Nantasket Beach in Hull, Massachusetts was the home of the Paragon Park which operated from the early 1900's to 1984. In 1917 the owners reached out to Philadelphia Toboggan Company to develop a roller coaster to attract more patrons. Legendary designer John Miller designed the "Giant Coaster" which was the tallest coaster in the world until 1925. Repeated fires, first in 1935 and finally in 1963 resulted in changes in the design, but the Great Coaster kept operating until Paragon Park closed its doors in 1984. The coaster's fate seemed to be doomed until a last minute bidder snatched it up.
Wild World was originally a wildlife preserve started by Ross Perot in 1973, but it never achieved financial success. After transferring between multiple owners the animals were sold off and the park was transformed into a water park with some rides. The owners were looking to expand with a major wooden roller coast in 1985, but the costs of building a new one were prohibitive. Seeking a solution they hired a consultant who found the Giant Coaster for them. Soon they had purchased and moved it down to Largo, MD where they reassembled it, restoring the original design. They opened it as "The Wild One" to strong reviews.
Today The Wild One continues to operate as a featured attraction at Six Flags America (Wild World went through a series of re-branding events). The coaster is surprisingly enjoyable considering its age and continues to receive positive reviews. As for the original builders the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, they are still around and operating. In fact the newer cars running on the Wild One are products of the corporation.
-Professor Walter
