Lincoln Park once stood as one of the most thrilling amusement parks in Massachusetts, drawing crowds with its roller coasters, midway games, and carnival magic from 1894 until its closure in 1987.
Today, the abandoned fairground rests quietly near Dartmouth, slowly being reclaimed by nature and time.
But locals say something extraordinary happens when winter storms roll in – the old park seems to glow with an eerie, otherworldly light that transforms the forgotten landscape into something almost magical.
1. The Comet’s Ghost Track
Snow clings to the skeletal remains of what was once the park’s most famous attraction. The Comet roller coaster thrilled generations of visitors with its steep drops and wooden thunder, but now only its weathered framework stands against winter skies. When snowflakes swirl through the structure, something remarkable happens.
Light seems to bounce and reflect off the ice-covered beams in unexpected ways. Some say it’s simply the way streetlights from nearby roads catch the frost. Others believe the old wood contains minerals that shimmer when wet and frozen, creating an almost phosphorescent effect during heavy snowfall.
Walking near the remains feels like stepping into a time portal. The twisted metal and splintered wood tell stories of summer laughter and screaming thrills.
During snowstorms, the entire structure takes on a bluish glow that photographers and urban explorers find irresistible, though accessing the site requires respecting private property boundaries and staying safe.
2. The Carousel Pavilion Ruins
Painted horses once spun endlessly to cheerful organ music in this grand circular building. The carousel was Lincoln Park’s centerpiece, decorated with mirrors, lights, and intricate carvings that dazzled children and adults alike.
Now only the foundation and a few decorative columns remain, slowly disappearing beneath vines and weather.
During snowstorms, the remaining metal fixtures and broken mirror fragments create unexpected light shows. Ice forms on the old brass poles in crystalline patterns that catch moonlight and ambient glow from distant sources.
The effect is hauntingly beautiful, as if the carousel still wants to sparkle and entertain even without its horses.
Visitors report seeing flashes of color reflecting through the snow, perhaps remnants of painted wood or old glass catching light at just the right angle. The circular shape of the foundation causes snow to drift in peculiar patterns, creating natural sculptures that seem to dance when wind whips through the abandoned space.
3. The Funhouse Mirror Wall
Laughter once echoed through a maze of distorted reflections and tilted rooms. The funhouse challenged visitors to find their way through confusing passages while their reflections stretched, squished, and multiplied in warped mirrors.
Most of the building has collapsed, but one exterior wall still displays fragments of those famous mirrors embedded in crumbling brick.
When snow falls heavily, these mirror pieces become tiny beacons. Each fragment catches available light differently, creating a constellation effect across the wall’s surface.
Frost builds up around the edges, forming natural frames that enhance the mysterious glow. Some pieces are concave, others convex, bending light in ways that seem almost impossible.
Photographers have captured stunning images of this wall during winter storms, showing what looks like hundreds of tiny lanterns flickering in the darkness. The scientific explanation involves light refraction through ice crystals, but the visual result feels magical regardless of the physics behind it.
4. The Midway Game Booths
Ring toss, balloon darts, and milk bottle pyramids once lined this stretch of the park. Barkers called out to passersby, promising giant stuffed prizes for skilled players. The wooden booths still stand in a crooked row, their colorful paint faded to ghostly pastels, their counters warped by decades of rain and snow.
Something about the old paint seems to hold light during snowstorms. Perhaps lead-based pigments from another era contain reflective properties, or maybe years of weathering have created a surface texture that catches illumination uniquely.
Whatever the reason, the booths appear to glow softly when snow accumulates on their roofs and awnings.
The effect is strongest just after sunset when natural light fades but hasn’t completely disappeared. The booths take on warm amber and cool blue tones simultaneously, creating an otherworldly contrast.
Wind whistling through the empty structures adds to the atmosphere, making it easy to imagine the carnival sounds that once filled this space with energy and excitement.
5. The Ticket Booth Windows
Every adventure at Lincoln Park began here, where excited visitors exchanged cash for admission tickets. The small booth near the former entrance still stands, its windows broken but frames intact. Brass fixtures that once held signs announcing prices have turned green with age, and the wooden counter where tickets slid through remains visible through the damaged door.
Ice forms on the remaining window glass in intricate patterns during cold snaps. When snow falls and accumulates on the booth’s small roof, something curious happens with how light moves through the structure.
The combination of old glass, metal fixtures, and ice crystals creates prismatic effects that make the booth seem to glow from within, even though it’s completely empty.
Urban explorers have shared stories of seeing rainbow-like reflections dancing across the snow around the ticket booth during storms. The phenomenon likely results from light hitting the aged glass at specific angles, but witnessing it in person feels like watching a tiny lighthouse guiding visitors to a park that no longer exists.
6. The Bumper Car Arena Floor
Sparks flew and rubber burned as colorful cars crashed and spun across this electrified floor. The bumper car arena was always packed with teenagers and families enjoying the chaos of friendly collisions. Now the concrete floor remains, cracked and tilted, with the metal power grid still visible beneath broken sections and patches of weeds.
That metal grid creates the most dramatic glowing effect during snowstorms. The copper and steel conductors that once carried electricity to power the cars now conduct something different, reflected light bouncing between snow, ice, and oxidized metal. The grid pattern becomes visible from above as lines of light crisscrossing the arena floor.
Moisture and cold seem to enhance whatever chemical reactions are happening in the old metal. The entire floor can appear to shimmer with a greenish-blue tint during heavy snow, creating an effect that looks almost electrical even though no power has flowed through those wires in decades.
It’s one of the most photographed features of the abandoned park.
7. The Observation Tower Base
Rising high above the midway, the observation tower offered breathtaking views of the park and surrounding area.
Visitors climbed stairs or rode an elevator to the top platform, where they could see for miles on clear days. The tower was dismantled years ago for safety, but its massive concrete foundation and lower metal framework remain anchored to the ground.
Ice accumulates heavily on the remaining steel beams and bolts during winter storms. The tower base becomes encased in crystalline formations that catch and refract any available light source. Street lamps from nearby roads, moonlight, and even distant building lights all contribute to making the structure glow with an icy brilliance that’s visible from surprising distances.
Local residents sometimes use the glowing tower base as a weather indicator, when they can see it shining brightly, they know a significant snowstorm is underway. The metal’s height and exposure to wind create optimal conditions for ice buildup, turning what was once a viewing platform into an unintentional winter beacon for the surrounding community.
8. The Penny Arcade Building Shell
Mechanical fortune tellers, strength testers, and vintage games once filled this building with clicks, bells, and flashing lights. The penny arcade was a favorite rainy-day destination where visitors could spend hours testing their skills and luck.
Today only the brick shell remains, its roof collapsed and windows empty, but the building’s bones still stand remarkably intact.
Snow enters through the missing roof and broken windows, accumulating inside the structure in ways that create unexpected visual effects. The brick walls seem to hold residual warmth longer than surrounding materials, causing snow to melt and refreeze in patterns that coat interior surfaces with reflective ice.
When viewed from outside during storms, the building appears to glow softly from within.
Some visitors report that the effect is strongest near dusk, when the building’s interior is darker than the snowy sky. The contrast makes the ice-covered walls and remaining architectural details seem luminescent, as if the penny arcade is still lit up and waiting for customers to drop their coins and try their luck one more time.
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