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I forget the name of it, but there was a small little park in Lincoln where the Whale's Tale is now. It used to be owned by the same people who owned York's Animal Kingdom in Maine. You entered through a Noah's Ark, and everything was based around fairy tales. I used to love the little hand powered rail cars they had.
I think they also had a zoo for a short while next to Funspot. It only lasted a few years. I also remember a little Native American place on the other side (we used to call it Indian because no on in that area of NH had ever met someone from India before). You could buy a ticket that got you into all three places.
I remember the water park at Gunstock, owned by the same people who owned the one at Attitash. A lot of water parks are gone now.
What about the fun park they had at Mt Whittier? I remember they had the little motorized inner tubes and also these moon buggy things. They also had the most unique mountain ride I remember, though I never got to go on it. It was basically a plastic saddle that rode on a metal tube. In this case they towed you up the mountain on the tube, not on the gondolas.
Which leads me to the question - where were all the gondolas in New Hampshire?
I remember Loon, Wildcat, Whittier, Cannon (which is really a tram, not Gondolas) and of course the Ski Mobile at Cranmore. But I also for some reason remember two other that I can't place where they were. One used the same cars as Wildcat (unless that was what they used at Loon before the newer cars), some other place that had these really old ones. Did Sunapee ever have gondolas? I am pretty sure Gunstock only had a chairlift.
I grew up on the old Wildcat gondola, remember one day the wind was howling, got stuck on that thing with my Dad for what felt like an eternity, they finally got us off and shut the mountain. Those things stunk like a wet ski bag that had been left to sit around for a week, a smell that only a lifelong skier would recognize. There is one hanging outside the moat tavern in north conway, looks tiny compared to todays gondolas.
Neither Sunapee or Gunstock ever had gondolas. The original gondola at Loon was more egg shaped but not an exact duplicate of Wildcat. Onset, now Crotched, had double chairs with bubbles but I doubt they could be confused with a gondola.
Any chance you are thinking or Sugarloaf? Their gondola was similar to Wildcat; Sugarbush also had an egg shaped gondola. Interesting that most other forms of conveyance have developed more curved lines over the years while gondolas have taken the opposite approach and become more boxy.
As for lost attraction, Bensons is the one that comes to mind. Hated that place, always wanted to go to Canobie instead.
I grew up on the old Wildcat gondola, remember one day the wind was howling, got stuck on that thing with my Dad for what felt like an eternity, they finally got us off and shut the mountain. Those things stunk like a wet ski bag that had been left to sit around for a week, a smell that only a lifelong skier would recognize. There is one hanging outside the moat tavern in north conway, looks tiny compared to todays gondolas.
Neither Sunapee or Gunstock ever had gondolas. The original gondola at Loon was more egg shaped but not an exact duplicate of Wildcat. Onset, now Crotched, had double chairs with bubbles but I doubt they could be confused with a gondola.
Any chance you are thinking or Sugarloaf? Their gondola was similar to Wildcat; Sugarbush also had an egg shaped gondola. Interesting that most other forms of conveyance have developed more curved lines over the years while gondolas have taken the opposite approach and become more boxy.
As for lost attraction, Bensons is the one that comes to mind. Hated that place, always wanted to go to Canobie instead.
Benson's has come back as a nature park. I have visited on a few occasions to use the trails and see the structure which were restored.
One attraction I personally miss seeing is the "Old Man." My family would vacation in the mountains and stop off at the Indian Head Restaurant and Hotel to see it. Of course the creation and demise was a natural occurence no one had any real control over... .
Benson's has come back as a nature park. I have visited on a few occasions to use the trails and see the structure which were restored.
One attraction I personally miss seeing is the "Old Man." My family would vacation in the mountains and stop off at the Indian Head Restaurant and Hotel to see it. Of course the creation and demise was a natural occurence no one had any real control over... .
eight years ago when they were beginning the restoration
I forget the name of it, but there was a small little park in Lincoln where the Whale's Tale is now. It used to be owned by the same people who owned York's Animal Kingdom in Maine. You entered through a Noah's Ark, and everything was based around fairy tales. I used to love the little hand powered rail cars they had.
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Fantasy Farm! I think. I grew up going there every summer. Loved it as a little kid. Don't remember much about it but I remember begging to go!
It was Fantasy Farm. They had these little hand peddled carts that went around an oval track. it was mostly animal exhibits based on fairy tales. For a short while they had a place next to FunSpot in Laconia - the animal park was on one side, and they had a Native American themed obstacle course on the other.
Storyland is still there. Although Heritage New Hampshire that was next to it is sadly gone.
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