A Rhode Island Collection Retrospective

From our article archives:

There are more than 300 newspaper articles from 1905 to 2004, plus a dozen books and magazine articles with sections that relate to the park. Here is a partial list.

April 19, 1909: Rocky Point Purchase Bill - Chairmain of Metropolitan Board Favors Passage

May 7, 1909: Senate Action Kills Rocky Point Measure - Death Blow to Bond Issue Given by Unanimous Vote. No Submission to People

May 5, 1914: Rocky Point Midway Swept by Flames: Six Buildings Destroyed, Loss $15,000 (Photo); Fire started in Vaudeville and Museum Buildings, which were completely destroyed, as shown in the foreground. This property is owned by John B. Nash, the loss being $10,000 Beyond are the ruins of the peanut stand, Fish Pond," a vacant building and a shooting gallery. (Caption)

May 28, 1925: $75,000 Dinner Hall to Open

September 23, 1938: Hall Wrecked at Rocky Point - Amusement Park Scene of Devastations. Buttonwoods Hard Hit

September 23, 1938: Rocky Point: A Hurricane Held an Outing (Photo); RI's famous amusement resort was a shambles after the hurricane and flood. This picture, which shows the resort's huge dining hall reduced to tinder, reveals graphically the terrific power of the storm. (Caption)

November 23, 1947: Famous Home of Shore Dinners Being Returned to Former Glory - Rocky Point, Demolished in 1938 Hurricane, to Open Next Summer; Woonsocket Man Heads Corporation Rebuilding Park

May 30, 1948: Lights Gleam Again at Rocky Point Rising from 1938 Hurricane Ruins - More than 10,000 Visit Century-old Amusement Park, Mill from Ride to Ride and Hear Familiar Cries of Hucksters

January 30, 1949: N.E.’s Largest Shore Dinner Hall Opens at Rocky Point (From Film)

March 27, 1955: 4000 Seat Shore Pavilion Being Built

July 12, 1955: First Excursion Boat in More Than 30 Years Left Yesterday

June 9, 1963: The Whirl Is On Again: Worlds of Fun and Fantasy

July 1, 1970: This Year’s July 4 Bonfire Will be the Last; Fear of Air Pollution Cited

May 14, 1972: 125th Anniversary Season: Trying to Recapture ‘Family Fun’ Reputation

May 4, 1975: Railing Breaks at ‘The Flume’ Ride

August 3, 1980: A Tradition of Food and Fun

May 24, 1981: 6 Months After Fire, Park Opens for Season

July 14, 1981: Board Acts to Control Rocky Point Concerts

October 30, 1982: Rocky Point Park has Halloween Fun Oct. 31

June 24, 1984: New Coaster Throws Riders for a Loop

May 2, 1985: Park to Bring Back Rock Concerts

March 16, 1987: Rocky Point Seeks a Big Boost from New Ride “Free Fall”

July 6, 1988: Shore Dinner Hall Doors Swing Open at Rocky Point

April 9, 1989: Summer Memories to be Auctioned: Rocky Point Park Selling All 46 Hand-carved Animals from Its Historic Carrousel

August 26, 1990: Rocky Point Dinner Hall Cooks Like Clockwork

February 7, 1991: Sale of Rocky Point Land Delayed

May 22, 1991: Park to Stay Open, Agreement Reached

October 2, 1991: Rocky Point Rescued in $8.25 million Loan From Investor Group

March 31, 1993: Warwick Forges Pact with Rocky Point for Debt Repayment; 140-acre Amusement Park Already Owes City $275,866 in Back Taxes, $75,000 in Unpaid Water Bills

October 27, 1994: Activity at Rocky Point Grinds to a Halt Over Back Taxes

November 29, 1994: Rocky Point Seeks Chapter 11 Protection from Creditors

October 2, 1995: Final Ride for Rocky Point?

January 13, 1996: Rocky Point to Close for Good; Will Become a Housing Development

February 2, 1996: Rocky Point: Rescue the Memories (commentary, Curt Spalding)

March 5, 1996: Appraisal Planned for Rocky Point as First Step toward Ensuring Access to the Shore

March 9, 1996: Rocky Point Offered to the Public

April 7, 1996: Rocky Point Remembered; for Rocky Point, the Ride is Over – As Historic Park Prepares for Sale, Rhode Islanders Recall Its Past

April 7, 1996: After 149 Years, Finances Bring About Rocky Point’s Demise

April 18, 1996: Rocky Point Help Debated; Owners Wonder What City or State Government Will Do to Aid the Amusement Park’s Incarnation as a Family Fairground

July 23, 1996: Rocky Point Fair’s Trial Run Merits a Repeat, Owners Say

June 22, 1997: Plans Floated for Rocky Point as Foreclosure Auction Nears

August 10, 1997: Near and Far, Rocky Point Park Rides Find New Homes

March 27, 1998: Rocky Point Heads to Tax Sale

May 23, 1999: Rocky Point Is Up for Sale: Sellers Hope to Entice State to Buy, but Gov. Doesn’t Like $10 million Price

June 19, 2001: James Langevin Asks for U.S. Help to Buy Back Rocky Point

June 11, 2002: Developers Have Offer in Hand for Rocky Point: Rocky Point Land Co. Wants to Build Condominiums While Preserving Shoreline and Leaving Some Open Space for Public Use

July 18, 2003: City of Warwick Gets Help to Buy Part of Rocky Point with $1.8 million in Federal Money

July 30, 2003: Rocky Point Sold to Federal Agency; When No Private Developer Meets the Minimum Required Bid, the U.S. Small Business Administration Keeps Control of the 123-acre Property

August 19, 2003: 17 Submit Bids to SBA to Purchase Rocky Point

June 29, 2004: SBA Pays City Back Taxes Due on Rocky Point

September 3, 2004: Suspicious Fire Destroys Building at Rocky Point Amusement Park