Pleasure Island (Massachusetts amusement park)
Encyclopedia
Pleasure Island was an amusement park
located in Wakefield, Massachusetts
. The park, billed as the "Disneyland of the Northeast
", was in business from 1959 to 1969. During its short existence it went through several owners and was financially handicapped by New England
's relatively short summers.
Today, the land formerly occupied by the park is now Edgewater Office Park.
magazine, and designed by Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood
, the designer of Disneyland and Lake Havasu City.
Covering 80 acres (323,748.8 m²), the park featured a plethora of rides and other attractions, including the Space Rocket ride, the Pirate Ride, the Moby-Dick
ride (which featured a spouting mechanical whale rising from the depths), the Wreck of the Hesperus (dark ride), the Old Chisholm Trail (dark ride), theme restaurants, a shopping area, an arcade, mini-golf (from 1967), a carousel
, Monkey
Island, and many others.
Actors would stage mock gunfights in the Western City or threaten to attack riders on the boat rides. The park's "Old Smokey Line" was a narrow-gauge railroad using equipment leased from the Edaville Railroad
.
Another park feature was the Show Bowl, where performers such as Rick Nelson, Michael Landon
, The Modernaires
, the Three Stooges
, Clayton Moore
, Don Ameche
, and Cesar Romero
appeared.
Product placement
and brand
ing played a part in some attractions, such as the Grist Mill which featured Pepperidge Farm
products and the Pepsi-Cola Diamond Lil
Theater. Its cartoon character mascot for a time was Popeye.
The #5 steam locomotive that used to serve at Pleasure Island is still up and running today and can be found at the WW&F Railway Museum, located in Alna, Maine
. It has been rechristened the #10.
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
located in Wakefield, Massachusetts
Wakefield, Massachusetts
-History:-Geography:The diagram above shows what is to the east, west, north, south, and other directions of the center of Wakefield. Towns with population above 25,000 are in bold italics.-Demographics:-Notable residents:...
. The park, billed as the "Disneyland of the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
", was in business from 1959 to 1969. During its short existence it went through several owners and was financially handicapped by New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
's relatively short summers.
Today, the land formerly occupied by the park is now Edgewater Office Park.
History
Pleasure Island was founded by William Hawkes, publisher of Child LifeChild Life
Child Life was the Froebel Society journal between 1931 and 1939. However the journal has also been reported as being published, not necessarily continuously, and not always by the Froebel society itself, between 1899 and 1939. Its successors were the National Froebel Foundation Bulletin and the...
magazine, and designed by Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood
Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood
Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood , usually written as "C.V. Wood" and called "Woody", was an American developer of amusement parks and planned communities...
, the designer of Disneyland and Lake Havasu City.
Covering 80 acres (323,748.8 m²), the park featured a plethora of rides and other attractions, including the Space Rocket ride, the Pirate Ride, the Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, was written by American author Herman Melville and first published in 1851. It is considered by some to be a Great American Novel and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod,...
ride (which featured a spouting mechanical whale rising from the depths), the Wreck of the Hesperus (dark ride), the Old Chisholm Trail (dark ride), theme restaurants, a shopping area, an arcade, mini-golf (from 1967), a carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
, Monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
Island, and many others.
Actors would stage mock gunfights in the Western City or threaten to attack riders on the boat rides. The park's "Old Smokey Line" was a narrow-gauge railroad using equipment leased from the Edaville Railroad
Edaville Railroad
The Edaville Railroad is a heritage railroad in South Carver, Massachusetts.Opened in 1947, the Edaville Railroad is generally regarded as one of the oldest heritage railroads in the United States....
.
Another park feature was the Show Bowl, where performers such as Rick Nelson, Michael Landon
Michael Landon
Michael Landon was an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is widely known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza , Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie , and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven...
, The Modernaires
The Modernaires
The Modernaires are an American vocal group, best known for performing in the 1940s alongside Glenn Miller- Career :The Modernaires began in 1935 as a trio of schoolmates from Lafayette High School in Buffalo, New York...
, the Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
, Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore was an American actor best known for playing the fictional western character The Lone Ranger from 1949–1951 and 1954-1957 on the television series of the same name.-Early years:...
, Don Ameche
Don Ameche
Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor with a career spanning almost sixty years.-Personal life:...
, and Cesar Romero
Cesar Romero
Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
appeared.
Product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
and brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
ing played a part in some attractions, such as the Grist Mill which featured Pepperidge Farm
Pepperidge Farm
Pepperidge Farm is a commercial bakery in the U.S. founded in 1937 by Margaret Rudkin, who named the brand after her family's property in Fairfield, Connecticut, which in turn was named for the pepperidge tree, Nyssa sylvatica. Since 1961, the company has been owned by the Campbell Soup Company...
products and the Pepsi-Cola Diamond Lil
Diamond Lil (play)
Diamond Lil is a 1928 play by sultry American actress and playwright Mae West. Prior to Diamond Lil, she had written a number of plays that were closed down due to either poor ticket sales or censorship issues with the establishments of the time, despite the fact that many high ranking officials...
Theater. Its cartoon character mascot for a time was Popeye.
The #5 steam locomotive that used to serve at Pleasure Island is still up and running today and can be found at the WW&F Railway Museum, located in Alna, Maine
Alna, Maine
Alna is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 675 at the 2000 census. Home to the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum, Alna includes the early mill village of Head Tide, noted for its historic architecture.-History:...
. It has been rechristened the #10.
Attractions
- Animal Land
- Barn & Slide
- Burro Trail
- Camera Shop
- Carousel
- Chisolm Trail
- Chowder House
- Christmas Wonderland
- Country Store
- Covered Wagon
- Dagett Chocolate Company's "Handspun" Shop
- Engine City
- Friend's Baked Beanery
- Front Gate
- Goldpan Gulch & Gold Panning Operation
- Golf (18 hole mini-golf installed 1967)
- Helicopter Ride
- Heritage Museum
- Hood's Gay Nineties Ice Cream Parlor
- Horseless Carriage Ride originally "Jenney"
- Indian Village
- Kartland
- Lighthouse
- MagicLand: Crooked House - Slanted Shanty - Magnetic House - Captain's House
- Moby Dick Ride
- Merchants National Bank
- Monkey Island
- Pavilion
- Pepperidge Farm Bakery
- Picnic Area
- Kaptain Kidd's Pirate Cove
- Pirate Ride
- Quannapowitt Publishers Print Shop
- Old Smokey Railroad Line
- Railroad Station (former Greenwood Depot)
- Roundabout
- Saloon, originally Pepsi-Cola's Diamond Lil Show
- Shooting Gallery
- Shopping Lane
- Showbowl
- Space Rocket
- Stagecoach Ride
- Swift and Company's great meat market
- Treasure Digging Island
- United Nations Theatre
- Water Buffalo Land & Sea Ride
- Western City
- Wreck of the Hesperus
See also
- List of amusement parks in New England
- List of defunct amusement parks
- Amusement rideAmusement rideAmusement rides are large mechanical devices that move people to create enjoyment. They are frequently found at amusement parks, traveling carnivals, and funfairs.-Notable types:*Afterburner*Ali Baba*Balloon Race*Booster...