Storybook characters, a pirate ship and Dodge City with a saloon and stagecoach holdups were among the attractions. Revere Beach was the closest, and we visited often. NORUMBEGA AND TOTEM POLE BALLROOM, AUBURNDALE, MA. The sale was set to close in March, only a few weeks away. Somewhere in between, the Arcade Bazaar was lost due to a fire. Lizzie- Myrtle Beach is definitely in the air today as a pal just asked about retro roadmap worthy places to go around that area. Believe it or not: You can still ride the historic coaster today, if you dare. I hope that whatever parks are now available to families offer todays kids memories that they will carry with them into their 70s too. Follow The History of Paragon Park on WordPress.com, Paragons Administration Building an original from 1905. Condominiums already were under way on Atlantic Hill and Telegraph Hill, as well as at Spinnaker Island, but in the months following the Paragon announcement, new plans were floated Nantascot Place, River Crossing, and the former Showboat Mayflower property on George Washington Boulevard, Ocean Place, SeaWatch, and Murray Plaza along the beach, the Hall Estate, Damon Place, and the former Worrick Mansion (which would burn to the ground in 1986) on Atlantic Hill, Milford Street, Marina Beach, and One A Street at Waveland, Mariners Landing, Sunset Arms, and the Boathouse at Allerton. While sad, the news contained one ray of hope a final season for nostalgia-filled fans to say goodbye. that I will always remember. It was small, but close to home, so we got there often! The amusement park closed in 1994 and sat abandoned for years before its remains were finally demolished out of concern for public safety. Davids son, Joseph, entered into negotiations with the Old Colony Railroad to purchase the land under Paragon. digital file from original About this Item. For the younger crowd, there was the Normandy Room. See it here at. Yes, Riverside Park was memorable as was Mountain Park. About a dozen years later I visited Paragon Park while on spring break from RIT and took a few pictures. Launched as a trolley park (parks at the terminus of trolley lines were all the rage at the time), the property soon evolved from a series of serene walking paths to a bustling destination filled with midway games and rides like Ferris wheels and carousels. The coaster shut down when Paragon Park closed in 1984. Lets not forget Savin Rock in West Haven CT! 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. Lincoln Park was the highlight of my summer in the early 70s. Neither of their two children expressed an interest in carrying on the family business. 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. In 1912, Dodge opened the Hotel Georgian in Park Square, an upscale nightspot in Bostons theater district that he operated until Prohibition forced it to close in 1919. By the time the flames were extinguished, the Green Streak was a shambles, as was the signature front entrance and much of the park facing Nantasket Avenue. The coaster was 1,400 feet long and featured an 88-foot drop. The atmosphere was always great! It opened in 1917, closed in 1984. 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. Also had my first date with my future husband at Riverside!! A woman has died after passing out on a roller coaster. Tilyous inventions were so commonplace that fun houses of differing sizes became known as a steeplechase.. I remember as a young girl with some friends taking the train to Revere Beach Amusement Park in the 50s many times. 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. 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. My dad worked there. 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. It would be two years before Stone and Golden would be able to assume full control of the park, canceling the lease that had been signed in 1919 and making improvements to the fire-ravaged amusement center. Romantic Totem Pole with sofas next to table lamps, and one time, the Spike Jones Band. They closed long time ago. 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. 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. Almost all of the rides were dismantled and auctioned off. Became engaged watching the submarine races there in 1961. 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. Take a ride down Memory. village from 54-56. All of that changed in 1984. Dawn R. Jankovic, from Brunswick, Ohio, fell unconscious while riding The Voyage roller coaster at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana . There was a tunnel of love dubbed the Rivers of Venice, an on-site radio station, and of course all manner of roller coasters and other thrill rides. From dawn to dusk, the restaurant is open all year. It was always fun to hang on the beach side with the arcades. they actually replaced a section that burned in the 1960s so the coaster is the way it was originally designed. This incident. Ive been on the one at Canobie and maybe one other but that was enough for me! 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. The roller coaster was the worlds tallest when it was built in 1917. saw this little blond girl my age (10) all alone. Larry and Phyllis Stone found little common ground in their day-to-day management. 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. We couldnt go often, back then it was a long drive in the older cars. The two men would face their first challenges early in their tenure. Paragon Park - Roller Coaster on Nantasket Beach - 1984! You can help Coasterpedia by expanding it. I remember a vacation my family took in Misquamucut RI , in maybe 1957 . Paragon Park was an amusement park located in Hull, Massachusetts, USA. I remember taking the ferry from Rowes Wharf in Boston to Nantasket Beach as a kid. Summing lessons in Lake Whalom, wonderful memories. I loved the carousel. Sorry when it closed. Savannas, thickets, and forest were the three, Covalent Bonds vs. Ionic Bonds Covalent Bonds vs. Ionic Bonds Ionic Bonds Liquid or gaseous Solid Polarity: Low High So, are all ionic compounds solid, Fiber content in the cereals listed below is low: 1 gram per cup of Cream of Wheat and Malt-O-Meal. I spend my life in that park. The parks next transformation would not come from fire, but from Mother Natures wrath. Thanks for reminding me of some really great times. Shortly after railroad executives signed the paperwork the following March, fire broke out in a paint shop at the park. Fortunately, there were no deaths involved in Valravn's 2019 crash at Cedar Point. Two things come to mind.I will bet all of us have family photo and slide albums, perhaps converted now to disc,of our good old days attending these venuestime waits for no one,but we have our memories..and second; it has always baffled me why Cape Cod,of all places,never seems to have boasted a world class amusement parkit would seem like a natural,but . I had my first kiss on that ride, and a night Through the decades, the venues Palladium Ballroom hosted a lineup of performers that ranged from Janis Joplin to the Ramones and Pearl Jam. More for little ones and still open are Storyland and Santas Village in NH a place families still can enjoy. I loved the Giant Coaster and the Congo Cruise. Im now a Hull year-round resident, 1/4 mile from where the park once stood. Ive cross posted your request for a photo of this ride on the Paragon Park Memories page on Facebook hope it helps! Today, all that remains of the park is the carousel that was built in 1928, which now is housed in a pavilion a bit down the road from where it once stood, yet still allows for children to ride its hand-carved horses almost a century after they were first created. We did just one stop at Bensons when I was a child and didnt like it. If we had saved enough pennies, we would enjoy the shore dinner before we headed home. 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. Dodge believed in his vision and bought out his partners in 1907. 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. The storefront includes the workshop of James Hardison, the artist who is painstakingly restoring each of the 66 wooden horses, where visitors can watch the continuing efforts to preserve the remnants of Paragon Park at Nantasket Beach. Its most famous piece is functioning a huge light up cross at the top of a summit overlooking I-84, clearly seen from the highway at all hours. The price of a new ride was now in the millions, and the cost of liability insurance for thrill parks continued to climb. The Giant Coaster sat silent, and the undulating tracks looked like the skeleton of a dinosaur carcass, being slowly dismantled and eaten away at by the vultures that couldn't wait to turn the site into a condominium complex. Collections: Detroit Publishing Company Part of: . Thanks for the article which sent me many, many years back in time. "They preserved the spirit of the ride," amusement park aficionado B. Derek Shaw told USA Today. Very scary, but such an adventure. Rick glad you have fond (or freezing?!) My cousin owned the pizza shop across the street from the parking lot and lived there. 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. Aw, Les that sounds like a lot of good times! There were daily parades and a scenic railroad, too. [1] More rides that Paragon hosted over the years were the Trabant, the Tilt-A-Whirl, Galaxy Coaster, the Skydiver, Paratrooper, Matterhorn, Himalaya, Round Up, Scrambler, Crazy Tea Cups, Twister Kiddie Coaster, Caterpillar, the Whip, Batman-slide, Super-slide, Salt and Pepper Shakers, Swing ride, Rotor, along with many rides that were smaller versions of these, geared towards children. )Danny Sordello. Retro Roadmap creator, vintage road trip lover, photo taker, musician's wife and hostess with the mostess! It will be interesting to see if in time enough energy is generated that can bring this park back. I remember the blue slide my grandfather had the restaurant under the clock I worked there for many years with my whole family,Gee what a great time to live. At its opening, Trailblazer was the first major coaster to be added to Hersheypark in 18 years. My girlfriends father operated the roller coaster. This magazine should also research Savin Rock which was in West Haven, CT good history. I am looking for a picture of the flying scooters on the roof accross from the admin bldg. Skeeball and pinball machines were favorite games at Paragon Park's penny arcade. In late 1915, he had leased parts of the park to fruit peddler David Stone and fellow hotelier Albert A. It was the best rink around as they took good care of the hardwood floor, Curious would you have been from Leominster and chewed peppermint gum at the time, The 60s was my era for skating at Whalom. Within two years, however, the friend needed financial help, and turned to Dodge, who invested in the venture and then launched grander vision of a larger, self-contained amusement park on the vacant land surrounding the Nantasket Steeplechase and the adjacent Old Mill attraction. He operated the coaster until it's demise in 1916 when it was destroyed by a fire. Still learning how to compose a photograph, I think back and realize that my penchant for photos without people in them was in force then, and I went as far as to scribble out the lady who was in the foreground of this photo of the Snack-a-rama. Most fun ever as I grew up in Fitchburg. ive been in that too by the vfw building on the hill, was so glad to see this site !!!!!!!!!!! Wildcat, Bell's Amusement Park, 1997. Even met my husband. I see lots of amusement parks in RI in this article, but I dont remember driving , but maybe we did go to the one mentioned in Warwick. Rosanna Arias/FEMA Tmmertransport med hest langs elva Lera ved Dalseng, som renner ut i Brumunda i Veldre, Ringsaker. 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. My best memories of my being a teenager is my time being at Paragon Park. As each season ended, friends and family recall the Stones saying privately that it would be the last; they no longer had the energy to devote to such a draining enterprise. The park celebrated the ride's centennial in 2017, although it is thought that none or the original lumber remains. Paragon Park opened in 1905 and lasted for just under 80 years, closing in 1984. Part of its track bed would later be incorporated into the footprint of the amusement park. Whalom Park! My Mom and Dad went dancing there when they were dating! In October 2014, it was reborn as the 120-acre Rocky Point State Park. DeNoto, who now lives in New York, states in the suit that he took his boy to the park on June 26, 2018 because the lad was finally tall enough to ride the coasters. But in the 80s some of my best fun was checking out the abandoned rides of Crescent Park when my grandmother lived in the high rise they built on the land. I remember barely being able to wait until the park opened at 12?1? All rights reserved. Among the amusement rides in operation during Paragon Park's history was a traditional-style Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel (PTC #85) built in 1928 with hand-crafted horses, a bumper cars ride known as "Auto Scooters", a Ferris wheel, a horror-themed dark ride called "Kooky Kastle", and a wooden roller coaster known as The Giant Coaster.[1]. We would make sure to hit every ride and try our luck at the various games of chance as well. congrats on 57 yrs. I used to go to Paragon park/Nantasket beach with my family a lot during the sixties. One of the best. Peter thats so cool that your grandad had the restaurant under the clock! I still remember feeling sad for this elephant who had a steel cuff on its leg and was chained to the floor. Lone Wolf 83 subscribers Subscribe 95K views 11 years ago I found this video in my archives! Oh, Paragon Park at Nantasket Beach in Massachuetts! Title . Is there a wave on Nantasket Beach? The place I remember having the coldest water and almost cramping my toes is Old Orchard Beach in Maine. 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! The Hurricane in Aug of 1954 finally put an end to it. 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. The most visible prize at the June auction didnt attract the highest bid, but garnered the most attention. Jim- thanks so much for sharing your fond memories of Paragon Park with the RetroRoadmap readers! 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! Time finally caught up with Whalom Park, however, and not long after it closed permanently, the parks remaining structures were razed to make way for a condominium complex. Also brought my kids to Mt. Aw, I remember going to Bensons Wild Animal Farm! Ive ridden the roller coaster that was moved from Paragon to Six Flags America, in both of its locations; Six Flags restored a (horizontal) loop at the end that burned and was removed at Paragon. With the Stones out of town on vacation, disaster duty fell to Klayman. also Nantasket Beach. Chris Haraden lecture - The History of Paragon Park, Official Site of the Paragon Park Carousel, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paragon_Park&oldid=1135406011, Buildings and structures in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Defunct amusement parks in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 13:40. Maybe 5 +. Pleasure Beach Ballroom had big bands like The Dorseys (before my time) , but being a product of the 50s I remember seeing Fats Domino and Patsy Cline there. Paragon Park opened to the public on Saturday, June 10, 1905, transforming Nantasket Beach for the better part of the 20th century. Not only was the band funny, but exceptional musicians . For out-of-state visitors, parking at Nantasket Beach will increase from $10 to $15 per day, and $20 per day. 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