Judy, Judy, Judy… visits Paragon

Hollywood superstar Judy Garland visited Paragon Park in 1967 and rode many of the rides (including the Whip and the Giant Coaster) with her 12-year-old son, Joey Luft. She also surprised park employees with an impromptu performance on stage at the Blue Bunny nightclub that evening. Garland was in town to perform in a concert on Boston Common. She also took a ride — some say many rides — on the Giant Coaster. Hull-Nantasket Times publisher Herb Gordon documented the trip with photos that were published in his paper and in The Boston Globe. He also quoted her as saying “That’s the best fun I’ve had since I was a kid,” to which her son added, “Me, too!”

Paragon’s Administration Building – an original from 1905

The Paragon Park Administration Building was the only structure from 1905 still standing when the park closed in 1984. It was located in the rear corner of Paragon and housed the park management offices. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to get the building moved off the site. The newspaper clipping is from July 16, 1985, days after the bulldozer reduced the structure to a pile of rubble.