This Massachusetts Roller Coaster Is One Of The Oldest In The Northeast
I'm not much of a dare devil, but I do enjoy a roller coaster from time to time. The "Tilt-A-Whirl", or "Tea Cups", or anything that spins on something that spins is not for me, though. "The Pirate Ship" makes me kind of sick, too. I'll just stick with roller coasters.
I had the chance to take my kids to Canobie Lake Park in Salem, NH last September, a place I hadn't been to in years, and laid my eyes upon their old white, wooden roller coaster that I remember as a child and it got me thinking of JUST how old these things can be!
They were all wooden at first, but the first steel tubular roller coaster, "The Matterhorn", was apparently built in 1959 for Disneyland, and the future of the roller coaster was here.
September is upon us which means plenty of good weather left and plenty of fun to be had on roller coasters!
HERE ARE 3 OF NEW ENGLAND'S OLDEST ROLLER COASTERS
1. Thunderbolt at Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA
This wooden roller coaster opened up in 1941, and is currently the oldest roller coaster at Six Flags. Thunderbolt boasts a height of 70 feet and top speed is listed at 40 MPH.
2. Yankee Cannonball at Canobie Lake Park in Salem, NH
I spoke with a representative at the park on Friday and this old wooden roller coaster is absolutely operational and was built in 1930 and moved to Canobie Lake in 1936. Yankee Cannonball's height is listed at 65 feet and its top speed is 35 MPH and takes about 60 seconds finish.
3. Wildcat at Lake Compounce in Southington, CT
New England's oldest roller coaster is located in Lake Compounce amusement park. Built in 1927, this wooden coaster boasts a height of 85 feet, top speed is 48 MPH, and takes about 75 seconds to ride. Enjoy!
Here's a fun fact:
One of the oldest wood roller coasters ever, built in 1912 was located at Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts.
The coaster along with the park closed in 1984.