Whalom Park

Whalom Park
Location Lunenburg, Massachusetts, U.S.
Opened 1893
Closed 2000
Rides 25 total
  • 1 roller coasters
  • 1 water rides
Slogan For a Whale of a Time!

Whalom Park was an amusement park located on Lake Whalom in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, that operated from 1893 to 2000.

Whalom Park was established in 1893 by the Fitchburg & Leominster Street Railway as a traditional, English-style park of gardens and walking paths.[1] At the time of its last day of operations in 2000, Whalom was known as the 13th oldest amusement park in the United States,[2] as well as the second-oldest trolley park in the world. The park had been in continuous seasonal operation for 107 years.[3]

The "Flyer Comet" wooden roller coaster was one of the park's best-known rides. Most remaining structures at the park, including the Flyer Comet, were demolished in October 2006, to make way for development. The site is currently being redeveloped into a 240-unit condominium complex.[4]

Contents

Rides and attractions

Name Manufacturer Year Added Year Removed Notes
Whalom Park Carousel
Looff[5]
1914[1]
2000[6]
 Featured 2 Looff Sea Dragons,[5][6] Broken up at auction April 15, 2000[6]
Ferris wheel
Eli Bridge
2000
Flyer Comet
Philadelphia Toboggan Company
1940[1][5][7]
2006[1]
Flying Scooters
Bisch Rocco
2000
The Looper[5]
Allan Herschell
2000
 AKA: The Hampster Cages[5], Bought and restored by Knoeble's
Octopus
Eyerly Aircraft Company
 Parts of this ride were still sitting in back of the maintenance shop when the park closed in 2000
Paratrooper
Frank Hrubetz & Company
2000
Roto-Jets
2000
Giant Slide
2000
Satellite Jets
Kasper Klaus
2000
 Originally located at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA
Scrambler
Eli Bridge
1968[7]
2000
Sea Dragon
Chance Morgan
2000
Tilt-a-whirl
Sellner Manufacturing
2000
Tumble Bug
Traver Engineering
2000
 Sold To Edaville Railroad but never assembled. Sold as scrap metal in 2010.
Turnpike
Streco
1990
 Replaced in the early 1990s by two Honda go-karts due to maintenance issue, Honda go-karts were in the park until the park closed in 2000.
Train Ride
Iron Horse Company
1960's
2000
 Sold
The Whip
W.F. Mangels
2000
Yo-Yo
Chance Morgan
2000
Skating Rink
1906[7]
2006[1]
Arcade
2000
 The Building that held the arcade was originally the park's Candle Pin Bowling alley.
Funhouse
2006[1]
 Included a Barrel of Fun/Barrel of Laughs[5], Demolished in 2006
Ball Room
1933 [8]
2002 [3][9]
 Destroyed by arson, March 2, 2002.[3][9]
Silly Savage
2000
 Silly Savage was one of the park mascot's at Whalom Park, a lion-like creature with a top hat.
Super Chick
2000
 Another mascot.
Wally Whalom
2000
 Wally Whalom was also a mascot at the park, but unlike Silly Savage and Super Chick in costumes, he was a clown.
Barnaby, The Walking Talking Puppet
2000
 Barnaby The Walking Talking Puppet was a puppet who gave shows to guests around the park.
Whalom Park Center Stage
2000
 The Whalom Park Center Stage was an outdoor theater for shows that attracted guests.
Kiddieland
2000
 Kiddieland was a section of the park for younger children where there were rides designated for younger kids and a small theater for puppet and marionette shows.
Whalom Park Cafe Restaurant
2000
 There was a sit down restaurant called "Whalom Park Cafe" in the park besides the other food stands that were inside Whalom Park.
Mini Golf Land
2000
 Mini Golf Land was a miniature golf course that was located near The Whip
Picnic groves
1893
2000
 The picnic groves had picnic tables and a pavilion, and a small playground.
Go Carts
2000
 Sold
Waterpark
2000
 Whalom Park had it's own waterpark with waterslides in it.

Gallery

Appearances in pop culture

The music video for the song "Touch and Go" by The Cars was shot at Whalom Park in 1982[10]

TV advertisement jingle

There were two versions of the jingle:

First Version

If you're looking for something exciting to do,
Then Whalom Park is the place for you!
With lots of rides and loads of fun,
Whalom Park's for ev-ery-one!
For fun and excitement,
A place to unwind,
Whalom Paaaark...for a whale of a time!
Whalom Park, you'll have a good time

Second Version

If you need excitement, then come for the fun!
Whalom Park, it's for everyone!
Amusement rides! And water slides!
Whalom Park, it's family sized!
Picnic's and good times! Rides, games, and shows!
Whalom's got it! C'mon let's gooooooo!
Great for the family! It's one of a kind!
Whalom Paaaark...for a whale of a time!

See also

List of amusement parks in New England
List of defunct amusement parks
Amusement ride

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Coasting to a stop at Whalom Park", The Boston Globe (Boston, MA), October 19, 2006, Jenna Russell
  2. ^ ,"Once a Carny", The Metropolis Observed, June, 2002, Michele Herman
  3. ^ a b c "Fire destroys Whalom ballroom", Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA), March 21, 2002, Benjamin Cole
  4. ^ Owen, Paula (2009-12-15). "Work started on Whalom Park condominiums". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. http://www.telegram.com/article/20091215/NEWS/912150374/1116. Retrieved 2010-12-28. 
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Great Old Amusement Parks", WQED (Pittsburgh, PA), 1999, ISBN 0-7806-2736-9
  6. ^ a b c "Minerva - A Sea Dragon", The Carousel News & Trader, November 2004, Edna Caskey Wieier
  7. ^ a b c "It Was a Whale of a Time", Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA), 2001, Shari Duffy
  8. ^ "People Rally for Whalom Park", Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA), March 10, 2002, Bob Green
  9. ^ a b "Police: Teens set fire at Whalom Park", Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA), March 2002, Benjamin Cole
  10. ^ Sanders, Ron (2006-10-17). "Locals Reflect On Soon-To-Be Demolished Park". WBZTV. http://wbztv.com/topstories/Whalom.Park.Lunenburg.2.582351.html. Retrieved 2008-01-21. 

External links