![]() 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! |
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 | 2000 | ||
Flyer Comet | Philadelphia Toboggan Company | 1940[2][6][8] | 2006[2] | |
Flying Scooters | Bisch Rocco | 2000 | ||
The Looper[6] | Allan Herschell | 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 | 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, a similar former trolley park which closed in 1987. | |
Scrambler | Eli Bridge | 1968[8] | 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 by Allan Herschell |
1960s | 2000 | Sold |
The Whip | W.F. Mangels | 2000 | ||
Yo-Yo | Chance Morgan | 2000 | ||
Skating Rink | 1906[8] | 2006[2] | ||
Arcade | 2000 | The Building that held the arcade was originally the park's Candle Pin Bowling alley. | ||
Funhouse | 2006[2] | Included a Barrel of Fun/Barrel of Laughs.[6] Demolished in 2006 | ||
Ball Room | 1933[9] | 2002[5][10] | Destroyed by arson, March 2, 2002.[5][10] | |
Silly Savage | 2000 | Silly Savage was one of the park mascots at Whalom Park; he was a lion with a top hat. | ||
Super Chick | 2000 | Another mascot. | ||
Simon Looneybear | Another mascot. Black bear. | |||
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 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 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. The picnic tables were sold at auction. | |
Go Carts | 2000 | Sold | ||
Waterpark | 2000 | Whalom Park had its own waterpark with waterslides in it. |
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, 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
[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 f "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 f "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.