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Whalom Park Closes
...Bye Bye Whalom Park
Whalom Park's Flyer Comet Roller Coaster as seen from Whalom Lake
For those of you who haven’t visited Fitchburg in recent years, Whalom Park is no more. It closed its gates after more than
a century in Lunenburg. When it first opened in 1893 Whalom Park was a traditional English style of gardens and walking paths.
It’s carousel with 58 hand carved animals was installed in 1914. Animal exhibits, summer stock theater, and a dance hall arrived.
The first roller coaster was built in the 1920s’. After World War II with the added excitement of arcades, a fun house, and bumper
cars, Whalom thrived. Installed in the early 1940’s after the hurricane of 1938 flattened its predecessors, Whalom’s
Flying Comet Coaster offered sweeping lake views from it’s high point 60 feet above the ground, but it was just as well known as
it’s creaks, rattles, and vibrations. We also recall leisurely summer picnics under the trees, trout fishing in the lake, an
organ playing live music in the roller skating rink. There were Easter egg hunts, and New Year’s Eve dances and car races on the
frozen lake in the winter.
Perhaps the oddest attraction was featured in the 1920s when a trained horse would ride a water slide
into the lake Some met their future spouses on the dance floor of the Rose Garden where the roof opened up to the stars in the
summer and some of the biggest names of the Big Band Era played. In its place will be a condo development where some fragments
and roller coaster cars and memorabilia will be incorporated, but for all of us who grew up here in the 30s thru the 50s, no matter
how the land will be developed, it will always be Whalom Park to us.
What do you remember?
Whalom Park Playhouse Handbill - "I Love Lucy" star Vivian Vance
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Copyright 2009-2013
Fitchburg High School Alumni Class of 1954 |
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