Amusement Parks
Adventureland Newburyport, Ma <—————-<<<<
**NEW VIDEO**
Adventureland – was located on Scotland Rd near the junction of Rt 95 Newbury, Ma., Scotland Road exit. Locate It It operated during the 1950’s – 60’s. I’m not sure if it survived into the 70″s as Salisbury Beach was an up and coming amusement center during that time. I do not remember this place and was surprised to hear a place called Adventureland even existed at Newburyport. What do you know about it?
Adventureland Videos
Video Source: Paul Aiesi Circa 1958 Adventureland Scotland Rd Newburyport, Ma
Thank you Paul. I am betting you are the only person with live video of Adventureland. Historically this is a great contribution to the people of Newburyport. Some are still foaming over the Lord Timothy Dexter days, but in 100 years your videos will finally get appreciated. However, those who frequent NBPTMA.com today, appreciate them now!
Adventureland-RetroLive-Video <—————-<<<<
“They were taken by my father on an old 8mm camera. I am the boy on the top of the stage and outside the entrance. I look about 11 years old so that would be 1958. I loved Adventureland and I think others who remember it will love to see them.” Paul Aiesi
Adventureland Photos
<—————-<<<< I’d like to thank g travis who dropped fourteen B&W Adventure Land pics into my email. He has a family connection to Adventureland that he has shared in a story below in the comments section. Thanks for the great memory! 
Adventureland Newburyport, Ma <—————-<<<<
Later Years…
About Shawn Gearin - ModeratorShawn is a former NBPTMA resident from 1967-1996. He lived at 5 Walnut St in a gray Greek revival home. He was a Whittier Tech 1986 graduate and a Northern Essex Community college graduate where he wrote and photographed for both school's newspapers. Finishing his education at Hesser College and North Shore Community College, he received a BA in Business Management and a FAA Private Pilot Certification. An aviation, photography enthusiast and telecommunications project manager, he enjoys writing history, personal memoirs, and asking lots of questions on his hosted websites. Now a resident of North Carolina, he lives with his family in a 1930 farmhouse on a gentleman's farm surrounded by cattle from other nearby farms. YEAT!
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Duncan Chase Old Hill Burying Ground 
Father Gerard Darcia French Church. Federal St.
Hand Tubs / Firemen Musters/
Built: 1878 Manufacture: Button Cylinders: 10 Reg #: 650 Fire Department: Newburyport, Ma Class: A Neptune 8 – is owned by the Neptune Veteran Firemen’s Association of Newburyport Ma. ————————————————————————————————————- Ould Newbury Protection #1 -This pump’s hometown is Newbury, Ma. Built: 1865 Manufacture: J Cylinders: 10 Reg #: ?? Fire Department: Newbury, Ma Class: A […]
I remember it and I grew up in Chelmsford. Most people I know around here (I now live in Georgetown and worked in Newbury for 20 years) know nothing about it. I can remember a big pirate ship on an outcropping of rocks (near where the stat police station is now) right on route 95. I also remember Fort Apache that was in the vicinity of where the DPW is now.
I would love to learn more. I think I went there but I am not sure. I just remember driving by all the time.
I remember going there when I was a kid.Its funny no one seems to remember the place.I always look for the spot on the side of 95 where that ship was, I think it was just before Scottland Rd. I know I have post cards of that place some where.
folks bought aplace in seabrook nh in 1957. use to go right past this on rt. 95. Big pirate ship right on ledge above rt. 95 . big sign ” adventureland” on side of ship. Not going to believe this but I have been semi- fastinated with this. Went there 1x early 1960 ‘s. They had a little western town ( think Rifleman) with gunfights and a Fort Apache near the marsh. today ( AFTER 45 YRS.) I parked in the State police station (today 11.19.08) and spent A HALF hour walking around this place looking for clues to it’s existence. All i found was a remnant of an old buggy toward the marsh end of the old property . I thouoght i would find more. there is what appears to be a ”road” and interestingly from this foto, an extensive stone wall along what I beleive is the back of the old property. it was unusual for a 51 yr. old guy !
I remember riding by on rte.95N one Sunday and seeing an Indian sitting cross legged on a rock out cropping. He was waving people to come in. I still look for that Indian. The thinks you remember as a kid.
Interesting to find out I’m not the only one wondering what happened to this amusement park. My family used to summer in NH and one summer I visited Adventureland with my cousins. This was around 1959 and I would have been around 6yrs old. I remember riding in the stage coach and the bandits robbing the coach. My memory is being in tears not realizing this was just part of the coach ride. I drive down 95 and always try to remember exactly where Adventureland is.
I used to live in Georgetown and I still travel past the ghost of Adventureland. I too still try to remember where exactly it was. I visited it probably about 1959-60. I remember driving by the pirate ship on the cliff overlooking the highway countless times and looking out for the fort in the distance.
Thanks for the pictures. They are great and really brought back the memories. Its funny as we get older how we try to recapture childhood moments. It would be great to find out more history about it.
i visited adventureland today and theres nothing left except this old rusty thing and some weird electric wire post. its alll marsh now. its kinda disapointing. tho i am only 20 but my uncle told me about it and i wish there would have been more remains left it would have been cool to see something from so long ago something my mother grew up with!!
Honorable mention for the Salisbury Beach “skyline” as seen from the sea-wall at Joppa Flats. Dominated at night by the glow of the lights on the coaster. Also lighted were the Frolics, Ferris wheel, the Normandy, and the other hotel, ( forgot its name. Terry O’Reilly owns it now and has converted it to modern condos…).
WELL HERES’S THE STORY .
BACK IN 1969 MY PARENTS WERE IN TRANSITION OF BUYING A LARGER HOME US FOR KIDS , THERE WAS ME THE OLDEST AT THE TIME AT 9 OR 10 AND MY FOUR SISTERS 8 , 7 6 , AND 4 . WE LEFT GEORGETOWN MASS AND MOVED INTO THE PROPERTY AFTER IT CLOSED AT 1 SCOTLAND ROAD NEWBURY MASS NOT NEWBURYPORT LIKE IT SAYS ON SOME OF THE POST CARDS . THERE WAS ADVENTURELAND AND ON THE PROPERTY WHERE ABOUT WHERE THE NEW POLICE STATION STANDS THERE WAS A HOUSE WITH 3 BEDROOMS AND AN OFFICE THAT WAS USED FOR ADVENTURELAND . WHEN WE MOVED INTO THE HOUSE . THE GARAGE WAS FILLED WITH STUFF FROM THE AMUSEMENT PARK FROM BEING CLOSED PRIOR TO US MOVING IN SUCH AS CAROUSEL HORSES AND THINGS FROM ALL THE RIDES THAT USE TO BE THERE . IN THE HOUSE THE OFFICE WAS FILLED WITH POST CARDS AND MAPS AND TICKETS OF ADVENTURELAND . AS YOU LOOK AT THE POLICE STATION NOW THAT USE TO BE THE PARKING LOT TO ADVENTURELAND . THERE USE TO BE AN OVAL SHAPED DRIVEWAY THAT WENT AROUND THE PARKING LOT , ONE TO THE HOUSE TO THE LEFT AND THE OTHER TO THE ENTRANCE TO ADVENTURELAND IS . THE CASTLE WAS THE MAIN ENTRACE TO ADVENTURELAND . AS YOU PASSED THRU THE CASTLE THERE WAS 3 ROADS 1 TO THE RIGHT THAT LEAD TO AN OLD LADY IN THE SHOE SLIDE AND A 3 BEARS HOUSE . IF YOU WENT STRAIGHT THERE WAS A GINGER BREAD HOUSE WHICH WAS CONCESSION STAND AND THEN TO THE JACK AND THE BEAN STOCK LIKE IN THE PICTURES I POST HERE . IF YOU WENT TO THE LEFT YOU WENT TO THE SOVERNIR SHOPS AND THEN TO THE SHIP THAT WAS ALONG THE HIGHWAY AND THEN TO DODGE CITY AND THE A RAILROAD RIDE AND THEN TO FORT APACHE . THE ROAD THEN LOOPED AROUND BACK TO THE JACK AND THE BEAN STALK AND TO SOME MERRY GO ROUND RIDES AND ROLLER COASTER AND SUCH . IF YOU WENT TO THE RIGHT AFTER ENTERING THE CASTLE YOU WENT TO THE OLD LADY IN THE SHOE SLIDE AND THE THREE BEARS HOUSE AND ON TO WHERE THE HAD LION CAGES AND SOME SORT OF FENCED IN AREA WHERE THEY HAD SOME KIND OF ANIMALS .. TO A LEFT IT BROUGHT YOU TO THE LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE AND A PUMPKIN FOR PETER-PETER PUMPKIN EATER HOUSE SHAPED LIKE A PUMPKIN . IT WAS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO GROW UP IN WITH ME AND MY FAMILY WHEN I WAS A KID . IT WAS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE AND THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO . OF COURSE LIVING AT A CLOSED DOWN AMUSEMENT PARK WE ALWAYS HAD LOT OF FRIENDS THAT CAME OVER TO VISIT . DURING THE 70’S AS I WAS GROWING UP IT WAS ALWAYS FUN TO RUN INTO THE PEOPLE THAT CAME ACROSS AT AT ADVENTURELAND , THE HIPPIE’S , THE PARTYERS AND THE CURIOUS . YOU WOULD ALWAYS RUN INTO SOMEONE THERE AFTER THE PARK CLOSED . DURING THE LATE 70’S RT 95 WENT FROM A 2 LANE HIGHWAY INTO A 4 LANE HIGHWAY TAKING THE SIGN FOR ADVENTURELAND AND THE HOUSE WE RENTED AND ADVENTURE LAND AND ITS PROPERTY WAS SOLD TO THE STATE . THE STATE OF MASS CAME IN AND TOOK DOWN ALL THE BUILDINGS . WE THEN MOVED TO NEWBURY OFF OF MARLBORO STREET WHERE I MADE LOTS OF FRIENDS AND HOSTED LOTS OF GET TOGETHERS DURING THE LATE 70’S AND EARLY 80’S AT THE CLOSED DOWN AMUSEMENT PARK . THEY THEN BUILT THE NOW STATE POLICE BARRACK AND ALL THAT CAME TO AN END . IM NOT SURE BUT THE PEOPLE THAT USE TO OWN ADVENTURELAND ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT OWN STORYLAND IN NEW HAMPSHIRE . I SENT SHAWN SOME MORE PICTURES OF ADVENTURELAND AND I HOPE HE WILL POST THE FOR ALL TO SEE . I WILL SEND HIM SOME MORE WHEN I CAN COME ACROSS THEM AND POST THEM FOR ALL TO SEE .
Always a Salisbury Beach fan, I was pleased to see some Frolics relics still at the beach. Prior to the demolition of the entire Frolics block, that also included the biggest arcade at the beach, the Salisbury Discount store was a brief tenant of the building. That business has since relocated to the same block as Christy’s Pizza, Tripoli’s, etc.. The Frolics, the lower building that once housed a Mac Donalds, and other connected businesses, were razed in the late 1990s or early 2000s. The site of the long standing landmark is a mere patch of grassy sand. But don’t despair, some memorabilia was salvaged and now adorns the walls of the Salisbury Discount store. It’s not much but there are some of the dozens of photos of some of the celebrities who appeared at the old Frolics, along with some of the original neon lighting. Nice to see someone had the good sense to save some of those old treasures. I had the good fortune to be allowed a last look at the complex along with my son early in the demolition process at the invitation of one of the workers on site. I have to say that it stirred up memories of better times for Salisbury Beach. It goes without saying, that the “Beach” as we called it, was in many ways in need of some fresh paint. There was always an element of risk associated with a Friday or Saturday night junket to the “resort”… The whole place lacked the “family” feel of Hampton Beach a few short miles up the rode. But it was closer for we south end boys, the bright lights beckoning us from across the river. From an early age, My affection for the place started when I was first strapped onto a wooden stallion on the merry-go-round. I remember the insane “laughing” figure atop the fun house next door to the Normandy Hotel. The electric smell of the “Dodgems” permeating the air while walking by the Midway arcade and the roller coaster. We’d always stop to watch as the coaster operator, standing on a worn wood plank platform, pulled back on a tall lever with both hands setting the coaster cars in motion. The train would begin a brief decent down a mild looping slope, passing the crowd of onlookers. Then it would link to the noisy lift chain and begin its jerky accent up the steep incline of the first hill, disappearing in the darkness. Then the expected silent pause as the consist reached the apex followed by equally expected screams and the accompanying cacophony of wheels rattling on the tops, sides, and bottoms of the aging steel plated rails… A pepper steak was a pepper steak then. The onion rings were stacked on a straw in a cardboard clam-box. Pizza was still fifteen cents a slice… “Pin Boys” would re-set your bowling pins and the giant clown up on the roof at Lena’s would move his head side to side… Shaheen’s Fun-o -rama was the place for a ride through the Witch’s Castle. The ride of rides though, was the Himalaya. The ride operators worked their way up to elite status to become a member of this ride crew. Their special uniform that set them apart from other operators, etc. was a blazer and turtle-neck ensemble’… Part of the charm and thrill of the ride was the when the music volume would fade and the D.J. in the booth would say, “Hold tight while we go real fast” followed by ” It’s the Himalaya, Aye, yi, yi”… Roger Shaheen is gone and so is his Fun-o-rama, a parking lot is on the site now. In one corner though, is one of the original buildings that made up the park, boarded up and painted yellow… The police station remains unchanged. The public rest-rooms behind it are still there too, much in the same condition as they were forty years ago. I miss all of it, the crowds of people down from every city and town in the Merrimack Valley, the state police, local police and the paddy wagon parked at the ready in the center. The memories of pockets full of quarters, sights, sounds, and smells that for better or worse, are left in that musty shell that was the last vestige of the old beach that my son and I got to look at. For him, the first look. For me, the last…
Wow this is a great find, I was telling someone at work about Adventureland, Although I don’t remember weather I went there or not. I was also telling them when I was young walking through the pasture land out that way, (maybe the industrial park area), and coming across an old airfield out there, but I cannot find any information about this, does anybody know anything about it?
Thank you
That used to be Reardon’s Airfield. I recall seeing a plane or two landing out there. I remember it as an un-paved surface that ran East to West.
“Oddities” seemed to abound in the New England area. Newburyport and its surrounding towns had their share. Some are a distant and hazy memory, others were around recently enough or still are and leave a vivid impression on the observer. Some unique things include none other than Ben Butler’s Toothpick near Black Rock Creek in Salisbury. The big Pink Whale that is part of a defunct mini-golf course also in Salisbury, just before the Beach. Seabrook had “The Old Man of Seabrook”. His likeness, in relief form, adorned a wall on a building on old Route 1 Northbound, for many years. Also in Seabrook was Perry’s Nut House. On Plummer Spring Rd. near the Artichoke Reservoir were the remnants of several house foundations. They remained there for many years and were almost hidden by encroaching vegetation. There were indeed houses on them at one time. These were taken by eminent domain for expansion of the reservoir back in the mid 60’s. The expansion never happened at that location. the displaced owners and their families moved for nothing. Down the road on Rte: 1 in Topsfield was a guard-shack we used to pass by when I was a kid. It held a real live U.S. soldier and whenwe passed by, we would wave to the guard on duty, he’d wave back. The gate that was behind that shack was in fact a “Nike” missle base. This remnant of the “Cold War” was very real and very active in the early to mid 60’s. The bunkers are still there, behind a housing development. Newburyport had its share of visual oddities that we got to see on a daily basis so were taken for granted. The submarine at Rangelight Marina. The abandoned steamboat Emita on Rings Island. The two massive towers, one on the Newburyport shore, the other in Salisbury. These were electric wire supports that carried the wires over the Merrimack from the generator plant on Water St. To the casual observor they looked to be made of steel and therefore quite sturdy. They were in fact built from standard length telephone poles,dozens of them, bolted together. The two towers are gon now, the cables now run under the river. It seems Newburyport and its “New” kind of residents, don’t care to have their “view” encumbered in any way. Look closely at railroad rights of way run diagonally down neighborhood streets. Check the ghost images on the sides of downtown buildings that were once advertisements. Some things still remain, though nearly hidden from view or from neglect. Reardon’s Airfield may still be partly there too.
p. j. nichypor.
First, thank you for your quick reply to my question about the airfield.
Second, I’ll bet you had family on Independent St, right?
Also, I don’t mean to correct you, but wasn’t it Range Lights Marina, and both lights are still there, (I believe). The reason it was named so was that the square brick lighthouse, and the smaller round wood lighthouse, which would now be on the Coast Guard base, some how worked together to mark the channel.
But I’m quite in agreement with all your other fact above, some of which only a south end boy, (or girl) would remember.
So you remember the Marina, do you remember the “Bait Boat”? Boy wouldn’t I like to find me a picture of that!
Quite right with regard to the two lighthouse structures being the “Range-lights”. Actually Franklin St. was where we lived. Although the last name was found on Independent St., Charles St., and a few others around the South End. The old family names that were fixtures for generations in Newburyport are all but gone. Most have been priced out of the former “Yankee City”. It is a whole different place now. Practical stores that served and supplied a community have been replaced with short lived shops that are purveyors of overpriced decorations, “Junk”. Newburyport has become just another on of the hundreds of generic and quite useless tourist venues that have replaced the genuine living cities we grew up in. For what it is worth, take a ride through places like Lawrence and Lynn. They may seem to be a little rough around the edges and perhaps too multi-cultured and ethnically diverse for some people’s comfort level. I happen to see these communities as the continuum. They have not found a need to masquerade as something they were never meant to be. Newburyport, in its desire to re-invent itself, has in fact destroyed the fabric of a community by ostracizing the one true resource it had right along, the people… Now family homes that housed one last name for a couple of centuries have given way to “Investment” properties. Churches have been converted to “Condos” or the ridiculous sounding “Luxury” apartments, ( The only thing luxury is the price…). Where once a pair of jeans or some reasonably priced shoes were bought, a lovely scented candle can be had at an obscenely inflated price. Maybe there is still hope for a return to normalcy. One positive is that the former “Taffy’s” luncheonette on State St. that was quickly converted to some snobbed up “Wine & Cheese” joint. Failed and has reverted to a luncheonette aptly re-named “Taffy’s”. Hmmm, seems there is no honor amongst “Carpetbaggers”. Next, we will see the return of real stores, not “Shoppes”, in the downtown. Yeah, I remember the Bait Boat. How about the C&R, the Knickerbocker, theTwist O Flex, and so many other boats that served a practical purpose on the river.
Yes, I remember the C & R, it burned didn’t it?, I remember the Knickerbocker too, can’t say I remember the Twist though.
Anyone remember the “Flying Horses” at Salisbury Beach ? Seems they are on the auction block again from where they ended up ( San Diego )
Story here :
http://www.equiworld.net/uk/ezine/0104/carousel.htm
Your reminiscing brings back so many memories. I’ve been trying to recall the name of the junk store that occupied the corner os State and Water St. Circa 1950’s. Any help available?
I’m 62 now but I was 8 yrs old when my parents used to take me to Adventureland. It was an all day outing. Staff in costumes would get into gun fights in the middle of town. They would encourage the kids to draw their guns and get in on the fun. Then there was the trip to Boot Hill after the gun fight. Great memories. Not any places like that around here any more.
@Bill where is Boot Hill?
I was driving up Rt. 95 tonight and had a flashback to Adventureland. I remember as a kid being so excited to spot the pirate ship with he sign. I remember riding in the stagecoach and getting held up by the bandits and being so scared I cried. We went there every summer as a kid. It was one of the highlights. I read through the posts but am curious if anyone knows the admission price back in the Fifties/Sixties? That and Pleasure Island were our summertime treats. Thanks for the photos. Can’t wait to show my sister.
There’s an advert for Adventureland in a 1957 edition of the Lowell Sun. If you click on the link, you can zoom or use a magnifying lens to have a better look. It’s really neat. It says REPEAT VISIT by popular request TV Star “BIG BROTHER” Bob Emery In Person Sat. August 10th at 2pm. Which was in 1957 of course. http://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun/1957-08-09/page-16
I never had the opportunity to go to Adventureland, but my brother did and remember mom telling the story of how “bank robber” on the train hid the “sack of money” under my brother’s seat, and when the “sheriff” came on board my brother was so scared he pointed under his seat to tell the sheriff where the money was. My brother also mentioned that “Miss Jean” from Romper Room was there that time….lol. I remember driving by it on the highway, and for years you could still see some of the buildings standing, but they eventually ended up getting rid of them.
[img]https://nbptma.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/adventlnd.JPG[/img]
How great it was to find this forum. I went to Adventureland as a kid with my family and oh, how real
the stage coach robberies were! It was always summer so it was hot and dusty..just like the wild west. Funny how few people remember the place. We used to go to NH from the South Shore, so I am sure that is why we would stop there. I also look off into the marshland when driving north on 95 where it used to be, reliving those fun days. Pleasure Island in Wakefield was another favorite summer spot,
that brings back happy memories of my childhood.
I remember going to Adventureland. My mom has a picture of me sitting on a horse. I also. Remember storyland.still visit storyland today. Storyland opened in 1954 I believe.
I do not remember “g travis” personally, but my mother was friends with his mother. I just came across this thread, and it really brought me back to my childhood. Adventureland had closed by the time i was born, but my mother would bring me with her when she stopped by to visit. It was so cool playing in the red school house and all the other buildings that were still standing. Looking at these pictures really brought back some great memories, and I’m smiling right now, ear to ear. I was heart broken when the family had to move away, since I could no longer play in “the private amusement park”! I still remember being mad when they built the State Police Barracks!
I, too, remember Adventureland as a landmark as I traveled up and down I-95 in the 60’s going to and from my home in Marion, MA and college at UMaine. When I returned to the area in 1980 it was all gone and my wife thought I was crazy that an amusement park used to be there. Now I have proof!
Unfortunately this site does not accept video uploads. I have 6 short videos taken on 8mm (now .wmv) from about 1958. About 14MB total. Shows gunfight, stagecoach, old man with white beard and cane, etc. Quality is just so-so but ok. If anyone knows of a site to upload to (not social networking or sites you have to register on) post it on here and I will try.
Hi I am doing a school project on Adventure land. I am making a scale model of adventureland and I was wondering if any of you had anything on what was inside adventureland and what it looked like. I still don’t know what the piny express and pint marigo round looked like or where the clown face was or the jack and Jill or the roller coaster or even where the waterfall was. If you have anything that could help please comment. I desperately need it. Project due April 1st.
Hi Anna – I am seeking the help of someone who knows more than I. I will update you asap. Thanks for visiting the site. – Shawn
Adventureland Park map
https://nbptma.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/adventureland-map.jpg
There was a Fort Apache not shown on the map , It was straight thru the western town . You crossed over a set of railroad tracks down a hill under a bridge where the railroad tracks made for a circle for train rides . It was a palisade fortress with just a couple of buildings in it , one was a stable for horses .
Little history I just found ,
http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x934953420/A-forgotten/print
Thank you very much Shawn for the help it was much appreciated.
I know, but does anyone else know who Ben Butler was? Also, I believe my father was the only man who ever walked across the Merrimack River on foot at low tide? Trivia is good, keeps the cob webs cleared out!
Ben Butler was a Union Army General……………..I also have a photo of the “Toothpick” in my study……………….Do you remember the “Blinking Light”………??