Following its opening in 1894 as a picturesque retreat on the side of Mount Tom, Mountain Park evolved into one of the most beloved amusement parks in New England. At the beginning of the 20th century, Holyoke was the most prosperous community in the state and one of the first planned industrial cities in the United States. The city’s progress drew crowds of visitors to Mountain Park, and the park gradually developed into a bustling destination. Although the park closed its gates in 1987, the echoes of laughter from generations of visitors still reverberate throughout the Pioneer Valley.

Jay Ducharme worked at Mountain Park for over a decade, just as his father before him, and has spent much of his life preserving and sharing the history of the park. He is a member of the board of directors for the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, the only part of Mountain Park that has remained in the city. The rarely seen images and videos in this presentation have been gathered from the collections of the Holyoke Public Library, Wistariahurst Museum, local newspapers, and residents.  Sponsored by the Holyoke History Room.  Free and open to the public.