Whalom Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Slogan | For a Whale of a Time! |
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| Location | Lunenburg, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 42°34′32.02″N 71°44′47.64″W / 42.5755611°N 71.7465667°WCoordinates: 42°34′32.02″N 71°44′47.64″W / 42.5755611°N 71.7465667°W |
| Opened | 1893 |
| Closed | 2000 |
| Rides | |
| Total | 25 |
| Roller coasters | 1 |
| Water rides | 1 |
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.[citation needed] 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]
Rides and attractions
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Featured 2 Looff Sea Dragons,[5][6] Broken up at auction April 15, 2000[6] |
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AKA: The Hampster Cages,[5] Bought and restored by Knoebel's |
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Parts of this ride were still sitting in back of the maintenance shop when the park closed in 2000 |
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Originally located at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA |
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Sold To Edaville Railroad but never assembled. Sold as scrap metal in 2010. |
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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. |
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Sold |
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The Building that held the arcade was originally the park's Candle Pin Bowling alley. |
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Included a Barrel of Fun/Barrel of Laughs,[5] Demolished in 2006 |
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Destroyed by arson, March 2, 2002.[3][9] |
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Silly Savage was one of the park mascot's at Whalom Park, a lion-like creature with a top hat. |
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Another mascot. |
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Wally Whalom was also a mascot at the park, but unlike Silly Savage and Super Chick in costumes, he was a clown. |
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Barnaby The Walking Talking Puppet was a puppet who gave shows to guests around the park. |
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The Whalom Park Center Stage was an outdoor theater for shows that attracted guests. |
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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. |
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There was a sit down restaurant called "Whalom Park Cafe" in the park besides the other food stands that were inside Whalom Park. |
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Mini Golf Land was a miniature golf course that was located near The Whip |
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The picnic groves had picnic tables and a pavilion, and a small playground. |
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Sold |
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Whalom Park had its own waterpark with waterslides in it. |
Gallery
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The Entrance To The Flyer Comet
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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Coasting to a stop at Whalom Park", The Boston Globe (Boston, MA), October 19, 2006, Jenna Russell
- ↑ ,"Once a Carny", The Metropolis Observed, June, 2002, Michele Herman
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Fire destroys Whalom ballroom", Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA), March 21, 2002, Benjamin Cole
- ↑ Owen, Paula (2009-12-15). "Work started on Whalom Park condominiums". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "Great Old Amusement Parks", WQED (Pittsburgh, PA), 1999, ISBN 0-7806-2736-9
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Minerva - A Sea Dragon", The Carousel News & Trader, November 2004, Edna Caskey Wieier
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "It Was a Whale of a Time", Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA), 2001, Shari Duffy
- ↑ "People Rally for Whalom Park", Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA), March 10, 2002, Bob Green
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Police: Teens set fire at Whalom Park", Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA), March 2002, Benjamin Cole
- ↑ Sanders, Ron (2006-10-17). "Locals Reflect On Soon-To-Be Demolished Park". WBZTV. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
External links
- Whalom Park at the Roller Coaster DataBase
- The New Whalom Park Ownership Program, LLC
- FREE Interactive 'Memorial' Map of Whalom Park (1980s)
- History site for Whalom Park
- Bob Cornellier's Whalom Park site
- A Sentimental Journey for Whalom Park Puppeteer Paul L’Ecuyer
- Laff in the Dark article about Whalom Park
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