"This photo is from a series of photos taken by Bourdon Studios as part of a Pleasure Island pre-opening publicity campaign in the town's 'business district'. Note the street light, along with the stores that lined Main Street: Nagle's Drugs, Carol Ann's Card & Gift Shoppe, A&P, Santoro's Original Delicatessen, Adrian's Fabrics, and Crystal Fruit Exchange. According to a photo caption which accompanied the photo in the Wakefield Item, the six p[passenger carriage was pulled by a horse owned by Marshall Winkler of Cordis Street, who was also the driver for the publicity campaign. The carriage, which was owned by Pleasure Island, had been restored to be used at the park. The park opened its gates for the first time less than a month later on Saturday afternoon, June 20th. Approximately 4,500 guests and members of the press, radio and television got a special preview of the park at the invitation-only opening day. A special benefit premiere was held the following day, with all proceeds going to the Boys Club of Boston. Pleasure Island was open to the public at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 22, 1959. This year marks the 55th anniversary of its opening. By the sixth season, 50 years ago, it was under its third set of owners, Boston ventures, which operated the park for five seasons. They sold Pleasure Island to Fairbanks Amusements in 1969, closing that same year on Labor Day, after an 11-season run." Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2014 Photo courtesy of Bob McLaughlin, Friends of Pleasure Island, Inc.
