Hunt's Pier facts for kids

Hunt's Pier was a super fun amusement park right on the boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey. It was open from 1957 to 1985. For almost 30 years, Hunt's Pier was famous for its awesome dark rides, thrilling roller coasters, and many other cool attractions.

History of Hunt's Pier

Hunt's Pier has a long history, starting way back in the early 1900s. Back then, it was called Ocean Pier. It was the very first big pier on the Wildwood boardwalk. People went there for ballroom dancing and to listen to music.

In 1935, a man named William Hunt bought Ocean Pier. He turned it into an amusement park. It had exciting rides like a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, and a spooky dark ride.

Sadly, on Christmas Day in 1943, Ocean Pier burned down. But William Hunt didn't give up! He built a brand new pier made entirely of concrete. This new and improved Hunt's Pier opened on May 30, 1957, just in time for Memorial Day. It started with only four rides. By its grand opening on June 21, 1957, it had grown to 10 rides.

Changes Over the Years

In 1985, Hunt's Pier was sold to new owners. In 1989, it reopened as "The New Hunt's Pier." Many of the original rides stayed. A new steel roller coaster called Kamikaze was added.

Later, in 1988, a company called Conklin Shows bought the pier. They changed its name to Conko's Party Pier. This version of the pier didn't last very long. By the end of 1992, many rides were taken apart. The New Hunt's Pier went out of business. The Kamikaze roller coaster was sold. Today, it's known as Blue Hawk at Six Flags Over Georgia.

In 1995, the Cantonoso family bought the pier. They also own Steel Pier in Atlantic City. By 1996, the pier had a new name: Dinosaur Beach. They added dinosaur themes to a classic ride called the Golden Nugget Mine Ride. Some fans didn't like this change. Dinosaur Beach also added a water coaster and a stage for shows. In 1997, it opened the first spinning wild mouse ride. Only a few classic rides remained, like the Golden Nugget, Log Flume, and Rapids. Most of Hunt's original rides were gone. Dinosaur Beach closed in 1998. Over the next few years, most of its rides disappeared too.

Hunt's Pier Today

Today, the pier is owned by Morey's Piers. It's mostly used to store equipment for maintaining the rides. It also holds the boardwalk tram cars. At the front of the pier, you can find a grill, a beach shop, and an Adventure Maze. Morey's Piers has plans to build a new wooden roller coaster there. This coaster will cross over from their Surfside Pier to the back of Hunt's Pier.

Legacy of Hunt's Pier

Hunt's Pier was known for its many special rides and attractions. These included a classic wooden roller coaster called the Flyer. There were also indoor rides like Keystone Kops and Whacky Shack. An outdoor boat ride called Jungleland was also popular.

For many years, The Golden Nugget was a very special ride. It was the oldest ride on the Wildwood Boardwalk still in its original spot. The Golden Nugget opened in July 1960. It was built on a new part of Hunt's Pier that was closer to the ocean. The ride was three stories tall. The top floor was designed to feel like a mine car ride through the desert. This classic coaster was built just for Hunt's Pier. It was made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company and designed by John Allen.

The Golden Nugget ride was removed in 2009. A special ceremony was held in January 2009 to remember the ride before it was taken down.

Golden Nugget's New Life

In early 2009, Knoebels' Amusement Resort made a deal with Morey's Piers. They bought the trains, tracks, and other parts from the Golden Nugget ride. These parts were moved to Pennsylvania in early 2009. Knoebels planned to rebuild the Golden Nugget at their park in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. It was renamed Black Diamond. This new version officially opened in October 2011. The original special effects and jokes from the ride were not sold. Morey's Piers kept them to use somewhere else.

Hunt's Pier Artifacts

The George Boyer Museum in Wildwood has many items from Hunt's Pier. These include characters from the Keystone Kops ride and old Hunt's Pier flags. There used to be a storage area near Historic Cold Springs Village. It held signs and parts from old rides. This included boats from the Log Flume and trains from the Flyer. The Flyer trains are currently being fixed up. There was also a Paul Bunyan figure and letters from the Hunt's Pier Skyline Golf sign.

However, by 2021, this storage site was cleared. It is now a solar farm. Most of what was left there has been sold or saved. Anything else that was too old or broken was removed.

• Hunt's Pier at the Roller Coaster DataBase