The old "PARAGON PARK" and Comet (Nantasket Beach, MA)
SEGQUE
I'm looking for any and all info, pictures of the old PARAGON PARK and
COMET coaster that used to be at Nantasket Beach (In Hull Massachusettes).
The park was closed in 1985 and the Comet coaster was dismantled in 1986.
Paragon park is no more (Now apartments : ( ). I heard that the Comet
coaster that used to be there was purchased and moved to somewhere in
Maryland? Is this true, and if so where? What park? Is it operating? Any
information or pictures of the old Paragon Park would be much appreciated.
Or pictures or info of where the Comet coaster is now? Too bad Paragon
Park is no more... at one point in time the "COMET" was the largest
coaster in the world. (any history or blue prints would be awesome!) Who
designed and built the coaster? When was it built? I can't seem to find
any info on this (in my opinion) true classic coaster and park.
Thanks to everyone for the help!!
SEG
P.S. Nothing like the lights of the Comet & Paragon Park at night... right
on the beach!! Very cool!! Feel free to e-mail me -- again thanks !
David H.
First off, I believe that the coaster was called the "Giant Coaster."
It was moved to Adventure World in Largo, Maryland and rebuilt with
some modifications -- raised first drop and restoration of the final
helix, which was removed after a fire in the 60's. This year it is
getting (or has gotten) a tunnel.
The coaster still operates there as the "Wild One", and is very
popular. If you have a Riverside Park season Pass, you can use it for
FREE admission to Adventure World, since both are now owned by Premier
Parks.
It was GREAT coaster. I was VERY upset when they tore it down to
build condos, when I was a kid. If anyone has any pictures from the
Nantasket Beach site, I'd LOVE to see them, too!
I can't wait to ride this coaster again! Only 11 more days...!
David Hamburger
My top 10 steelies list: My top 5 woodies list:
1)resvd. for Alpengeist 6) Mantis 1) Cyclone (Coney Island)
2) Great Nor'Easter 7) Steel Phantom 2) Great White (Morey's)
tie) Raptor 8) Kumba 3) Comet (GE)
4) Magnum XL-200 9) GASM (SFGAdv) 4) Yankee Cannonball
5) Batman (SFGAdv) 10) Viper (SFGAdv) 5) Phoenix
NOTES: only 1 of each clone listed; expect Wild One here soon
SteelForce
>>First off, I believe that the coaster was called the "Giant Coaster."
>>It was moved to Adventure World in Largo, Maryland and rebuilt with
>>some modifications -- raised first drop and restoration of the final
>>helix, which was removed after a fire in the 60's. This year it is
>>getting (or has gotten) a tunnel.
It was called the Giant Coaster at one time, ( But the original plans call
it CYCLONE !) we lovingly call it " The Giant Wild Adventure One " here in
the Adventure World area.
The raised drop came when premier bought the park 4years ago, but that
added speed to the ride, and the modifications to accomodate the
seacoaster sped up the ride even more this year! and it should have two
tunnels when the seacoaster is finished!
Cheers!
SAM
Ride All , Love All..........Coasters that is!
Sam A. Marks
Steel...@aol.com
Coaster Zombie Home Page
http://members.aol.com/SteelForce/index.html
links to other pages including membership!
John Philip Downing
On 27 May 1997 17:12:53 GMT, seg...@aol.com (SEGQUE) wrote:
>I'm looking for any and all info, pictures of the old PARAGON PARK and
>COMET coaster that used to be at Nantasket Beach (In Hull Massachusettes).
>The park was closed in 1985 and the Comet coaster was dismantled in 1986.
>Paragon park is no more (Now apartments : ( ). I heard that the Comet
>coaster that used to be there was purchased and moved to somewhere in
>Maryland? Is this true, and if so where? What park? Is it operating? Any
>information or pictures of the old Paragon Park would be much appreciated.
>Or pictures or info of where the Comet coaster is now? Too bad Paragon
>Park is no more... at one point in time the "COMET" was the largest
>coaster in the world. (any history or blue prints would be awesome!) Who
>designed and built the coaster? When was it built? I can't seem to find
>any info on this (in my opinion) true classic coaster and park.
>
>Thanks to everyone for the help!!
>
>SEG
>
>P.S. Nothing like the lights of the Comet & Paragon Park at night... right
>on the beach!! Very cool!! Feel free to e-mail me -- again thanks !
This coaster now operates as the "Wild One" at Adventure World, near
Washington DC. While it has been modified a bit (the bottom of the
first drop raised, and the helix restored, It runs great, and is my
third most favorite coaster in the World.
Neil Kelly
> The coaster still operates there as the "Wild One", and is very
> popular. If you have a Riverside Park season Pass, you can use it for
> FREE admission to Adventure World, since both are now owned by Premier
> Parks.
>
Does this also work for Darien Lake & The Great Escape (Lake George)? It
might become a _lot_ more worthwhile to me then (since Riverside is two
hours from me, my girlfriend lives in Glens Falls and her family lives
in Rochester...
Shawn Mamros
seg...@aol.com (SEGQUE) writes:
>[...] Too bad Paragon
>Park is no more... at one point in time the "COMET" was the largest
>coaster in the world. (any history or blue prints would be awesome!) Who
>designed and built the coaster? When was it built? I can't seem to find
>any info on this (in my opinion) true classic coaster and park.
Others have filled in the details of the now-Wild One's current status
and whereabouts. I'll try to see if I can answer at least some of the
questions about its past (including a probable source of confusion as to
its old name). A couple books about coasters and parks in general do
mention this coaster in passing, and I've read a magazine article or two
about it as well. (Full list of sources available upon request...)
Anyways, here goes...
The Giant Coaster at Paragon Park was first built in 1917. The original
design was done by John Miller, who at the time was working for the
Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC), which constructed the ride. It
was built as a replacement for the Green Streak, which was destroyed by
fire the previous year. The original Giant differed in a number of ways
from the ride we know today. The first drop, for instance, while more-or-
less as high as it is today, was a double down. I've read that it did
not originally have underfriction wheels or bars, and the pictures I've
seen of it indicate that it may have originally been a double out-n-back.
The only parts of the original ride recognizable in today's Wild One may
very well be the long lift hill and the track cross-under built within it.
Sometime in the early 20's there was a fire; the ride was rebuilt.
In 1932, PTC was called in to overhaul the coaster. John Miller had long
since left the firm; Herb Schmeck was PTC's chief designer at the time,
and the person responsible for the redesign. It was at this point that
the ride was converted to a single out-n-back (with a longer footprint
than the old double out-n-back layout), the track converted to use trains
with underwheels, and the first drop converted to a single steep plunge.
The original helix was added at this time as well. At least one source
shows that this helix was quite different from what the Wild One now has -
there wasn't a long transition between the cross-under and the helix as
there is now, it turned the opposite way (outside instead of in), and
from the description I've read, it may have been a wilder experience
overall.
Sometime early in 1963, a massive fire destroyed over one-third of the
Giant Coaster, including the helix and the station. The trains (which
may have dated back to 1932) were destroyed as well (sigh...). Park
officials called up PTC; they desperately needed the Giant running as
soon as possible in order to salvage the season. Unfortunately, their
first estimate for rebuilding the Giant as-was was too high for Paragon
to afford, so they asked John Allen (then PTC's chief designer) to do
what he could. Allen designed a shorter finish, minus the helix, and
a functional station. The work was done as quickly as possible, and the
rebuilt Giant was back in action in time for the July 4th weekend that
year, with a used train from a defunct park that bore the name "COMET"
on its front (presumably the name from the coaster at said defunct park -
which park and which coaster, I'm not sure; the sources I've read differ
on this point). Paragon never removed the COMET name from the train's
front, even though the station had a sign proclaiming the name as "Giant
Coaster" still - no doubt many people believed the coaster's name to
be the Comet as a result.
The Giant continued to survive the years, in spite of many storms (including
the infamous blizzard of '78 which flooded Paragon Park), but Paragon's
fate was sealed when condo developers offered the park owners a deal they
couldn't refuse. Fortunately, the Giant was purchased at the park's
auction by a then-little known park named Wild World, in far-away Largo MD.
Wild World hired Charlie Dinn (who had worked for Paragon during their
final years) and Curtis Summers to relocate and rebuild the ride, at
which time the new helix was added. Wild World was eventually bought by
Tierco, Inc., which eventually became Premier Parks, and the park's name
was changed to Adventure World. Yet the coaster continues to go by the
name Wild World gave to it - the Wild One.
"And now you know... the *rest* of the story." :-)
-Shawn Mamros
E-mail to: mam...@mit.edu
Ted Ansley
<<superb Wild One history by Shawn snipped!>>
For more info on Adventure World and the Wild One, the former
Giant Coaster, please visit my Adventure World web site at:
http://www.themall.net/~coasters/aw/
Enjoy!
Ted
-------------
Ted Ansley
**Rollercoaster Fan<atic>**
ansl...@themall.net
Joe Schwartz
seg...@aol.com (SEGQUE) wrote:
> I'm looking for any and all info, pictures of the old PARAGON PARK and
> COMET coaster that used to be at Nantasket Beach (In Hull Massachusettes).
[snip]
> Any information or pictures of the old Paragon Park would be much appreciated.
> Or pictures or info of where the Comet coaster is now?
As others have explained, this coaster is now the Wild One at Adventure
World in Largo, MD. You can see several photos of it on my Joyrides site:
http://www.joyrides.com/adventure_world/
------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe Schwartz (x...@poboxes.com) -- 5 Broadway #407, Troy, NY 12180
Come visit the Joyrides web site (http://www.joyrides.com/),
a photo gallery celebrating the joy and beauty of amusement rides!
Steven Konopa
<snip - a very interesting history of the Wild One>
> was changed to Adventure World. Yet the coaster continues to go by the
> name Wild World gave to it - the Wild One.
>
> "And now you know... the *rest* of the story." :-)
>
> -Shawn Mamros
> E-mail to: mam...@mit.edu
>
That was really interesting. I am looking forward to ridding said coaster
this weekend at Adventure World (I have not ridden it yet - it was not
running when I was there on opening weekend) Anybody from r.rc going to AW
this Saturday? I'd love to meet some of you.
Steve Konopa
Fredericksburg, VA
Sales9
If you're still looking for Paragon Park Memorabilia, there are two places
I know of that stock genuine souveneirs from the park:
1) On Nantasket Blvd, right next to the arcade and Joseph's Famous Fried
Clam joint, there is a T-shirt shop that has a glass case filled with
leftover stock of the park's souveniers. The shop's owners were approached
by one of the old concessionaires from Paragon, and they bought EVERYTHING!
Pennants, bumper stickers, pencils, and a great multi-photo brochure-like
postcard "thing", with over 10 photos of the park, probably in the 1960's.
This shop has also re-created a T-shirt with another postcard shot of the
park, and it reads "Greetings from Nantasket Beach"
2) Silver City Antiques, Main Street, Taunton, MA, has a smaller glass case
devoted to more Paragon Park souveniers/memorabilia. Some one-of-a-kind
items, and the great postcard/books of photos. All in great shape - and
priced accordingly.
Balmoralw
The old coaster from Paragon Park is currently operating as "The Wild One"
at Adventureworld Park in Largo, Maryland. The ride is in beautiful
condition and gives a great ride. When is was rebuilt in Maryland, the
helix that was destroyed in the fire at its former location was rebuilt
for its re-incarnation. It has been running with only one train, but
rumor has it that they will start two train operations in 1997. Hope this
is so. It is a very popular ride.
Rhett Summers
ACE Member
Steven Konopa
> condition and gives a great ride. When is was rebuilt in Maryland, the
> helix that was destroyed in the fire at its former location was rebuilt
Yes it is, I just rode it three or four times yesterday with Ted Ansley,
Dave Hamburg, Shawn (forgot last name), Twister, and that black haired
fellow <Damn, forgot his name already and I just rode the Hurler and Outer
Limits with hime today at PKD, arrrg>. That thing sure hands out the
airtime in a big way!
> for its re-incarnation. It has been running with only one train, but
> rumor has it that they will start two train operations in 1997. Hope
this
> is so. It is a very popular ride.
>
> Rhett Summers
> ACE Member
>
From what Ted Ansley told me yesterday, they may start running two trains
later this summer. They do have a second train in the "garage" but I have
not seen it being used yet.
gussman...@gmail.com
> I'm looking for any and all info, pictures of the old PARAGON PARK and
> COMET coaster that used to be at Nantasket Beach (In Hull Massachusettes).
> Paragon park is no more (Now apartments : ( ). I heard that the Comet
> coaster that used to be there was purchased and moved to somewhere in
> coaster in the world. (any history or blue prints would be awesome!) Who
> designed and built the coaster? When was it built? I can't seem to find
> any info on this (in my opinion) true classic coaster and park.
>
David H.--REMOVE "STOPSPAM" to reply
But if anyone is looking for Paragon Park pictures, there's a pretty cool
Facebook page that posts a bunch of stuff from back in the days.
https://www.facebook.com/Paragon-Park-Memories-103289636409972
"With the first link, a chain is forged. The first speech censured,
the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us
all irrevocably." -Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
"The Drumhead", _Star Trek: The Next Generation_
dannys...@cs.com
surfsidep...@gmail.com
> I'm looking for any and all info, pictures of the old PARAGON PARK and
> COMET coaster that used to be at Nantasket Beach (In Hull Massachusettes).
> The park was closed in 1985 and the Comet coaster was dismantled in 1986.
> Paragon park is no more (Now apartments : ( ). I heard that the Comet
> coaster that used to be there was purchased and moved to somewhere in
> Maryland? Is this true, and if so where? What park? Is it operating? Any
> information or pictures of the old Paragon Park would be much appreciated.
> Or pictures or info of where the Comet coaster is now? Too bad Paragon
> Park is no more... at one point in time the "COMET" was the largest
> coaster in the world. (any history or blue prints would be awesome!) Who
> designed and built the coaster? When was it built? I can't seem to find
> any info on this (in my opinion) true classic coaster and park.
>
> Thanks to everyone for the help!!
>
> SEG
>
> P.S. Nothing like the lights of the Comet & Paragon Park at night... right
> on the beach!! Very cool!! Feel free to e-mail me -- again thanks !