Lost Wonderland: The Brief and Brilliant Life of Boston's Million Dollar Amusement Park

by Stephen R. Wilk

If you take Boston's Blue Line to its northern end, you'll reach the Wonderland stop. Few realize that a twenty-three-acre amusement park once sat nearby—the largest in New England, and grander than any of the Coney Island parks that inspired it. Opened in Revere on Memorial Day in 1906 to great fanfare, Wonderland offered hundreds of thousands of visitors recreation by the sea, just a short distance from downtown Boston.

The story of the park's creation and wild, but brief, success is full of larger-than-life characters who hoped to thrill attendees and rake in profits. Stephen R. Wilk describes the planning and history of the park, which featured early roller coasters, a scenic railway, a central lagoon in which a Shoot-the-Chutes boat plunged, an aerial swing, a funhouse, and more. Performances ran throughout the day, including a daring Fires and Flames show; a Wild West show; a children's theater; and numerous circus acts. While nothing remains of what was once called "Boston's Regal Home of Pleasure" and the park would close in 1910, this book resurrects Wonderland by transporting readers through its magical gates.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published October 30, 2020

Reviews

[Jeff Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read on the lost Wonderland Amusement Park of Revere Beach in the early 1900s that gives a comprehensive perspective of the boom of seaside amusement boardwalk culture and all the fun rides that would not be allowed in today's world of extreme safety. Some intriguing anecdotes about how rides came to be and how thriving Revere used to be as a result of the park but then declined in its eventual demise. Great read for a nerd that loves this kind of forgotten history and memorabilia.

[Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Vic Lauterbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

This meticulous history provides everything you want to know (and much more) about an amusement park that disappeared 112 years ago after operating for just 5 years. It's a good story, and I applaud Mr. Wilk's approach, which he describes in an introductory warning to readers. He uses the actual words of his sources, including terms now considered offensive, to provide "...the genuine record of posterity in preference to a watered down or censored record." History can't be altered, but our understanding of it can be distorted. That is unfortunate. This book does not do that. The wealth of information here is staggering. Mr. Wilk truly brings Wonderland to life. The story of Wonderland is a window into the world of summer, outdoor entertainment before the automobile transformed American life. Even amusement parks must obey the basic law of real estate: location is everything. The short walk from beach boulevard proved its undoing. There were simply too many competing attractions closer to the nearest stops of the Boston & Maine RR. This was an impulse read for me. My experience of Boston totals one business trip many years ago, but I enjoyed this historical vacation in Wonderland. Lost places are inherently fascinating. Be warned though, to finish this book, you'll need a high threshold of boredom with details because Mr. Wilk doesn't stint on them. The best parts are the mini biographies of the people who built Wonderland and its attractions. Recommended for those interested in Boston history or U.S. micro-history.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although not an eminently readable piece of local history in Boston, this book did provide some background on why there is still today (2026) a subway stop on the Blue Line called Wonderland.

This amusement park opened in 1906 and closed in 1910. It had just a couple of profitable seasons before succumbing to other entertainment choices in the Boston area. It featured a firefighting demonstration / swimming acts / simulated train rides while watching a movie fly by outside your window / animal acts / vaudeville performers / stage plays / minstrel shows in blackface / carnival rides / roller coasters / etc. It was organized originally by people who were not in the entertainment field; and it suffered from bad management and excessively expensive acts - which often cost more than the revenue they generated.

Today, a highway cuts through the area / some homes are there / and nearby Revere Beach is still a thriving ocean front beach heading toward the North Shore of Boston.

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The personalities and their exploits were the most interesting part. More than what the super detailed descriptions of what the rides and attractions were. It's at its best when it weaves the creators in with their creations, rather than when it separates the two.