A Time to Reflect, the History of Whalom Park (2004)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 20 гру 2021
- "A Time to Reflect, the History of Whalom Park" is an in-depth look into a disappearing piece of Americana, the classic amusement park. The film chronicles the rise and fall of Whalom and covers over 100 years of the park’s history. Like so many other small amusement parks at the turn of the century, Whalom began as a weekend destination for streetcar riders. Quickly, the park developed into a recreational gathering place with an abundance of rides, food vendors and first-rate entertainment. Sadly, with the combination of poor management and the emergence of big theme parks, Whalom Park would begin to decline in the late 20th century. The park eventually closed its gates for the last time in the fall of 2000.
Hear from a number of local residents as they remember this beloved landmark. Go back in time to the park's humble beginnings in the rustic woodlands of Lunenburg, Massachusetts. See how Whalom's landscape changed throughout the years after a number of destructive storms and fires. Venture though the park during its golden years and take a ride on the Flyer Comet roller coaster, the antique Carousel, the Tumble Bug, and other classic rides.
Recall the many famous people that visited Whalom Park throughout the years, from the legendary big bands in the ballroom, to world-renowned performers in the Whalom Playhouse. Learn about how the park was culturally significant as both a social gathering place and as an employer to hundreds of local residents. Travel though Whalom Park's period of upgrades and expansions to its eventual demise in the late 20th century. Take a walk though the remains of the park today and see how Whalom's current condition compares to that of other classic amusement parks that have suffered the same fate (including Lincoln Park in Dartmouth, Massachusetts and Rocky Point in Warwick, Rhode Island). The story of Whalom Park is eerily similar to what has happened to so many of these vanishing national treasures.
"A Time to Reflect, The History of Whalom Park" is a film that can be enjoyed by anyone who has an appreciation for the social significance of the classic amusement park.
©2021 Bristol County Media LLC
www.bristolcountymedia.com/ - Фільми й анімація
I worked with Paul, Fran, Beth and Mark. Will Fregeau lived and breathed Whalom Park. He loved the park and devoted his life to it. I was fortunate to work with him in the Park Office from 1975 to 1980. Rena Seney, Peter Grenier and so many other wonderful people. Thank you for putting this memory together. When my sister called and told me the carousel was being auctioned I was brought to tears. I traveled back home from half way across the country to attend the auction. I needed to be there and no matter what it cost i needed to bring a piece of my life, my history, my parents and aunts and uncles history back with me. I was fortunate enough to purchase Greg, an outside row jumper. Whalom is part of who I am and the people, the love, the happiness will never be forgotten. Its sad that greed wins over the love of what was. The years i worked in the office at Whalom Park where some of the best times of my life.
I have Mark's horse. It sits in his home at Pennsylvania. The carousel mechanics are being donated to Knoebels Park in Pennsylvania.
Good one. Good memories.
Christ, use a low pass filter tho.
Well really can't believe this suddenly came across my feed, I'm Billy Murphys kid. So glad to see this is still around somewhere. We lost my dad to a heart attack in '16, and we lost the tape of this special in a fire and really thought we had permanently lost any recording of his interview
I'm sorry for your loss. My brother, featured in this film, Mark Chester passed in 2020.
This is the first time i saw this film. When i saw my brother speaking, i cried like a baby. I miss Mark and will for the rest of my life.
Both losses are so huge, that of Whalom Park, and that of my brother Mark Chester.
Funny how Mark chuckles when he mentions that the carousel mechanics sit in a garage in Pennsylvania.. That was his garage, he purchased the carousel mechanics. With the passing of our mother, I am now the beneficiary of that piece of history and will be gifting it to Knoebel's of Pennsylvania as one of the few dying wishes of my brother.
I remember going w/ my parents in the 50s & 60s, then taking my own kids in the 70s & 80s. Loved the place.
I grew up with Whalom Park as a child and young adult. Our Family of 7 loved Whalom. My Mother and Father met on the Dodgem Ride. My Grandparents remember coming in the 1920’s and everyone dressed to come to this park. I remember the last years we seen the signs of it coming to a close.
Fantastic video. Heartbreaking that we’ve lost so many of these great family parks due to greed. How does no one step up to save them!?
Born in '63. Mom and Dad drove us up there on routes 12/140/13 before I-190 was constructed. Best memories of my life.
I hate going by that area anymore I have so many years of memories from that place
My grandfather actually helped build the Flyer Comet and then performed maintenance on the coaster for several decades. As a young child I have fond memories of this park. I was sad to see that it was demolished and replaced with condos. Such a sad ending to a historical place.
Thank you to everyone involved with this video. I was born in 1960, grew up in Wakefield MA. I never got to Whalom Park, but I do remember the ads on the radio, “For a whale of a time!”. I got married in 2003, and in 2006 moved to Pepperell, MA. My wife’s son would spend every other weekend with his father. Neither my wife nor I were familiar with the area, so every weekend Trevor was with his dad, we would go on roadtrips, checking out the area. In October (if my memory is correct) we found the park, the rollercoaster was still standing, but I felt an air of sadness for what had been lost. Then in the week that followed there were pictures in the papers of them demolishing the roller coaster. I at least got to see the roller coaster once, before it was gone. All condos now. Trevor and his wife did buy a house in Lunenburg on Wavest, which looked down on the lake, and where the park had been. I love history, but prefer seeing the real thing to pictures. Alas I have reached that age where my ,mind is filled with memories of places that no longer exist. Thank you again for all the work.
Growing up just east of Boston, you'd think I'd never be out in Lunenburg for anything, but somehow my Dad found this cool place. We'd make annual trips to Whalom Park and they were awesome! Most times, just the park, but one year, my Dad said "Let's go swimming", so we spent 1/2 the day on the beach and the lake. When I got my driver license, I'd pack some friends in the car and we'd enjoy our own days at Whalom Park. More so when I got to Fitchburg State College in 1993....when I was having a day or had several hours between classes, I'd sneak over to Whalom Park, and maybe hit the Lakeview driving range across the street from the park. They had 1 left handed driver. Haha. I'm glad we went to Whalom....seemed like it was so far away...except when I was at FSC, since I lived in an apartment in Leominster. Thanks for sharing this video!
Remember this park well. My loving parents both passed on would take my brother and our friends there every year. My present wife and I got to go later in the parks history. We also went the last year of the park. Sad to see this wonderful park is gone but those memories are priceless and fondly cherished. I tell my children what these long gone parks were like (Rocky point Mountain park ). 😢😊
I was supposedly there on its last day of operation. I would have been around 11. I remember that roller coaster and loved it!
I grew up in Lunenburg and Whalom Park was a big part of our summers, especially "Dollar Days." Loved to try to ride the goat on the Carousel, as he was the only animal which was a riser but not a horse. Saddens us to go by those condos and think of what once was. Thank you so much for posting this and bringing back happier memories.
I've never been to whalom park always wanted to but never got the chance
@@ricknova1973it was magical....like so much happiness... Everywhere
@@Arianna-sl2hv it must of been awesome just like spooky world back in the 90s
I ran the Carousel with a friend for one season in 1982, I was one of a few college kids that year, most were in high school. That was before they put a fence around the ride inside the carousel building. It was tremendous fun jumping on and off the ride while it was moving, of course we tried to discourage the patrons from doing it. We spent a lot of time polishing those brass poles on cloudy days. Most nights the crew would end up at the drive-in after the park closed. That was a fun summer.
That carousel meant the world to me.
I miss this park. Spent many years in the 90s as a kid enjoying it. It closed two days before my 13th birthday 9/6/00
It was a beautiful carousel!🎠Many thanks to the woman who restored it in the 70’s! I will never forget it!
Beth was one of the parks ownership
I miss this place so much!!!!
We need an amusement park in southern New England driving to Springfield and New Hampshire sucks
Wow, I had a picture with my deadbeat dad(90%) in that exact shot as 1:38, I just got hit with soo much nostalgia. Sad that back in our day you lose photos and they're gone. But now everyone's photos are stored forever online.
Thanks for making this, I remember going as a kid with a cousin. He passed away years ago and I wish I could go back there and remember the good days.
The park was part of my childhood. The carousel was "especially special". I rode that carousel until I had no tickets left, over and over again. I would watch and stake out my favorite horse and run to be in just the right position to claim it when the previous ride stopped. Just before the closure of the park, I offered to help restore the carousel. I had no idea that plans were already in the works to shut down. Part of me died when the park closed and especially when the carousel was auctioned off. Now, many years later, I have been able to obtain an antique hand carved carousel horse that I will restore but it's not part of the Whalom carousel. Still, it helps me to remember. I'm sad that children growing up in this area will never experience this park. It didn't have the fastest or tallest rides, but believe me, riding that roller coaster in the late 90's was scarry enough with the way it shook! The carousel was a work of art that isn't being produced anymore. The whip might have been low tech, but was still a thrill, especially when sitting next to a cute boy you just met. The park had innocent magic which is now gone.
My brother, Mark Chester, purchased the mechanics of the carousel. It is housed in his garage at Pennsylvania. Since his death, I have spoken with Knoebels Park to offer the carousel to them, which they accepted.
I’m originally from Worcester Massachusetts, but now in Fitchburg Massachusetts… I’m not to far away. I miss going as a young girl. But unfortunately they are only good memories
Wow the memories! The good ole days!
Brings back so many memories when I was A kid thanks for uploading this video
This was a nice stroll down memory lane for me. This was a great park in its hey days. Spent large part of my early teens here on wkends. The whip and tilt a whirl were my SH^T😂🎉🥳👍👌
Thanks for posting this. My family used to make this an annual summer trip. My aunt and cousins would come down and we'd go. What a feeling of anticipation leading up to it. Watching the cooler being packed.. you knew it was going to be a great day. God bless my parents for really giving me a fun childhood. I loved the scrambler, the tilt a whirl, the funhouse, the whip and bumper cars. The arcade too! Everything really. As I got older I eventually got on the comet with my friends lol. So sad it's gone and it makes me sick seeing those damn condos.
my house was right near whalom park....I could see the lights at night and hear the rides. We used to go over all the time......I lived at the top of Hollis Rd.....right adjacent to the driving range.....memories
Spent many summers at Rocky Point, Riverside (Six Flags), and here. Watching this video brought up a lot of memories. Would love to experience one more day there.
Use to go there in the 90s as a kid was so much fun! Wish they kept it open !
I remember doing this coaster and feeling genuinely unsafe
I went to Lincoln park back in 1985 when my grandparents lived in new Bedford mass I rode the roller coaster with my grandfather very scary I was in my early teens it was a very cool park I still remember it this day 👍😎 r.i.p Lincoln park
Thanks for this. I appreciate all who were involved.
I used to go here every summer...I can't believe my childhood park is gone
I loved Whalom as a young child. I was sad when I delivered concrete to build all the goddamn condos that are there now.
Went here SO many times as a kid in the 90s. My dad's company would host a family day/company picnic there every year. Great memories with my daddio, who just passed 1.5 year ago, and my 2 brothers. The rollercoaster always reminded me of "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey as a kid lol and our last ride each time before we left the park was the Yo-Yo
I was born in 83 and liked Whalom Park as a kid The advertisements for the comet having the black hole was cool but as I got older I definitely prefer to go to Riverside and especially when it became six flags so I think that was definitely the death of Whalom Park put a place like canobie lake has been able to survive so maybe it was more poor management in the end
I miss whalom park😥
If I had known the park was closing, I would have bought all the equipment lock, stock and barrel.
Wtf is with all the fires....was pam Voorhees doing it?
Was thinking the same thing. Then when the lady said "we had a fire that WASN"T arson", I cracked up. Insurance scam for 100 years plus. Haha.
it turned into condos.....ugly ones
Really ugly. What a bad spot to pollute the lake too...... Horrible