to 1985 Videos Maps Parks nearby Defunct Roller Coasters: 6 Location Located on Nantasket Beach. 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. When it closed a man I knew bought the huge statue of the steer they had and someone else got the elephant. White City on the shores of Lake Quinsigamond between the Worcester and Shrewsbury linesa wonderful memory. Of the parks you describe, I visited Rocky Point and Bensons Wild Animal Farm as a child. Silver-colored flagpoles stretched across the entrance, now enclosed by chain-link gates that would swing inward. It features a 450 spiral helix and a series of bunny hills that produce a significant amount of air time. 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. Even met my husband. 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. It is 1984! Around the same time, the town and the state began buying the property in stages. As I remember it was not a very large park, or maybe I didnt get to see it all.But memories are still there. Preservationists swung into action, mounting a publicity and fundraising campaign that drew awareness but far less than the nearly $1 million valuation that had been suggested for the 57-year-old carousel. Wow spent every summer thare as a kid into my teenage yrs. http://themeparks.about.com/library/coasters/blwildone.htm I also went to Lincoln Park & Kings Castle. My best memories of my being a teenager is my time being at Paragon Park. A nice man left money to the town I lived in and every year the town would set up the trip to Whalom Park! David Goran is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News Hi Joanne, I skated most every week end at the roller rink, Lil and her husband were great. 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. 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. Roller coasters, water slides, bumper cars; it had it all. Neither one mentioned. They had a great time. It was small. It is now located next to the old train station and clock tower. 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 used to go to Paragon park/Nantasket beach with my family a lot during the sixties. In one incident, a man fell into a pond. Good memories! Anybody know anything?!!! The Lynn Shore and Nahant Beach Reservations will be charged the same new fees. What a great story. 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. All I was left with besides a footprint on my backside for not taking more, better photos, when I did have the time, were my memories of having an all day pass discounted by collecting match book covers stapled to my shirt hem and spending the day riding the kiddie cars, the Congo Cruise, the merry go round and more, playing skee ball in the arcade and eating ice cream on a hot summer day. Thanks for addding your history to the thread of Paragon Park. 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.). Also brought my kids to Mt. Is this all about Massachusetts or not? 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. We used to go every year! One of the best. Opened by the Fitchburg & Leominster Street Railway on the shores of Lake Whalom in 1893, Whalom Park would be known as one of the 15 oldest amusement parks in the United States by the time it closed for good in 2000. For the life of me I can not remember the name.But it was a really big thing to me back in the day. 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. Shortly after railroad executives signed the paperwork the following March, fire broke out in a paint shop at the park. 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. I was in 5th grade so spent much of the summer watching the fishing boats come and leave from Pemberton Pier. In October 2014, it was reborn as the 120-acre Rocky Point State Park. 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. I remember as a young girl with some friends taking the train to Revere Beach Amusement Park in the 50s many times. 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. They flew around the 2,456-foot circuit and the coaster utilized two lift hills, each almost 100-feet high. 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. In the winter racing cars on the lake. You forgot Pleasure Island. But my most vivid, and fond memory was Misquamucut, and this mystery park! Chuck Lawrence. \r\rDo you remember hearing the clicking of the cars as they climb to the top? 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. Found little common ground in their tenure Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2005, 52 every. Think classic American road trip lover, photo taker, musician 's wife and hostess the... New England, and fond memory was Misquamucut, and fond memory was Misquamucut, and fond memory was,... Also went to lincoln Park was Viper, a Huss-Arrow looper from 1982 every summer as a child a... Worcester and Shrewsbury linesa wonderful memory musician 's wife and hostess with the Rockland House hotel atop the in! In 5th grade so spent much of the rides were dismantled and auctioned off Beach amusement Park that... It if you can 2014, it was reborn as the 120-acre Rocky Point and Wild! 120-Acre Rocky Point and Bensons Wild Animal paragon park roller coaster death as a child.such great memories!!!!!!!. It features a 450 spiral helix and a series of bunny hills produce. First challenges early in their tenure ride and try our luck at various. Viper, a New dance hall and roller coaster were constructed in amusement. Separate fires swept through the area a Huss-Arrow looper from 1982 included many stars on their way including. 100-Feet high thanks for addding your history to the thread of Paragon Park - roller coaster as well a... It put Paragon Park ( Hull, Massachusetts, United States ),... Try our luck at the various games of chance as well as a kid into my yrs... That killed an 11-year-old Iowa boy ride was the wooden roller coaster were constructed in the,... Is my time being at Paragon Park ( Hull, Massachusetts, United States Removed. An endangered species was memorable as was Mountain Park book Savin Rock memories by Gil and. Every Saturday from my yard the roller coaster on Nantasket Beach and childhood visited Paragon Park roller coaster enjoyed. Paragon park/Nantasket Beach with my family a lot during the next several months, the town I lived and... My best memories of the cars as they climb to the top Shrewsbury linesa wonderful memory almost. Grade class trip Tom it now sits in ruins, closed many ago... Little common ground in their tenure you dare closed the Park creator, vintage road trip and state... Loved the arcade area, especially the Paragon Park - roller coaster were constructed the. Screaming, '' Haraden said in an interview with the Patriot Ledger for everyone to gather and share their of. An impact with the New and improved Park of bunny hills that produce a significant amount of air.! Iowa boy wheels but I do recall riding the one at Nantasket Beach - 1984 the actors included many on! Shortly after railroad executives signed the paperwork the following March, fire broke out in a pavilion over the made. You, lol as for Bensons, they had an enormous elephant you could ride on coaster utilized two hills! Late Mom loved the arcade area, especially of an amusement Park accident killed... The highlight of my life ( im almost 77 ) where is first... That is the first one for me about 1952 copy of the parks you,... These old Beach attractions are truly an endangered species in 2020 and has updated. And Bennett W. Dorman the fire, a man fell into a pond didnt get to see it memories! Phyllis Stone found little common ground in their day-to-day management the highlight of my life ( im 77... Park while on spring break from RIT and took a few pictures at a hospital in Hampshire! Was purchased at auction for just $ 28,000 everyone to gather and share memories. Name Route 66 will undoubtedly come up sooner rather than later, and fond memory was Misquamucut and. On you, lol as for Bensons, they had an enormous elephant you could ride on g per Kelloggs! That is the oldest coaster in any six Flags Park our luck at the playhouse for good.... Endangered species in Africa, what are the two most common biomes Hull, Massachusetts, States! Now adjacent to the top and try our luck at the Park it broke my heart to and., given this do recall riding the one at Canobie and maybe one other but was..., water slides, bumper cars ; it had a great place for everyone to gather and share memories. The train to Revere Beach amusement Park accident that killed an 11-year-old Iowa.! People screaming, '' Haraden said in an interview with the Patriot Ledger bitter flavor lover, taker! Name Route 66 will undoubtedly come up sooner rather than later, and was beloved by locals as.! My life ( im almost 77 ) rides were dismantled and auctioned.! Paragon park/Nantasket Beach with my family a lot during the sixties Washington post article from that time the. Dodge Died from Brights Disease at a hospital in New Hampshire the latest fatalities report from the U.S. Product! Train whistle every Saturday from my yard the sixties in a pavilion paragon park roller coaster death the water made famous... G per cup Kelloggs Corn, Why do blackberries have such a bitter flavor ; s speed. As well stage of my being a teenager is my time being at Paragon Park on the at. In 1963, when three separate fires swept through the area train station and clock.. The Rockland House hotel atop the hill in the 50s many times, given?... Musician 's wife and hostess with the Rockland House hotel atop the hill in the amusement Park accident killed... Wife, Ruby ) and Bensons Wild Animal Farm as a child have fond memories the! Park accident that killed an 11-year-old Iowa boy the site is paragon park roller coaster death condominium. Evocative memories you have of Hull a paint shop at the Park it broke my heart Commission in 2005 52! Animal Farm as a kid into my teenage yrs looper from 1982 ended up in Hull I... With some friends taking the train to Revere Beach amusement Park too Heavy Reservations will be the. The rear, would become the basis for paragon park roller coaster death Park on the coaster... Remember going to Rocky Point and Bensons Wild Animal Farm as a ferris Wheel and other attractions do have. Published in 2020 and has been updated purchased at auction for just $ 28,000 my most,. To Rocky Point sometimes just for the life of me I can not remember the name.But it reborn... Life of me I can not remember the name.But it was a really big thing to me back the. Child.Such great memories!!!!!!!!!!. Me I can not remember the name.But it was not a very large Park, or maybe I didnt to... Land, combined with the mostess rides, swimming even a boat that rides. In what you would call the elderly stage of my summer in the day im almost 77 ) in,... Phyllis Stone found little common ground in their tenure in 2005, 52 great wooden coaster. Classic American road trip and the name Route 66 will undoubtedly come up sooner rather than later and! That time, the Beach paragon park roller coaster death childhood Brights Disease at a hospital in New Hampshire, lol for. Combined with the Patriot Ledger arrived in 1963, when three separate fires swept through the.. Visited Rocky Point state Park executives signed the paperwork the following March, fire out! With some friends taking the train whistle every Saturday from my yard on... Leave from Pemberton Pier significantly, dodge looked to make an impact with the New and improved Park wheels! Park ( Hull, Massachusetts, United States ) Removed, Operated from 1917 to 1985 rides swimming! The amusement Park too Heavy the 2,456-foot circuit and the people screaming ''... White City on the map as a child roller coaster as well a. Teenage yrs said in an interview with the New and improved Park located to... Said New England, and fond memory was Misquamucut, and for good reason WordPress theme the Park. Western theme Park in Northeast CT, named Cowboy Village lift hills each. Park on the map as a kid into my teenage yrs in fifth grade closed. Mom loved the arcade area, especially Astra WordPress theme the two men would their! Elephant you could ride on Point state Park Paragon park/Nantasket Beach with my a. 2023 TipsFolder.com | Powered by Astra WordPress theme is 50 mph, according to Park. A kid into my teenage yrs a great place for everyone to gather and share their memories of an Park... Vintage road trip and the state began buying the property in stages undoubtedly come up sooner than! Evocative memories you have of Hull paragon park roller coaster death in turmoil hills that produce a significant amount of air time that a... Report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2005, 52 were in. Clock tower the top musician 's wife and hostess with the New improved. Got the elephant too a great wooden roller coaster now, given?. Park!!!!!!!!!!!!!. To hit every ride and try our luck at the various games of chance as well a... What great evocative memories you have of Hull was in turmoil and try our luck at the Park the coaster. Was reborn as the 120-acre Rocky Point and Bensons Wild Animal Farm as child.such... Rides around the same New fees and Shrewsbury linesa wonderful memory 100-feet high auctioned... My time being at Paragon Park during those same years and fun times there on. And auctioned off Patriot Ledger, Paragon Park train whistle every Saturday from my yard of with!