Rocky Point State Park

Last updated

Rocky Point State Park
Rocky Point State Park1.JPG
The large arch is one of the few artifacts which remain of the former amusement park.
USA Rhode Island relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in Rhode Island
Location Warwick, Rhode Island, United States
Coordinates 41°41′29″N71°21′48″W / 41.69139°N 71.36333°W / 41.69139; -71.36333 [1]
Area120 acres (49 ha)
Elevation16 ft (4.9 m) [1]
Established2014
AdministratorRhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Parks & Recreation
Website Rocky Point State Park

Rocky Point State Park is a passive use state park on Narragansett Bay in Warwick, Rhode Island. The land has been a public attraction since the mid-1800s, most notably as Rocky Point Amusement Park. When the amusement park closed in 1995, it sat abandoned for years until the city and state purchased the land in stages between 2008 and 2013. It reopened to the public as a state park in October 2014.

Contents

History

Rocky Point has been a public attraction since the mid-1800s, located 10 miles from the state capital on a coastal point in Warwick, Rhode Island. William Winslow first began serving dinner and offering amusements when he purchased the land in 1847. By the middle of the 20th century, it was a very popular amusement park offering dozens of rides, including roller coasters, a log flume, Skyliner, Freefall, ferris wheel, and carousel. It was also home to the Shore Dinner Hall, a 4,000-seat food hall just outside the amusement park gates serving clamcakes, steamers, lobster, and New England clam chowder.

Remains of the Skyliner ride's upper turnaround in December 2015. Rocky Point State Park - Skyliner2.JPG
Remains of the Skyliner ride's upper turnaround in December 2015.
View of the park, with the Arch on the left and Olympic swimming pool on right Rocky Point State Park.jpg
View of the park, with the Arch on the left and Olympic swimming pool on right

The park was owned by private interests throughout its history. Initially, steamboat captain William Winslow brought passengers there to dine or to use as a park. It was purchased from him in 1865 by Byron Sprague, and sold again in 1869 to the Continental Steamboat Company which brought Randall A. Harrington on to manage it. Harrington built up the popular space into a premier resort. Following a destructive fire in 1883, its character shifted to emphasizing rides, performances, sports, and other attractions. [2] The park changed hands a few times but maintained its popularity throughout the 20th century. In the 1990s, its parent company struggled financially, and the park closed in November 1994. Many of the rides and attractions were sold, but much of the park sat abandoned for years, a popular site for vandals and urban explorers. [3] It became a safety concern after multiple fires, eroding structures, and pervasive vandalism, and demolition of its remains began in May 2007. [3]

Ruins of an old water tank remain on a hill in the east part of the park. Rocky Point State Park - water tank ruins2.jpg
Ruins of an old water tank remain on a hill in the east part of the park.

Acquisition for public use

The City of Warwick purchased 41 acres with state and federal funding in 2007, taking the title in August 2008. [4] [5] Rocky Point reopened to the public in June 2011, with a freshly paved walking path along the shore. [6] Then-mayor of Warwick, Scott Avedisian, remarked that it was the first time in 80 years that an acre of shoreline was opened in the city for public use. [6]

On election day in 2010, Rhode Island introduced a ballot measure to purchase the remaining 83 acres in and around the site, combining it with the 41 already owned in order to establish it as a state park. [7] The measure passed by a vote ratio of nearly 2:1. [8] The purchase was approved by the Small Business Administration in September 2012 and the last portion of land transferred to the state in March 2013. [9]

The remaining buildings, including the Shore Dinner Hall, were demolished in summer 2014. [10] Once completed, the space was cleaned, developed, and finally reopened as a state park on October 25, 2014. [7] [11] [12]

Description

Rocky Point is a passive use area, with most of the former amusement park now open space. [13] A few structures from the amusement park remain, including the circa 1906 Circle Swing ride tower; the upper and lower stations and support towers from the Skyliner gondola ride; ruins of an old water tank; and a large arch by the entrance. [14] [15] The arch, which was originally one of 11 “Peace Through Understanding” arches for the 1964-65 World's Fair in Flushing, Queens, New York, was subsequently moved to Rocky Point in 1966, and underwent restoration in 2016. [16] [17] [18] [19] In the summer the park screens movies on its lawn and hosts a 5K run. [20] [21] In 2017 and 2018, the state park hosted Food Truck Nights. A large public fishing pier was opened in July 2020. [22] It is the only true deep-water fishing pier in the bay. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warwick, Rhode Island</span> City in Rhode Island, United States

Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States, and is the third-largest city in the state, with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 census. Warwick is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) south of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, 63 miles (101 km) southwest of Boston, Massachusetts, and 171 miles (275 km) northeast of New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters</span> Roller coaster manufacturer

Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B. Auchy and Chester Albright under the name Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The company manufactured carousels, wooden roller coasters, toboggans and later, roller coaster trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clam chowder</span> Soup containing clams and broth or milk

Clam chowder is any of several chowder soups in American cuisine containing clams. In addition to clams, common ingredients include diced potatoes, salt pork, and onions. Other vegetables are not typically used. It is believed that clams were used in chowder because of the relative ease of harvesting them. Clam chowder is usually served with saltine crackers or small, hexagonal oyster crackers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steeplechase Park</span> Former amusement park in New York City

Steeplechase Park was an amusement park that operated in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City, United States, from 1897 to 1964. Steeplechase Park was created by the entrepreneur George C. Tilyou as the first of the three large amusement parks built on Coney Island, the other two being Luna Park (1903) and Dreamland (1904). Of the three, Steeplechase was the longest-lasting, running for 67 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riverside, Rhode Island</span> Area of East Providence, Rhode Island, US

Riverside is a neighborhood in the city of East Providence in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Despite not being an incorporated city, Riverside has its own zip code, 02915, and is an acceptable mailing address according to the United States Postal Service. Riverside has a population of approximately 20,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morey's Piers</span> Amusement park in New Jersey

Morey's Piers & Beachfront Waterparks is a seaside amusement park located on The Wildwoods' boardwalk in Wildwood and North Wildwood, New Jersey. The park has been family owned and operated since 1969 and was run by second generation Morey Brothers, Will and Jack. Morey's Piers has more than 100 rides and attractions across its three amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks.

<i>Jaws</i> (ride) Ride at Universal Studios Japan

Jaws is an amusement ride attraction based on the Jaws film series and is located at Universal Studios Japan. It originally opened at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando in 1990, and another installation later opened at Universal Studios Japan in 2001. The ride uses tour boats to take guests through a harbor of the fictional Amity Island, which begins as a leisurely tour that is abruptly interrupted by an attack of the famous great white shark. The concept is an expanded version of the Jaws miniature attraction featured in the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood in California. In 2012, the attraction was removed from the Florida theme park to make room for the second phase of expansion for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York, Providence and Boston Railroad</span> New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad subsidiary

The New York, Providence and Boston Railroad, normally called the Stonington Line, was a major part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad between New London, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island. It is now part of Amtrak's high-speed Northeast Corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild Waves Theme Park</span> Amusement park in Washington state, United States

Wild Waves Theme & Water Park is an amusement park and water park in Federal Way, Washington. Opened in 1977 as The Enchanted Village, the park is a popular summer destination in the Pacific Northwest. The park's name was reverted to Wild Waves Water Park and Enchanted Village Amusement Park in April 2016, and once again changed to Wild Waves Theme and Water Park in November 2016, as a result of the park's acquisition by EPR Properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skycoaster</span> Amusement park ride

Skycoaster is the name of a free-fall and flight-simulating amusement park attraction produced and managed by Skycoaster Company, LLC.. On the Skycoaster, riders in groups of 1 to 3 are harnessed in specialized Flight Suits, and are winched to the top of a launch tower; the riders then pull a ripcord to engage their “flight”, upon which they swing several times from a cable tether, back and forth, until finally brought to a rest. The attraction is often compared to a combination of skydiving, bungee jumping, and hang gliding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillsgrove, Rhode Island</span> Village in Warwick, Rhode Island, U.S.

Hillsgrove, originally Hill's Grove, is a village in western central Warwick, Rhode Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Park</span> Amusement park in California

Pacific Park is an oceanfront amusement park located in Santa Monica, California. The park, located on the Santa Monica Pier, looks directly out on the Pacific Ocean, in the direction of Santa Catalina Island. It is the only amusement park directly located on the West Coast of the United States located on a pier and LA's only admission-free park. There are a total of thirteen rides in Pacific Park, including the world's first and only solar-powered ferris wheel that provides a view of the Pacific Ocean and a roller coaster that circles the majority of the park. Pacific Park is also home to 14 midway games and over-the-ocean food and retail outlets. It has appeared in over 500 movies and television shows such as Fat Albert, Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Kidsongs, 90210, Bean, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, as well as the popular video game Grand Theft Auto V. In 2020, it featured in the opening ident for the sky television channel Sky Comedy. It is operated by SC Holdings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky Point Amusement Park</span> Former amusement park in Warwick, Rhode Island

Rocky Point Park was an amusement park on the Narragansett Bay shore of Warwick, Rhode Island. It operated from the late 1840s until it closed in 1995. In 1996, the park officially filed for bankruptcy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles I. D. Looff</span> Danish carver and amusement park ride builder

Charles I. D. Looff was a Danish master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides, who immigrated to the United States of America in 1870. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he built over 40 carousels, several amusements parks, numerous roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built California's famous Santa Monica Pier. He became famous for creating the unique Coney Island style of carousel carving.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adventure Island (amusement park)</span> Amusement park in England

Adventure Island is a theme park in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. The site of the theme park flanks the north end of Southend Pier and has been a theme park since 1976 when the land now forming the west side of the park was purchased by the Miller family. The park used to be known as Peter Pan's Playground and later Peter Pan's Adventure Island before becoming Adventure Island. The site is owned and managed by Stockvale Limited. The park contains thirty six rides, retail outlets, and numerous catering outlets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conimicut Light</span> United States historic place

Conimicut Light, built in 1883, is a historic sparkplug lighthouse in Warwick, Rhode Island. The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The lighthouse is said to be in "relatively good condition."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Providence, Rhode Island</span> Capital city of Rhode Island, US

Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, it is one of the oldest cities in New England, founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers. The city developed as a busy port, as it is situated at the mouth of the Providence River at the head of Narragansett Bay.

Crescent Park was an amusement park in Riverside, East Providence, Rhode Island which ran from 1886 to 1979. The park was known for its Rhode Island Shore Dinners, the Alhambra Ballroom, and its midway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warwick Railway</span> Railroad in Rhode Island, United States

The Warwick Railway was a railroad in Rhode Island, United States. It was originally chartered in 1873 under the name Warwick Railroad, with a route connecting Cranston to Oakland Beach, eight miles (13 km) away. Opened in 1875, the company survived until 1879 when it declared bankruptcy and shut down; it was resurrected in 1880 as the Rhode Island Central Railroad under New York, Providence and Boston Railroad (NYP&B) ownership and extended by two miles (3.2 km) in length. Following the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad's purchase of the NYP&B in 1892, operations continued with steam power until the Rhode Island Central Railroad's 1899 consolidation with the Rhode Island Suburban Railway, at which point the line was electrified and trolleys replaced steam locomotives. Control subsequently passed to the United Electric Railways in 1921. Passenger trolley service was discontinued in 1935, but freight service continued; the following year, the line was cut back from its 10-mile (16 km) maximum length to just two miles (3.2 km).

References

  1. 1 2 "Rocky Point". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ↑ Klyberg, Albert T. "Colonel Randall A. Harrington". Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Needham, Cynthia (May 8, 2007). "It's the end of the line for beloved Rocky Point". The Providence Journal . Archived from the original on August 28, 2007. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  4. ↑ Polichetti, Barbara (August 14, 2008). "No challenges to Warwick's acquisitions of 41 acres of former Rocky Point Amusement Park". The Providence Journal . Archived from the original on June 22, 2011.
  5. ↑ Borkowski, Rob (October 24, 2014). "Warwick, State Officials Celebrate Rocky Point Park's Debut". Warwick Post. Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Davis, Paul (June 21, 2011). "Update: Part of Rocky Point Park opens Friday". The Providence Journal . Archived from the original on June 23, 2011.
  7. 1 2 "DEM Invites Rhode Islanders to Public Open House at Rocky Point State Park on Saturday, October 25". Rhode Island government website. October 16, 2014. Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Rhode Island Capital Bonds for Open Space Question, Question 4 (2010)". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on December 6, 2012. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  9. ↑ Mario Hilario (September 17, 2012). "RI purchases Rocky Point to develop state park". Turnto10.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  10. ↑ Polichetti, Barbara (July 22, 2014). "Shore Dinner Hall demolition signals new era at Rocky Point park". The Providence Journal . Archived from the original on November 13, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Round and Round They Go: Remembering Rocky Point Park". rockypointpark.org. March 24, 2008. Archived from the original on July 7, 2008.
  12. ↑ McCaffery, Jen (October 27, 2014). "Reminiscing at Rocky Point". Rhode Island Monthly . Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Rocky Point State Park". State of Rhode Island Division of Parks & Recreation. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  14. ↑ Parker, Paul Edward (January 1, 2015). "First Day Hike highlights newest state park at Rocky Point / Gallery". The Providence Journal . Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  15. ↑ Forsberg, Tim (January 21, 2016). "Mystery of the Rocky Point 'Tower'". Warwick Beacon . Archived from the original on November 17, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  16. ↑ Grosch, Connie (September 27, 2016). "Iconic Rocky Point arch unveiled – with fresh paint". Rhode Island Foundation. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  17. ↑ "City shows off refurbished Rocky Point arch". TurnTo10.com. NBC 10 News. September 26, 2016. Archived from the original on September 28, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  18. ↑ Borkowski, Rob (September 27, 2016). "Officials Unveil A Restored Rocky Point Arch". Warwick Post. Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  19. ↑ LaCross, George (February 21, 2018). "Rocky Point's *Peace* of History". Amusement Parks and beyond!. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  20. ↑ Tomison, Bill (June 14, 2016). "Movies in the Park returns, kicking off with 'Happy Feet'". WPRI-TV . Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  21. ↑ Borkowski, Rob (June 27, 2015). "Rocky Point 5K Draws 530 Runners for Third Year". Warwick Post. Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  22. ↑ Borkowski, Rob (July 1, 2020). "Rocky Point Fishing Pier Opens". Warwick Post. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  23. ↑ Kuffner, Alex. "New attraction at Rocky Point: a fishing pier". The Providence Journal . Retrieved November 9, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.