Rocky Point Amusement Park
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The Rocky Point Amusement Park was a highly popular landmark on the Narragansett Bay side of Warwick, Rhode Island. It operated from the late 1840s until its close in 1995. The park filed for bankruptcy a year later in 1996.
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[edit] Creation/Early Years
Rocky Point was an idea first thought of by Captain William Winslow in the 1840s. By 1847, he had purchased a portion of the land and began to offer amusements and serve dinner. In 1877 President Rutherford B. Hayes was the first president to use the newly invented telephone while making a short 8 mile call from Rocky Point to Providence. [1]
[edit] Height of Popularity
During the 1950s-1980s the park was the most popular attraction in Rhode Island. It featured rides such as the Skyliner, Corkscrew Loop Roller Coaster, Log Flume, and the Freefall (similar to the identically named ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain) which fell 13 stories at 55 MPH.
[edit] Final Years
As the 1990s started, Rocky Point began to decline in financial security. The privately owned company that owned the park began to lose money trying to keep the park up to date. The park closed in 1995, then re-opened briefly in 1996 as a farewell to patrons. Rides such as the Flume and Corkscrew were sold in an auction and are now in use at other amusement parks. [2]
[edit] Post Business Era/Vandalism
After the land of Rocky Point was purchased for $8.5 million in 2003, vandalism occurred at the park when a main building known as the "Big House" was lit on fire on September 2, 2004. Police said the fire was suspicious because the building had no electricity at the time.
Another fire started on October 16, 2006 around 11 AM. Smoke could be seen more than 2,000 feet in the air from miles away. This time an executive building on the waterfront was burned. Police reported no injuries in either fire. It is unclear if this fire was caused by arson.
On May 7th, 2007, demolition of the remaining midway officially began with a press conference at the park. Prior to this a handful of stands and minor buildings had already been demolished. Demolition is planned to continue through the month of May.[3]
On September 7th 2007 a documentary film about the park called "You Must Be This Tall: The Story of Rocky Point Park" made its world premiere at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket RI. The film, which is available on DVD, garnered a 5 star review from the Providence Journal and played to a sold out crowd of 1100 people.[4]
In February 2008 the city of Warwick secured a federal grant to purchase about half of the 82 acres remaining of Rocky Point Park, including much of the view of the bay.[5]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Website for You Must Be This Tall
- ^ Website for You Must Be This Tall
- ^ It’s the end of the line for beloved Rocky Point
- ^ Providence Journal Review
- ^ Good News for Rocky Point
