Lincoln Park (Dartmouth, Massachusetts) facts for kids
| Previously known as Midway Park Westport Park |
|
| Location | North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1894 |
| Closed | December 3, 1987 |
| Owner | Jay Collins |
| General manager | N/A |
| Operating season | Year-round |
| Area | 42-acre (170,000 m2) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 20 (including 2 roller coasters) |
Lincoln Park was a fun amusement park in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. It first opened way back in 1894! The park was created by the Union Street Railway Company to help people travel between Fall River and New Bedford.
Lincoln Park was a popular spot for many years. It had lots of rides, including two roller coasters. Sadly, the park closed its doors in 1987. It remained empty for a long time until its famous Comet roller coaster was taken down in 2012.
Contents
Park History: From Picnic Spot to Thrill Rides
Early Days of Lincoln Park
Before it was called Lincoln Park, this area had other names like "Midway Park" or "Westport Park." The name "Lincoln Park" was chosen later in a special lottery.
When it first opened in 1894, Lincoln Park was more of a picnic area. It had picnic tables, a playground, and grills for cooking. People would come to enjoy the outdoors.
In the 1920s, the park started to change. It slowly added more and more rides, becoming a real amusement park. In 1941, a new owner bought the park. They added a bowling alley and made the dance hall better. They also brought in many new amusement park rides.
Challenges and Closure
Lincoln Park was very successful for many years. But in the mid-1980s, bigger theme parks started to become more popular. This made it harder for smaller parks like Lincoln Park to attract visitors.
In 1986, there was a serious accident on the park's "Comet" wooden roller coaster. This made people worry about how safe the park was.
The park's owner, Jay Hoffman, tried to make improvements. He spent money to update the park. He even moved the park's old carousel to Battleship Cove in Fall River. He also took down a smaller version of the Comet roller coaster. In 1987, he said the park had been checked and was safe.
However, just a few months later, in September 1987, there was another problem. The braking system on the Comet roller coaster had an issue. One of the ride cars got stuck. Luckily, no one was hurt. But this was the very last ride for the Comet roller coaster.
Lincoln Park officially closed on December 3, 1987. Most of the rides were taken apart and sold. For example, the park's Ferris wheel was moved to the New Bedford waterfront. The broken roller coaster car stayed stuck on the tracks for years until it was removed.
After closing, the abandoned park had several fires. The only parts left for a long time were some damaged food buildings and the roller coaster. The roller coaster's tall "lift hill" fell down during a snowstorm in 2005. The rest of the roller coaster was finally taken down on July 11, 2012.
Popular Rides
One of the most popular rides at Lincoln Park was called the "Monster Ride." It was a dark ride where you would see scary creatures. Two large paper mache monsters even watched over the entrance from a balcony!
What's There Now?
The land where Lincoln Park used to be is about 42 acres. Developers are now planning to build homes and businesses there.
In 2012, work began to clear the land. They removed bushes, rocks, and the old park buildings. The famous Comet roller coaster was torn down in July 2012. The wood from the coaster was even used to make special chairs that were sold for charity!
