WHITE CITY (WORCESTER) REMEMBERED

Benson's Wild Animal Farm in New Hampshire conjures up more meaning and memories to me than WHITE CITY! White City was a place we drove by but never really stopped! The massive roller coaster thrilled many.


White City was opened in June of  1905 and closed its doors on September 5, 1960. It served Metropolitan Worcester well over the years with "a midway, a fun house, a penny arcade, concession stands, rides, sideshow acts and a rollercoaster. It's proximity to Route 9 in Shrewsbury left little for the imagination. World War II saw White City home for visiting soldiers.


Pop stars Paul Anka, Jerry Vale and Edie Gorme performed at "The Land of Fifty Thousand electric Lights." Most likely its name came from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.


Anthony Borgati's enterprise (SPAGS) was across the street from White City (1934 to 2004.) White City Plaza succeeded the famed amusement park. Today, I had a great purview of the way it was peering down from the 7th floor of the new VA Office and nurse Bridgette in the U Mass Medical Complex. WOW. Perspective is always important to the way things were, the way things are and perhaps the way things will be.


Amusement parks, for the most part were then as opposed to now. The parks bearing the name White City could be found in Springfield, MO, Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis, New Haven, New Orleans, S

yracuse, NY, London, Sydney, Melbourne and other places as well.


Thanks Wikipedia for the help!