Welcome to Mountain Park! You are about to take a wonderful journey through the past in what is  a sorely missed, defunct  Amusement Park that had a great legacy of outstanding  Dark Rides and Fun Houses. After reading the opening paragraph below, simply transverse the rides in order by  clicking on the page links, starting with number one, The "Mystery Ride" then move from left to right in order to travel back in correct order in time. We hope you enjoy your journey! Now......... kick back with your favorite beverage of choice and enjoy what was once a great Amusement Park, and beware, your Journey will be a long, long one, so get ready to go back in time to the past!

Mountain Park in Holyoke, Massachusetts began life in 1894 as a trolley stop at the halfway point up to Mount Tom. It was a simple place with gardens, a carousel, roller coaster and a few concessions. In 1952 John Collins, who owned Lincoln Park in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, purchased Mountain Park from the Holyoke Street Railway. This was the beginning of the park's renaissance and would lead to its golden years. The dark rides and fun houses that were installed there were integral to the park's success. Between 1953 and the park's closing in 1987, the small midway featured no less than six different fun houses and dark rides! In the late 1970's through the early 1980's, there were two dark rides and a walk-thru fun house operating simultaneously.

All of the rides were designed and themed by three individuals. One was Edward Leis of National (and later International) Amusement Devices. In the 1950's, Mountain Park needed new trains for their roller coaster and bought them from N.A.D. Leis went to the park many times and assisted with renovations for the coaster. He also lended his expertise on the construction of several buildings, including the pavilion and the "Out-Of-This-World" walk-thru.

The man most responsible for the unique loom of not only the fun houses but also the entire park was Dominic Spadola. This energetic little man from Rhode Island has done work for that state's Rocky Point Park, Lincoln Park and Whalom Park in Fitchbugh Massachusetts. He created colorful and fantastical figures out of plywood, homosote. celastic and fiberglass. He helped develop the angular, twisted pastel facades of the parks buildings and signs. The stunts he designed for the Mountain Park rides had a nightmarish but cartoonish quality to them. It was a tricky balance to achieve: something that would thrill adults but not terrify children.