On Oct. 1, 1896, the Metropolitan Park Commission, a Massachusetts state entity, officially became the owner of Revere 
Beach, creating the first public ocean beach in the United States. Following the building of several public facilities by the Commission and private commercial enterprises, the beach area entered a prosperous period up to the mid-20th century. Thereafter, the commercial environment declined through the next two decades. Beginning in the 1980s, private housing development significantly transformed the landscape.
Revere Beach
Revere Beach, located about five miles north of Boston, extends almost three miles along a crescent-shaped sandy coastline. Commercial development began in the northern end of the beach (Point of Pines) when Solomon Hayes built the Robinson Crusoe House tavern. By 1838 the opening of the Eastern Railroad of Massachusetts led to population and commercial growth for the beach area then known as Chelsea.
In 1846, North Chelsea became a separate town with its Chelsea Beach. Then in 1871, part of North Chelsea became the town of Revere. The opening of the Boston, Revere Beach, and Lynn Railroad (1875-1940) — known as the Narrow Gauge — further stimulated the use of Chelsea Beach as a summer resort. Chelsea Beach became Crescent Beach in 1881. By that same year, the Point of Pines area had several facilities (e.g., a bandstand and bathhouse) and the Great Ocean Pier (1881-1893).
Ocean Pier
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Legislature enacted the Park Act on June 3, 1893, which established the Metropolitan Park Commission. It then developed a system of reservations, parks, parkways and roads within a 10-mile radius of Boston. Thus, the law created the first regional park system in the U.S.
On Oct. 3, 1896, the Metropolitan Park Commission officially gained control of Revere Beach Reservation, marking the creation of the first public ocean beach in America.
Charles Eliot
Charles Eliot became the landscape architect for the Commission. He began the redesign of the beach by moving the Boston, Revere, and Lynn Railroad back from the shoreline. He also got rid of the various cottages and shanties on the beach. William Austin, principal architect of the Commission, then designed pavilions, a bandstand, a bathhouse, police station, a house for the superintendent and a “driveway” (later the boulevard) –- all according to the specifications of Eliot. Unfortunately, Eliot did not see his plans come to fruition. He died in 1897, only 38 years old, from spinal meningitis.
Charles Eliot
From the late-19th to the mid-20th century, the beach remained popular because of its accessibility and various attractions. Although beachgoers came from afar, they primarily consisted of working-class residents, both natives and immigrants (e.g., Italians and Jews). Most of them lived in Boston and nearby suburbs, particularly in Chelsea, Everett and Malden. They could travel over ensuing decades by railroad, horse-drawn carriage, bicycle, steamboat, automobile and public transportation (e.g., trolley car, bus and a rapid transit line).
The Boulevard at Revere Beach
Starting with an ice cream stand owned by Frederick Hurley and the construction of the southern portion of Revere Beach Driveway in the late 1890s, an era of diverse attractions began to transform the beach in the early 20th century. Hoping to draw crowds, an annual (1900-?) Carnival Week focused on fireworks, band concerts, water contests, and other activities (e.g., an artificial volcano in 1906). Carousels (“flying horses”) also first appeared with the Hippodrome (1903-1973) and Hurley’s Hurdlers (1912-1946).
The Crescent, 1912
Fun at Revere Beach
In 1906 the first self-contained entertainment venue –- Wonderland Amusement Park – opened on 30 acres of land behind the Boulevard near the Narrow-Gauge railroad. At various times it featured several rides (e.g., Shoot the Chutes and Descent into the Hell Gate, both boat rides), a Fighting the Flames show, circus acts, a ballroom, a wild animal show and a parade. Unfortunately, financial troubles caused the park to close in 1910. In 1935 Wonderland Greyhound Park opened on the same site but closed in 2009 after a public referendum banned greyhound racing.
Drawing,of the “set” of the Fighting the Flames show during an evening performance.
Besides carousels, other popular rides over the coming decades included The Whip, Hurley’s Dodgems (bumper cars), the Himalaya, the double Ferris wheel, the Bubble Bounce and the Tilt-a-Whirl.
However, the biggest thrill came from riding the roller coasters. The first wooden roller coaster was the Figure Eight (1905-1909). The second was the wooden Derby Racer built in 1911 and dismantled in 1936 (while a second Derby Racer existed from 1937 to 1948). One of the early steel coasters was the Lightning, a dangerous ride that lasted only from 1927 to 1933. The Cyclone, probably the best-known coaster, was constructed in 1925. Made of wood, it had a height of about 100 feet and could travel up to 50 miles per hour. It operated until 1974 when a fire destroyed it. Other forms of coasting were the Virginia Reel (1909-1918; 1925-1970) and the Wild Mouse (1958-1966).
The Cyclone
Further attractions along the beach included Hurley’s arcade with its coin-operated games; chances to win cheap prizes at stands using squirt guns, darts or balls; the Boulevard Theatre (1913-1960); and the funhouse at Bluebeard’s Palace. In addition, dances were held at the Ocean Pier Ballroom, the Oceanview Ballroom, the Frolic and the Wonderland Ballroom.
Hotels and Restaurants
Hotels featured prominently along the Boulevard in the early years. Among them were the Hotel Point of Pines (1881-1913), Hotel Strathmore (1889-1895), Hotel Metropolitan (1900-1918) and the Hotel Pleasonton (1930-1945).
Revere Beach bathers, ca. 1906
Dining opportunities in the beach area once included the General Edward’s Inn and the Paul Roger House, both known for seafood. Smaller eateries on the Boulevard featured Barney Sheff’s Delicatessen, Joe and Nemo’s hot dog stand, Howard Johnson’s fast-food restaurant, and Mary Ahearn’s or Kohn’s frozen custard stand. Kelly’s Roast Beef, which opened in 1951, remains the only survivor of the distant past.
Kelly’s Roast Beef
After the mid-1950s, the commercial environment experienced a noticeable decline. The Metropolitan District Commission (successor to the Metropolitan Park Commission since 1919) did not invest in its aging infrastructure and tawdry businesses began to appear. The era finally ended with the Blizzard of ’78, which heavily damaged both the beach itself and destroyed many of the remaining structures.
Revere Beach, 2008
Beginning in the 1980s, commercial redevelopment along the Boulevard centered on high-rise condominiums and apartments. Meanwhile, the state invested in its facilities and cleaned up the beach.
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Edward T. Howe, Ph.D., is Professor of Economics, Emeritus, at Siena College near Albany, N.Y.
Images: Kelly’s Roast Beef By ButtocksMaven – https://www.flickr.com/whopper_sangwich, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10557934. Revere Beach with condomiiniums By John Phelan – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10003471
