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]
 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 |
History
editWhalom 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
editThe music video for the song "Touch and Go" by The Cars was shot at Whalom Park in 1982[11]
TV advertisement jingle
editThere 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
editIn 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
editIn 2023, an organization known as New Whalom Cooperative 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[14]
The New Whalom Cooperative is a consumer co-op dedicated to the preservation of the Whalom amusement park past, present, and future. [15]
See also
editList 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.
- ^ "A Whalom Park 'experience' is returning to central Massachusetts in July". Boston 25 News. 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "New Whalom Coop, LLC – Remembering the past to build a better future". Retrieved 2024-01-07.