Hunt's Pier
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Hunt's Pier was built in Wildwood, New Jersey in 1957. It had many unique rides and attractions, including the classic Flyer coaster, Skua, Keystone Kops, Whacky Shack, Jungleland, and many more classic custom attractions. The Golden Nugget, opened in 1960, is the only remnant left of Hunt's Pier with even the long-standing rapids ride recently demolished. Fans are attempting to convince current-owner Morey's to move the Nugget to another pier for potential operation; this has yet to be confirmed but hopes are still high.
Hunt's Pier has a long history, beginning in the 1920's as Ocean Pier. Eventually, it burned down, and in 1957 was rebuilt [in concrete] as Hunt's Pier, which over the years opened many classic dark rides, roller coasters and other attractions.
In 1985 Hunt's Pier was sold, but the "New Hunt's Pier" of 1989 did not last more than a few years before it too went bankrupt. The pier was briefly renamed "Conko's Party Pier" and boasted the Kamikaze roller coaster.
The next owners tried their luck in 1996 by retheming the pier as "Dinosaur Beach", adding dinosaur touches to the classic Golden Nugget, which were often derided by fans as not being in good taste. Dinosaur Beach also included a water coaster, spinning wild mouse, amphitheater, dark ride, etc. The only classic rides operated during the Dino Beach days were the Nugget, Log Flume and Rapids, with most of the Hunt's legacy gone.
In 1998 Dinosaur Beach died, and over the next few years most of the rides disappeared, the most recent being the Rapids, for which demolition is nearly completed. It's hoped that if the pier can't come back to life, maybe at least the classic Nugget will. On June 11, 2006, Vincent J. Kostek, former manager of Hunt's Pier from 1957 until 1985, passed away in his home. The former owner William Bud Hunt who sold the pier fall 1985 died in 1991.
The pier is currently owned by Morey's Piers and the Golden Nugget Mine Ride still sits waiting for refurbishment. The pier is used to house maintenance equipment and the boardwalk tram cars. Several go-cart traks operate on the pier.
There are bits and pieces of former Hunt's rides in preservation at the George Boyer museum in Wildwood such as some of the Keystone Kops kop characters and the Hunt's Pier flags. An abandoned site near Cold Spring Village which was once Hunt's storage and maintenance site has parts of former rides and signs such as Log Flume boats, the Flyer trains which are being restored, letters that were part of the Hunt's Pier Skyline Golf sign opposite from the pier on top of the Ocean Theater (sign removed 2006, letters removed early 90's?)
