A relic from the golden age of seaside thrills, this original postcard, dated September 17, 1906, captures the dramatic entrance to the Hell Gate ride at Wonderland Park, Revere Beach, Massachusetts—once known as the "Coney Island of New England."
At the foot of the ride’s fiery archway, a simple handwritten message in pencil reads:
“Ethel & I have just been through. A.K.” A moment frozen in graphite—two souls freshly emerged from the jaws of an artificial hell.
The card is addressed on the reverse to Mrs. Abbie L. Knight of North Berwick, Maine, bearing a 1-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp and the soft wear of time. But it’s the front that grips you—the towering, ornamental façade of Hell Gate, a ride that once terrified and thrilled thousands at the turn of the century.
The History Behind the Flames
Wonderland Park opened in 1906 at Revere Beach, designed to be New England’s answer to the spectacle of Coney Island’s Dreamland. Electric lights, grand pavilions, and theatrical architecture turned the shoreline into a dreamscape of illusions and amusements.
Hell Gate, inspired by a similar ride at Coney Island, was among the park’s most infamous attractions. Guests were swept through a series of harrowing scenes on gondola-like boats—past fire-lit caverns, whirling whirlpools, and mechanical demons. It blended Dante-esque imagery with early mechanical ingenuity, designed to stir both laughter and dread. The experience concluded with a simulated ride through rapids, plunging riders into manufactured chaos before returning them to the safety of the boardwalk.
This postcard is more than a souvenir—it’s a surviving ember of that lost world. Wonderland Park’s glory was brief; by 1910, its grandeur began to fade, and it closed its gates permanently just a few years later. Fires, a fate all too common for these ephemeral dreamlands, eventually erased it from the landscape.
Details:
Postmarked: September 17, 1906
Message (front, in pencil): “Ethel & I have just been through. A.K.”
Stamp: Green 1¢ Benjamin Franklin
Addressed to: Mrs. Abbie L. Knight, North Berwick, Maine
Condition: Light edge wear and aging consistent with time; message and image clearly visible
A chilling and beautiful memento from America’s golden age of illusions—this is a rare chance to hold a piece of manufactured damnation in your hands.
