Rocky Point Warwick RI
Posted by: 
nomadwillie
N 41° 41.371 W 071° 22.268
19T E 302670 N 4618021
Rocky Point operated from the 1840's to 1995
Waymark Code: WM55JP
Location: Rhode Island, United States
Date Posted: 11/15/2008
Views: 65
Rocky Point was an idea first thought of by Captain William Winslow in the 1840s. By 1847, he had purchased a portion of the land and began to offer amusements and serve dinner. In 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes became the first president to use the newly-invented telephone when he made a short eight-mile call from Rocky Point to Providence.[1]
Height of popularity
From the 1950s through the 1980s, Rocky Point Amusement Park was the most popular attraction in Rhode Island. It featured rides such as the Skyliner, Corkscrew Loop Roller Coaster, Log Flume, and the Freefall (similar to the identically named ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain), which fell 13 stories at 55 MPH.
Final years
In the early 1990s, Rocky Point's financial situation became shaky. The privately-held company that owned the park began to lose money as it attempted to keep the park up to date. Critics accused the company's shareholders of trying to wring every last penny out of the park. Rocky Point closed in 1995, then reopened briefly in 1996 as a farewell to patrons. Rides such as the Flume and Corkscrew were sold in an auction and are now in use at other amusement parks.[2]
Post-business era, vandalism
After the Rocky Point land was purchased for $8.5 million in 2003, the park's main building, known as the "Big House", was hit by vandals who lit it on fire on September 2, 2004. Police said the fire was suspicious, because the building had no electricity at the time.
Another fire started on October 16, 2006 around 11 a.m., this time in an executive building on the waterfront. Smoke could be seen billowing up more than 2,000 feet in the air from miles away. Police reported no injuries in either fire. It is unclear if this fire was caused by arson.
On May 7, 2007, demolition of the remaining midway officially began with a press conference at the park. Prior to this, a handful of stands and minor buildings had already been demolished.[3]
On September 7, 2007, a documentary film about the park titled You Must Be This Tall: The Story of Rocky Point Park had its world premiere at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The film, which is available on DVD, garnered a five-star review from The Providence Journal and played to a sold out crowd of 1,100 people.[4]
In February 2008, the city of Warwick secured a federal grant to purchase about half of the 82 acres remaining of Rocky Point Park, including much of the view of the bay.[5] The city officially took title to 41 shoreline acres of the former park in August 2008.[6]
Date Park Opened: 01/01/1847
Date Park Closed: 01/01/1995
Current Use or Function:
Abandoned land
Is the park still there?: Yes
If not, what is in its place now?:
grown over.
Address: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
You must post at least one original picture at the posted coords to post a visit log for this waymark. Extra points if you are in the spirit of the park (i.e., in costume, etc.).