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    Pleasure Island: 1959-1969
    Pleasure Island: 1959-1969
    Pleasure Island: 1959-1969
    Ebook158 pages28 minutes

    Pleasure Island: 1959-1969

    By Robert McLaughlin

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    Pleasure Island opened on June 22, 1959, in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Designed by Marco Engineering of Los Angeles, it was the second of three innovative theme parks built across America to mimic Disneyland. Pleasure Island was conceived by William Hawkes, president of Child Life magazine, and with support from Boston’s Cabot, Cabot & Forbes and local and national investors, the vision of the park was brought to life. Just by passing through a turnstile, children and the young at heart could leave the present and enter into a world of the past. Clipper Cove was a replica of an old New England fishing village, and Goldpan Gulch re-created the Old West. With state-of-the-art attractions and national and local live entertainment, Pleasure Island became one of the top-grossing parks in the nation. Known as the “Disneyland of the East,” the park was enjoyed for 11 seasons, until its closing in 1969.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateJun 30, 2014
    ISBN9781439645970
    Pleasure Island: 1959-1969
    Author

    Robert McLaughlin

    Robert McLaughlin has an avid interest in theme park history. He is also the author of Pleasure Island, Boston's own former Disneyland of the East. Frank R. Adamo started at Freedomland as a heavy equipment operator and moved on to management positions for the life of the park. Adamo was also in charge of dismantling Freedomland. It is Adamo's extensive photograph collection and his collective involvement with Freedomland that made this book possible.

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      Book preview

      Pleasure Island - Robert McLaughlin

      collection.

      INTRODUCTION

      Pleasure Island opened on June 22, 1959, the first of 11 seasons before closing in 1969. The following is a brief background of the players in this story. William Hawkes is the main character. It was his idea for a family recreation center in the Boston area. Next is Cabot, Cabot & Forbes (CC&F), the Boston-based firm that owned the Wakefield Industrial Center fronting Route 128. Completing the trio was C.V. Wood, who was formerly the vice president and first general manager of Disneyland. His company, Marco Engineering, designed Pleasure Island.

      During an interview in 2003, Bill Hawkes discussed that the CC&F site in Wakefield was the most desirable after researching several locations.

      In one of the many interviews this author had with Bill, this is the best story. Bill presented his case to CC&F’s executive vice president Robert C. Linnell that he would like to bring CC&F’s land and construction company in on his proposed Pleasure Island project. Linnell promptly said no. That was Thursday. Linnell took a trip to Lake George over the weekend to Storytown (now the Six Flags Great Escape) and noticed the cash flowing. On Monday morning, Linnell and his boss, Gerald Blakely Jr., called Hawkes, and the deal was done.

      CC&F would end up contributing $300,000 in equity by supplying the site. In addition, it handled construction from its wholly owned Aberthaw Construction Company, the engineering, traffic studies, and cost analysis.

      With Hawkes, CC&F, and Marco Engineering in gear, it was time to raise the necessary funds to design and construct Pleasure Island. Between bringing in corporate sponsors, as explained in chapter three, and selling shares to approximately 25 investors, a total $2.5 million was raised. According to published reports, lessees put another $500,000 into their stores and restaurants. In addition, the park’s planning and development costs amounted to $250,000. Railroad equipment, rented from F. Nelson Blount, a member of the board of directors and the owner of Edaville Railroad in South Carver, Massachusetts, was estimated at about $750,000. To get an idea of the costs from construction to admission, according to an online inflation calculator, the value of a dollar in 1959 would be $8.12 in 2014.

      The site consisted of 76 acres of dryland and 92 acres of meadowland (swamp) for a combined total of 168 acres. According to a press release from Pleasure Island’s public relations division, Just months before opening day, Pleasure Island was mostly swampland. Engineers removed and relocated more than 200,000 cubic yards of earth to create its villages, roads, and parks.

      From CC&F’s report for investors, prior to construction, the following is this author’s summary on one of the issues facing the park’s engineers: at certain times of the year, the city of Lynn pulls water from the Saugus River, which runs through Reedy Meadow, to supplement the city’s water supply. Because Pleasure Island’s ponds would impound 17 million gallons of water behind its dikes during the park’s operating season, there had to be an agreement to close the gates at the Lynn Dam (by the current Sheraton Colonial Hotel). Historically, according to this report, Lynn does not use water from this source between the months of April and October. The city of Lynn continues to pull water from this source as needed.

      The following excerpts are from a memo, dated February 4, 1959, from Ted Ogden, a member of Bill Hawkes’s management team: As we discussed on Monday, February 2, it is requested that the costs for Trestle No. 1 (the over the water trestle) be re-figured for the following two variations: 1. An extension of the present span to a width of between 36' and 40', without incorporating any additional piers. 2. An extension of the present span to twice its width, supported by another group of piers. The memo continues, As the trestle is now planned, we will have to have one way traffic and control lights, and this would be a bottle-neck for any future water rides we would build in the outer harbor. The photograph of this trestle, on page 51, reflects the outcome of this request for two-way boat traffic.

      From another of Ogden’s memos, dated March 24, 1959: "water-tank—300 gallons of water will be used each hour. The water tank will hold 1,500 gallons. Location—50' from north end of railroad station platform on inbound side of track. Grade—the 3% grade on the track leading from the south curve to Trestle No. 1 is satisfactory. If, for any reason, the engine must stop on this grade, it can back down to level track and start again from there. This has been cleared with

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