Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I found an article about Rocky Point on a site that deals primarily with fun houses and dark rides. But, the article does have some great old pics of Rocky Point. Heres the link:

http://www.laffinthedark.com/articles/rp/rp1.htm

Yes, Great site Susan:

I went to Rocky Point when I was a child and remember very little of how it looked. Just a several years ago there was much talk about reviving the park, and/or possibly selling it to one of the major Amusment Park companies such as Six Flags. Nothing ever came of it.

On the other hand LINCOLN PARK, a short junt up RT6 in Dartmouth, was a play gound every weekend for kids from New Bedford and Fall River when I was a Lad. One dollar would give you 11 tickets. Some rides were two tickets. The fun house there had this huge fat lady mannequin behind this glass moving up and down laughing loudly and uncontrollably. She was scary.

Back in the early 1900s, before the 38 hurricane wiped it out, Fall River had SANDY BEACH. Very similar to Lincoln and Rocky Point parks, roller coaster and all. It was in the south end of Fall River, on the Taunton River overlooking Mt Hope across the bay in Bristol.

The site below will show photos of Sandy Beach, (mostly from old postcards) Lincoln Park and others from MA and R.I.
http://www.defunctnewengland.com/

Oh yes, the Carousel at Lincoln Park was purchased by the City of Fall River, renovated and placed on the water front at Battleship Cove. Real dumb place to put it, and the reasons are many, for which I will not touch on here.

Thanks, Michael. I've said it before, there is nothing so sad and creepy as an abandoned amusment park. I know we had touched on it in the past, but, still wonder if Lizzie ever visited Rocky Point in her day, before the amusement park was ever there or after?

They did something equally unjust with the old carousel in Asbury Park, NJ. Sold all the original, hand carved horses and such to some investor or something and replaced them with fiberglas ones. The building the carousel stands in is this gorgeous copper and glass structure from the 1800s, really something to see. It gives you a small taste of what the area was like in the day before it became so rundown and seedy.

Theres an article about it on the same site, link here:

http://www.laffinthedark.com/articles/A ... intro.html

Thanks Susan: Great site..(Asbury) Enjoyed reading Bret Malone's Casino. Sad though, he writes with such passion and memory.

Is that the park where they kept the huge elephant building and board walk in the 20s, Asbury???

The Carousel in Fall River, (the old Lincoln Park carousel) I believe is intacted and with the original riding horses and such. But they over spent placing it in a Hurricane Flood Zone and spent twice as much to protect it from flood, building a special cement foundation. A better place would have been one of the parks, North or South. (How about on the lawn next door to Number 92. )

Yes I often wonder whether Lizzie went down to Sandy beach. I'm sure she must have. Probably a place like Rocky Point would be better, since there would be less chance of being recognized.

Yes, abandoned amusement parks are very creepy places. For around 25 years I have driven by Lincoln Park and watched it decay. All the buildings are gone now, a field of grass and trees have taken over and in the distance the old roller coaster, all by itself. When driving by I could not help but slow down and look over, could not help it, like slowing down to look at a car wreck on the highway.

Spinner Publications put out a great book of memories and pictures called Lincoln Park Remembered, but it seems it's now out of print. They still have the video, though, which is kind of neat.

http://www.spinnerpub.com/cart/shop/books.html

I thinks there are supposed to be condos or something going in there now.

mbhenty @ Fri May 19, 2006 10:34 pm wrote:Is that the park where they kept the huge elephant building and board walk in the 20s, Asbury???

Actually Lucy the elephant was built in what was considered South Atlantic City in 1881, but is now known as Margate, NJ. Margate is about an hours drive from Asbury Park. I did find the official site on Lucy, quite an interesting history, or should that be herstory? Anyhoo, heres the link to the site:

http://www.lucytheelephant.org/indexhi.html


Thanks for the info, Chris. I love old footage of amusement parks, it justs amazes me what they could get away with in the day with their rides! So little safety gear and such, its a wonder there weren't more casualties.

This in this morning's paper about the Condominiums at Lincoln Park.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/05 ... 8local.htm

Thanks, Chris. Ugh, just what the world needs, more condos. They are so condo-happy out here in San Diego, knocking down beautiful, old homes from the late 1800s to early 1900s to put up some tasteless, boring style condos in areas that are already overcrowded.

Chris, your article reminded me of Palisades Park in New Jersey, which used to have a huge amusement park that is now gone and replaced with an apartment complex. So sad.