Whalom Park
 Whalom Park, circa 1915 | |
| Location | Lunenburg, Massachusetts, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°34′32.02″N 71°44′47.64″W / 42.5755611°N 71.7465667°W |
| Status | Defunct |
| Opened | 1893 |
| Closed | September 4, 2000 |
| Slogan | For a Whale of a Time! |
| Operating season | Open Year Round |
| Attractions | |
| 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. The site was redeveloped into a 240-unit apartment complex.[1]
History
[edit]Whalom Park was established in 1893 by the Fitchburg & Leominster Street Railway as a traditional, English-style park of gardens and walking paths.[2] At the time of its last day of operations in 2000, Whalom was known as the 13th oldest amusement park in the United States,[3] as well as the second-oldest trolley park in the world.[4] The park had been in continuous seasonal operation for 107 years.[5]
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.
Rides and Attractions
[edit]| Name | Manufacturer | Year Added | Year Removed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whalom Park Carousel | Looff[6] | 1914[2] | 2000[7] | Featured 2 Looff Sea Dragons.[6][7] Broken up at auction April 15, 2000[7] |
| Ferris wheel | Eli Bridge | 1950s | 2000 | |
| Flyer Comet | Philadelphia Toboggan Company | 1940[2][6][8] | 2006[2] | |
| Flying Scooters | Bisch Rocco | 1950s | 2000 | |
| The Looper[6] | Allan Herschell | 1967 | 2000 | AKA: The Hamster Cages.[6] Despite common belief, this ride was not purchased by Knoebels; Knoebels purchased theirs from a traveling carnival. |
| Octopus | Eyerly Aircraft Company | 1967 | 1986 | Parts of this ride were still sitting in back of the maintenance shop when the park closed in 2000 |
| Paratrooper | Frank Hrubetz & Company | 1963 | 2000 | |
| Roto-Jets | 1964 | 2000 | ||
| Giant Slide | 1969 | 2000 | ||
| Satellite Jets | Kasper Klaus | 1961 | 2000 | Originally located at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA, a similar former trolley park which closed in 1987. |
| Scrambler | Eli Bridge | 1968[8] | 2000 | |
| Sea Dragon | Chance Morgan | 1963 | 2000 | |
| Tilt-a-whirl | Sellner Manufacturing | 1958 | 2000 | |
| Tumble Bug | Traver Engineering | 1967 | 2000 | Sold To Edaville Railroad but never assembled. Sold as scrap metal in 2010. |
| Turnpike | Streco | 1959 | 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 by Allan Herschell |
1960s | 2000 | Sold |
| The Whip | W.F. Mangels | 1920s | 2000 | the ride when it first opened was outside in 1920s but in 1957 they added a canopy to the ride and it stayed there till 2000 when the ride was removed. |
| Yo-Yo | Chance Morgan | 1962 | 2000 | |
| Skating Rink | 1906[8] | 2006[2] | ||
| Arcade | 1960s | 2000 | The Building that held the arcade was originally the park's Candle Pin Bowling alley. | |
| Funhouse | 1955 | 1970 | ||
| Ball Room | 1933[9] | 2002[5][10] | Destroyed by arson, March 2, 2002.[5][10] | |
| Silly Savage | 1964 | 2000 | Silly Savage was one of the park mascots at Whalom Park; he was a lion with a top hat. | |
| Super Chick | 1980s | 2000 | Another mascot. | |
| Simon Looneybear | 1969 | 1985 | Another mascot. Black bear. | |
| Wally Whalom | 1950s | 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 | 1960s | 2000 | Barnaby was a puppet who gave shows to guests around the park. | |
| Whalom Park Center Stage | 1969 | 2000 | The Whalom Park Center Stage was an outdoor theater for shows that attracted guests. | |
| Kiddieland | 1963 | 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 shows. | |
| Whalom Park Cafe Restaurant | 1940 | 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 | 1959 | 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. The picnic tables were sold at auction. | |
| Go Carts | 1980s | 2000 | Sold | |
| Waterpark | 1983 | 2000 | Whalom Park had its own waterpark with waterslides in it. | |
| Pirates Den | 1950s | 1981 | it was a dark ride with pirates-themed scenes and special effects in 1981 it got destroyed by a fire so they never rebuilt it got replaced by a new flat ride called Luv Machine. | |
| Luv Machine | 1983 | 1993 | a flat ride that replaced the pirates den dark ride it got removed because of declining popularity and Maintenace issues. |
Gallery
[edit]-
The Entrance To The Flyer Comet -
The Whalom Park Trolley Station, c.1900s -
Postcard mailed in 1908 with a caption, "Deer at Whalom Park and Their Keeper, Fitchburg, Mass."
Appearances in pop culture
[edit]The music video for the song "Touch and Go" by The Cars was shot at Whalom Park in 1982.[11]
TV advertisement jingle
[edit]There were two versions of the jingle:[citation needed]
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 everyone!
- For fun and excitement,
- A place to unwind, happpynesss
- Whalom Park, 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!
- Picnics and good times! Rides, games, and shows!
- Whalom's got it! C'mon let's go!
- Great for the family, it's one of a kind!
- Whalom Park...for a whale of a time!
Land Redevelopment
[edit]In 2006, Whalom Park was fully demolished and in 2010 was redeveloped into a 240-unit apartment complex.[12] In a nod to the former amusement park, the street within the complex was named Carousel Lane. The development, which was initially called Emerald Place was sold in 2022 for $76M and rebranded as Arrive Lunenburg.[13]
The Whalom Park Experience
[edit]In 2023, the New Whalom Cooperative, a consumer co-op dedicated to the preservation of the Whalom amusement park past, present, and future,[14] hosted a "Whalom Park Experience" pop-up event at Doyle Field in Leominster, Massachusetts. In partnership with Manuel Amusements, the three-day July 2023 event featured rides such as a scrambler, swings, carousel, slide, and four kiddie rides with games including skeeball and balloon chance games.[15]
See also
[edit]List of amusement parks in New England
List of defunct amusement parks
Amusement ride
References
[edit]- ^ Owen, Paula (2009-12-15). "Work started on Whalom Park condominiums". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ a b c d e "Coasting to a stop at Whalom Park," The Boston Globe, October 19, 2006, Jenna Russell
- ^ "Once a Carny", The Metropolis Observed, June, 2002, Michele Herman
- ^ Lowell Sun, December 2013: "Groups Aims for new Whalom Park"
- ^ a b c "Fire destroys Whalom ballroom", Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA), March 21, 2002, Benjamin Cole
- ^ a b c d e "Great Old Amusement Parks", WQED (Pittsburgh, PA), 1999, ISBN 0-7806-2736-9
- ^ a b c "Minerva - A Sea Dragon", The Carousel News & Trader, November 2004, Edna Caskey Wieier
- ^ a b c "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
- ^ a b "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. [dead link]
- ^ West, Chyloe. "Almost 10 years has passed; Whalom Park still missed". The Gardner News. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Lunenburg apartments sell for $76M". Worcester Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "New Whalom Coop, LLC – Remembering the past to build a better future". Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "A Whalom Park 'experience' is returning to central Massachusetts in July". Boston 25 News. 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2024-01-07.