User:LeilaExume17/sandbox

The Stock Market Crash was the result of the New York Stock Exchange which began in 1929 and followed up to the Great Depression. Investors lost a large amount of money which hindered the nation’s economy. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 took its toll on the park and by 1931 it had gone into foreclosure. For the 1932 season, the park operated only Wednesday through Sunday, and in 1933 it closed. Several attempts to reopen the park failed and it remained closed through 1939, although the grounds were occasionally used for company picnics. A drive-in movie theater operated in the parking lot from 1937 to 1939.

Edward Carroll Sr. purchased the abandoned park in 1939 and after making improvements, reopened Riverside Park on May 29, 1940. Carroll is credited with rescuing Riverside and turning it into the largest theme park in New England. He purchased the plans and cars of the 1939 New York World's Fair Cyclone Roller Coaster and opened a new coaster in 1941. That coaster, now known as Thunderbolt, is operating at the park and is the oldest coaster — in its original location — within the entire Six Flags chain of theme parks. The park continued to add new rides and removed some older ones. The Wild Mouse Ride was built in many different amusement parks all over the nation such as Cedar Point, Coney Island, Morey’s Piers, Canobie Lake, Elitch Gardens, and Arnolds Park. Unfortunately, construction was discontinued in 1960. Since then, no Wild Mouse Ride has been manufactured. The theater and bowling alley were removed in the late 1950s, making Riverside Park a seasonal attraction.