Pictures - Vintage N.E. attractions ~ New news

The recently-dismantled Comet roller coaster, seen here on opening day in 1947, was for years a staple attraction at Lincoln Park in Dartmouth until the amusement park’s closing in 1987. Amusement parks, unique museums, and other attractions throughout New England have entertained and informed countless people over the decades. Take a look at some vintage photos from the Globe archives depicting local attractions—and the people who enjoyed them—over the years.

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The scene at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, on a hot day in July 1930.

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A worker checked the structure of the Galaxie roller coaster at Paragon Park in 1975. The amusement park, located on Nantasket Beach in Hull, closed in 1984.

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Paragon Park’s “Congo Cruise, Tunnel of Love,” was the only ride of its kind in New England. Artis Elizabeth Trubia, who has illustrated a number of watercolor portraits depicting the park, has some more history: “Paragon’s tunnel of love had numerous names over the years. The Mill Rapids in 1920 became the Red Mill, which was destroyed by fire in 1963. It became the Jungle Ride for a year before becoming the Congo Cruise. Regardless of the names given to this popular “love” ride, they all featured a thrilling splash down into a small pool at the end.”

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In 1979, the Giant Coaster at Paragon was apparently the world’s longest and highest at the time, according to a caption. The description for Trubia’s watercolor painting reads: “It was a dominant ride in Paragon Park. It was 3,400 feet long and 96 feet high. In the 1960s it was named one of the top-10 coasters in the world by The New York Times. The ride lasted only a minute, but the thrill lingered on. The Giant Coaster was sold to an amusement park in Maryland when Paragon Park closed in the 1980s.”

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A scene outside the Boston Children’s Museum in 1976.

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A contractor took a break on a giant, corded phone at the Children’s Museum in 1979. Today, most children would likely seem to think the cord was more an oddity than the size of the phone.

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The Cyclone roller coaster at Revere Beach. According to Revere Beach’s website, “The Cyclone Roller Coaster was the world’s most famous. It was built in 1925 at a cost of $125,000. This all wood coaster was built by Harry Travers. Its first vertical drop was 100 feet and riders experienced the thrill of the ride at speeds of 45 to 50 mph. It was the world’s fastest and largest coaster measuring 3600 feet of track. The Cyclone operated for almost 50 years, ceasing in 1969.” Here, the then-closed coaster is seen damaged by fire in 1974.

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At left, the former Himalayan ride at Revere Beach.

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The interior of the New England Aquarium looks pretty much the same as when it opened in 1969 at the Boston waterfront, including the giant whale skeleton that hangs from the ceiling of the building.

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The exterior of the Aquarium, however, has seen many changes over the years since opening on June 20, 1969.

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Students enjoyed a ride at Canobie Lake Park in Salem, N.H., during “Physics Day” in this undated photo. The park still hosts the educational day.

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Gwendolyn Little and her two children took in the sights at Canobie Lake Park in this 1975 photo.

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Peter Loones prepared to take off in a rocket ship ride at Canobie Lake in 1975.

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Lisa Hanlon, Edward Devlin, and Kerrie Devlin on the Sky Ride at Canobie Lake Park in 1975.

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Mr. Robot, the star of the Boston Museum of Science’s school visits program, greeted children. A newspaper archive search showed that the photo is from 1966, and ran on the front page of the Fitchburg Sentinel.

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A child compared a light bulb that emits visible light with one that emits infrared light at the Museum of Science in the once-popular exhibit.

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John Duesenberry of Belmont, took a look at the giant bullfrog on exhibit in the Summer Explorers Program at The Museum of Science.

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Termed a “new type of amusement” in the original caption, the “pillow ride” was apparently the precursor to a bouncy house. No date or location was given for the photo.

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Amanda Theil, from Groton, Conn., took a plane ride at Carver’s Edaville Railroad in 1982.

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The Sky Diner ride at Rocky Point Amusement Park in Warwick, R.I. The popular amusement park, which opened in 1847, finally closed its gates in 1995.

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The carousel at Rocky Point in 1981.

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