Crescent Park (defunct amusement park)
Encyclopedia
Crescent Park was a famous amusement park
in Riverside, East Providence, Rhode Island
from 1886-1979. After declining attendance during the 1970s the part was closed. The land was cleared for condominium and low-income housing. The only remaining structure is the 1895-vintage Charles I. D. Looff
Carousel, designed and built by Charles I.D. Looff as a showpiece for his carousel business.
.
, near Bullock's Point, on Narragansett Bay
in Riverside on land leased from John Davis, the owner of a hotel at the site. Boyden named the park after the crescent shape of the beach.
, the famous carousel
designer and builder in Brooklyn, NY is contracted to build a carousel
at the head of the 400' pier where river steamboats stop to unload passengers.
. The ride has 61 hand-carved horses, 1 camel, 4 chariots and a German band organ built by A. Ruth & Sohn. He installed his 4-abreast merry-go-round in a Hippodrome building.
Around this time, a large shore dinner hall was built on the shore of Narragansett Bay
. Searles 'Famous 6 O'clock Bake' cost 60 to 85 cents and ran from noon-8PM.
Crescent Park became known as "The Coney Island
of the East". Hot air balloon
ascensions were a new thrill for patrons.
to Crescent Park where he designed and built many merry-go-rounds for parks in New England
and around the United States. Looff then built a roller coaster
called the Flying Toboggan and a tunnel of love called the Rivers of Venice. Over a million and a half visitors thronged to the park each season during this era.
. He left his son, Charles, Jr. and his daughter, Helen, to manage his Riverside operations. On the west coast, Looff built many carousels and amusement parks, including the Santa Monica Pier
.
, clam cakes
, steamed clams
with drawn butter, fried or baked fish with French fries, Cole slaw, sweet corn, white and dark bread with creamery butter, slice watermelon & a half lobster. Prices at the time were just over a dollar.
by installing huge trusses and removing the many slender columns holding up the roof.
.
Beacon Manufacturing Company (Beacon Blankets) takes over Crescent Park after Looff, Jr.'s, estate defaults on the mortgage payments.
in 1954.
hurt park attendance although many U. S. Navy sailors berthed in Newport, Rhode Island
came to the park for some R & R.
. Before his death, Charles oversaw the operation of the carousel for his wife.
called the Riverboat.
and then a ballroom. A candlepin bowling
alley occupied the rear of the building. Many 'big bands' played at the ballroom during their heyday.
was suspected. On July 24, the carousel finally reopened. A grand restoration project restored the ride to near perfect condition.
, designated the carousel as a National Historical Landmark.
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...
in Riverside, East Providence, Rhode Island
East Providence, Rhode Island
East Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 47,037 at the 2010 census, making it the fifth largest city in the state.-Geography:East Providence is located at ....
from 1886-1979. After declining attendance during the 1970s the part was closed. The land was cleared for condominium and low-income housing. The only remaining structure is the 1895-vintage Charles I. D. Looff
Charles I. D. Looff
Charles I. D. Looff was a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built...
Carousel, designed and built by Charles I.D. Looff as a showpiece for his carousel business.
pre-1886
The fishing village of Wannamoisett, Rhode Island, which was purchased from Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoag tribe by John Brown in 1645, slowly developed into a summer residence and recreational area known as Riverside with cottages dotting the shore of Narragansett BayNarragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
.
1886
George Boyden started the Crescent Park Amusement ParkCrescent Park Amusement Park
Crescent Park Amusement Park was a bustling old-time amusement park on the shores of Narragansett Bay in Riverside, Rhode Island. The park operated for 93 years from 1886 until 1979....
, near Bullock's Point, on Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
in Riverside on land leased from John Davis, the owner of a hotel at the site. Boyden named the park after the crescent shape of the beach.
1889
Boyden bought the Bullock's Point Hotel and changed the name to the Crescent Park Hotel. The 2½-story hotel had a beautiful vista of the bay across a lush grass lawn. The hotel operated until 1935 when it was razed to make room for a parking lot.1892
Charles I. D. LooffCharles I. D. Looff
Charles I. D. Looff was a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built...
, the famous carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
designer and builder in Brooklyn, NY is contracted to build a carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
at the head of the 400' pier where river steamboats stop to unload passengers.
1895
Because of the success of the first merry-go-round, Looff, was hired to build another at the head of the midway across Bullock's Point Avenue from the pier. This is the current carouselCarousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
. The ride has 61 hand-carved horses, 1 camel, 4 chariots and a German band organ built by A. Ruth & Sohn. He installed his 4-abreast merry-go-round in a Hippodrome building.
Around this time, a large shore dinner hall was built on the shore of Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
. Searles 'Famous 6 O'clock Bake' cost 60 to 85 cents and ran from noon-8PM.
Crescent Park became known as "The Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
of the East". Hot air balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
ascensions were a new thrill for patrons.
c.1900
A scenic railway, built by LeMarcus A. Thompson, "the father of American roller coasters", is constructed behind the Looff carousel. The Flying Eagle, a giant swing that is powered by men with ropes is erected on the midway.1901
Crescent Park was purchased by the Hope Land Company under the direction of William and Fred Dexter. Colonel R. A. Harrington became the manager.1902
A huge exhibition hall was built at the east end of the midway. The New England Association for Arts and Crafts held their annual exposition at the new hall. The U. S. Government had many exhibits and attendance was over 1,500,000.1905
Charles I. D. Looff moved his carousel factory from BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
to Crescent Park where he designed and built many merry-go-rounds for parks in 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...
and around the United States. Looff then built a roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
called the Flying Toboggan and a tunnel of love called the Rivers of Venice. Over a million and a half visitors thronged to the park each season during this era.
1910
Charles I. D. Looff moved his factory to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He left his son, Charles, Jr. and his daughter, Helen, to manage his Riverside operations. On the west coast, Looff built many carousels and amusement parks, including the Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier located at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California and is a prominent, 100-year-old landmark.-Pacific Park:...
.
1914
Charles Looff, Jr. built a new shore dinner hall to replace the original on at the head of the Crescent Park pier. This restaurant could seat 1,500 people at one time. Rhode Island shore dinners and Indian-style clambakes included old-fashioned Rhode Island clam chowderClam chowder
Clam chowder is any of several chowders containing clams and broth. Along with the clams, diced potato is common, as are onions, which are occasionally sauteed in the drippings from salt pork or bacon. Celery is frequently used. Other vegetables are uncommon, but small carrot strips might...
, clam cakes
Clam cakes
Clam cakes are a New England food, most common in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine. Each clam cake is a deep fried ball of dough with chopped clam and various other ingredients. The batter is made from flour, milk, clam juice, eggs and a leavening agent, typically baking powder...
, steamed clams
Steamed clams
Steamed clams is a seafood dish consisting of various types and preparations of clam that steamed according to local custom in various countries....
with drawn butter, fried or baked fish with French fries, Cole slaw, sweet corn, white and dark bread with creamery butter, slice watermelon & a half lobster. Prices at the time were just over a dollar.
1916
Looff, Jr. designed and built an excursion boat and named it the "Miss Looff" in memory of his younger sister, Anna, who died as the result of a traffic accident in New York city.1920
Charles Looff, Jr. bought Crescent Park from Hope Land Co. He opened up the floor space in the Alhambra BallroomBallroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
by installing huge trusses and removing the many slender columns holding up the roof.
1921
The trolleys give way to the competition from the Consolidated electric train and stopped running from Providence.1922
September 1: In Radio Service Bulletin 65 issued on this date, the callsign WKAD was granted to Charles Looff (Crescent Park).1923
WKAD is on air, still on 360 meters (833kc.) sharing time with, among others, WJARWHJJ
WHJJ is a radio station in Providence, Rhode Island. The station was previously assigned the call letters WJAR, adopting its current call letters in 1980 when previous owner Outlet Communications sold the station.-History:...
.
1926
January 30: WKAD signs off by this date.Beacon Manufacturing Company (Beacon Blankets) takes over Crescent Park after Looff, Jr.'s, estate defaults on the mortgage payments.
1938
The 1938 New England Hurricane and Tidal Wave demolished the Crescent Park pier and the southern half of the 'Comet' roller coaster. Ed Leis rebuilt the coaster making it shorter and faster with diving turns. The pier was rebuilt, only to be devastated again by Hurricane CarolHurricane Carol
Hurricane Carol was among the worst tropical cyclones to affect the New England region of the United States. It developed from a tropical wave near the Bahamas on August 25, 1954, and gradually strengthened as it moved northwestward. On August 27, Carol intensified to reach winds of , but weakened...
in 1954.
1941-1945
World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hurt park attendance although many U. S. Navy sailors berthed in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
came to the park for some R & R.
1951
Crescent Park is purchased by a group of park concessionaires including the Simmons, McCusker, Bessette, and Lake families for $325,000.1952
Charles Simmons, the husband of Helen Looff died at age 69 in Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. Before his death, Charles oversaw the operation of the carousel for his wife.
1953
A two-alarm fire burned out of control for two hours and destroyed the 200-seat Crescent Inn and damaged the adjoining Knotty Pine Inn as well as the park office. The park office was moved into the carousel building until a new building could be built.1956
Helen Looff Simmons died at age 78. Ownership of the carousel passed to Arthur Simmons and his sister, Dorothy.1961
The wooden roller coaster was torn down because of high maintenance costs. The lumber was used to build a new Dark rideDark ride
A dark ride or ghost train is an indoor amusement ride where riders in guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain animation, sound, music, and special effects....
called the Riverboat.
1965
An 1865 Iron Horse train ride was installed on a ½-mile track which traveled through a tunnel and passed by an Indian village.1966
A group of Providence investors, Melvin Berry, Max Sugarman, and Joe Paolino bought Crescent Park.1969
The Alhambra Ballroom burned down on September 2nd. The 326' by 122' by 49' wooden structure, originally built as an exhibition hall, was turned into a roller rinkRoller rink
A roller rink is a hard surface used for roller skating or inline skating. This includes roller hockey, speed skating, and recreational skating...
and then a ballroom. A candlepin bowling
Candlepin bowling
Candlepin bowling is a variation of Bowling that is played primarily in the Canadian Maritime provinces, Ontario, Quebec, and the New England states of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where it is more common than ten-pin bowling....
alley occupied the rear of the building. Many 'big bands' played at the ballroom during their heyday.
1976
The Hartford National Bank took over the park property and operated the park during the 1976 and 1977 seasons.1977
The "Save Our Carousel Committee" is formed by Gail Durfee, Jobel Aguiar, Richard Lund, Linda McEntree, and Robin Peacock for the purpose of rescuing the carousel from the auctioneers' block.1982
In July, after a long legal battle, an out-of-court-settlement was reached and Kelly & Picerne agreed to set aside 3½ acres around the carousel and almost seven acres across the street on the bay, including the beach. In October, Kelly & Picerne bought the park property from the City of East Providence for $825,000.1984
July 17: the Shore Dinner Hall burns down. ArsonArson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
was suspected. On July 24, the carousel finally reopened. A grand restoration project restored the ride to near perfect condition.
1985
The Rhode Island General Assembly proclaimed the carousel as "The State Jewel of American Folk Art".1987
The Department of Interior, National Park ServiceNational Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, designated the carousel as a National Historical Landmark.
2002
The carousel's foundation was rebuilt with a $150,000 grant from "Save America's Treasures".See also
- Crescent Park Amusement ParkCrescent Park Amusement ParkCrescent Park Amusement Park was a bustling old-time amusement park on the shores of Narragansett Bay in Riverside, Rhode Island. The park operated for 93 years from 1886 until 1979....
- List of amusement parks in New England
- Charles I. D. LooffCharles I. D. LooffCharles I. D. Looff was a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built...
- 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...