When I heard the news of the closing of Walt Disney World’s Splash Mountain, I became nostalgic. I began to think  about the 43 Massachusetts lost amusement parks we grew up with.

Nantasket Beach

Growing up in Wista, that’s Worcester for those who are not from here, we were a Nantasket Beach family. Once the decision was made to head to Nantasket was made, the day before, the Dad beach machinery kicked in:

Giant cooler, check

Ice, check

Subs, check

Drinks, (All sugar) check

Fruit, check

Mom, would handle the kids items, sun screen, and first aid stuff.

I remember starting the process to prep my Dad and Mom to take us to Paragon Park after the beach. But as I discovered in later years, we were a bit too young to mingle with the grown up kids at Paragon.

Forty Three Different Amusement Parks?

In searching, I couldn’t believe that I found a list of 43 different amusement parks that were once operating in Massachusetts! Yes, there were 43 different local versions of Walt Disney type imagineers, bringing joy to Massachusetts families since the late 1800’s!

Does Pleasure Island in Wakefield ring a bell? How about White City in Worcester? Not to mention Whalom Park in Fitchburg, and of course the lake in Webster with the very long name of Lake Chaubunagungamaug.

So, it’s time to hop in our DeLorean and time travel back to find Massachusetts Lost Amusement Parks!

Out of the 43, only ONE remains open today! Can you guess which one?

source

• Acushnet Park – New Bedford, Mass

   

  

  1916 – 1954 Hurricane & fire contributed to park’s demise

• Atlantic Hill Park – Nantasket Beach, Mass (Nothing Known)

  

  Nothing Known

• Bass Point-Nahant Beach

  

  Nahant, Mass-nothing known

• Beacon Park-Webster

  

  Lake Chargogggaggnauch, Webster, MA – 1899 – ?

• Berkshire Pleasure Park - Pittsfield, Mass

  

  1902 – 1923

• Charles River Park –Dedham, MA

  

  Nothing Known

• Chutes at Boston -Boston

  Nothing Known

• Highland Park –Avon / Brockton

  1892 – 1909

• Hoag Lake Park-Silverlake Park – Milford, MA

  1900 – 1922-Trolley service declines & fire destroyed theater and carousel

   

• Hoosac Valley Park - North Adams, MA

  1892 – 1923

• Ingersoll Park - Haverhill

  Nothing Known

• Island Park – Island Park, MA

  Nothing Known

• Joyland Park – Springfield

  

  Nothing Known

• Lake Chauncey Park - Westboro Lake,

  1901 – 1949 Park Burned 

• Lakeside Park – Lakeville, MA

  Nothing Known

• Lakeview Park – Lowell,/ Draccut MA

  1895-1950

• Lexington Park - Lexington, MA

  

  1901-1920

• Lincoln Park – No. Dartmouth

  1894 – 1987

• Lincoln Park – Lake Quinsigamond -Worcester, MA

  1890s – 1907 Couldn’t compete with White City

• Mayflower Grove Park - Plymouth

  1901-1945

• Merrimack Park – Lawrence / Methuen

  1921-1938

• Mountain Park – Holyoke

  1894-1987

• Nantasket Beach – Hull

  1901-1908 Couldn’t compete with larger Paragon Park

• Nipmuc Park - Mendon

  1901-1980s

• Norumbega Park -Auburndale

  1897-1963

• Oak Island Grove – Revere Beach

  Nothing much known

• Paragon Park – Nantasket, MA

  

  1905-1985 Run down park attracted a rougher crowd & kept families away – sold to a developer

• Pinehurst Park / Woodland Beach – Auburn

  1906 – 1912

• Pirate's Fun Park - Salisbury Beach

  

  1979 – 2004

• Pleasure Island – Wakefield

  1959-1969 Unseasonably cold summer in 1969 bankrupt park

• Point of Pines Amusement Park - Revere Beach

  1907 Never opened – ran out of money when park nearly finished

• Point of Pines Resort - Revere Beach

  1881 – 1913

• Revere Beach – Revere

  1902 – 1969

• Riverside Park (aka Six Flags New England) – Agawam

  Agawam, Mass – 1914 – Present

• Salem Willows Park - Salem

  Nothing Known

• Salisbury Beach – Salisbury

  1889 – 2004 Resort town lost its popularity & condo development replaced what remained

• Sandy Beach Park – Fall River

  1892 – 1938 Fire in 1930 damaged park & 1938 Hurricane destroyed park

• Silver Lake Beach - Franklin

  Nothing Known

• Westwood Park – Dedham

  Nothing Known

• Whalom Park – Fitchburg

  1893 – 2000 Couldn’t compete with nearby larger amusement parks

• White City – Lake Quinsigamond -Worcester

  1905 – 1960-Bankrupt for taxes owed to the city

• Wonderland – Revere Beach

  1906 – 1911 Financial difficulties due to a cold summer and competition with nearby Revere Beach

• Woodland Park – Lawrence, MA

  1909 – 1923? or 1932 Owner wanted city to maintain park – but city wanted an industrial area

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