It Happens Here: The storied history of Revere Beach
REVERE – From roller coasters to sand castles, Revere Beach has a storied history of entertaining people from all over Massachusetts and around the world.
Despite all the efforts from Mother Nature, it's very hard to hold the Crescent Beach down.
"It's incredible. I mean it's so lively reading about the history of this area and all the amusements, the crowds that gathered here," Visitors Services supervisor Matthew Nash said.
In 1896, it was made official. Revere Beach became the first public beach in the United States. Its popularity and nicknames always made the headlines
"The matchless Mystic City by the Sea, the Beach with the Million Lights because they had arches with lights, Mecca for Millions," Nash said.
Back in the early 1900s the growth of the beach was the idea of architect Charles Eliot
"So I want you to know about Charles Eliot, his vision for the area, to bring people here. To bring people out of the cities to enjoy this beautiful natural landscape," Nash said.
And over 100 years ago, that natural landscape was booming from Point of Pines to Eliot Square. It was 4.5 miles of amusement rides, ballroom dancing, food and fun.
The murals at the beach tell the story. And at the time, wearing your best clothes was the way people went to the beach.
"People from all different economic backgrounds would dress up to come to the beach and that continued until the 1960s. Imagine that, think of the 60s and people were here in formal attire."
Maybe the most famous attractions were the roller coasters. There were a number of them with the Cyclone grabbing all the bragging rights. A funhouse was where people went to get scared.
"There's the Bluebeards Palace, it was this spooky funhouse," Nash said. "You went through the dark, these characters came out and popped out at you. There was this dizzying room where the ceilings slanted and the walls slanted."
The popularity of the beach declined through the 50s and the Blizzard of '78 destroyed many of the structures and the sea wall.
But in the 1990s, a revival happened.
"And there's been a resurgence in fine dining restaurants with the new apartments that have come in," Nash said.
The events on Revere Beach have also brought people back to the Playground of New England.
"This year was the 18th year for the sand sculpting festival and on the weekend, it draws a crowd of a million people, they estimate. Then we have bocce games and movie nights on the beach," Nash said.
