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20 Comments

  1. The Death of Ocean View Park film is such a cult classic. Didn’t know how hard it was to demo the coaster till now! Looked so slick on camera.

    1. Absolutely, it’s one of those hidden gems that you stumble upon and can’t believe it’s not just pretend. The fact that a real-life amusement park’s demise is the backdrop for a disaster movie adds a layer of eerie nostalgia to it.

  2. Shame, I guess all good things come to an end, even theme parks. Who would’ve thought? Maybe instead of a museum we could have gotten a new park, but what do I know.

  3. I enjoyed reading your article and it reminded me of great memories! Thank you! One ride you didn’t list is the Tilt-A-Whirl. It sat next to the Scrambler ride. Also the Serpentarium!

  4. Man, reading about Ocean View Park really takes you back even if you weren’t there. The 70s must have been a wild time with places like these. Gotta love how films capture these eras.

  5. The legacy section was particularly neat. It’s rare that defunct parks continue to live on through film and museums. What aspects of Ocean View Park do these focus on? Are there specific attractions that are highlighted?

  6. Ocean View Park has precious memories for me.
    In the spring of 1976 I was.there walking the beach and enjoying the park with my now deceased husband Bob. He was a Navy man on the USS JOHN F KENNEDY. He had a small apartment about 6 blocks from the park. When I went to visit him, we weren’t married yet, we would walk to the park and the beach. He talked me into riding that Rollercoaster! I probably only weighed 95 lbs at that time and he literally held me in. I will never forget those 2 months. Thank you Oceanview Park for giving me such wonderful memories.

  7. I was very young, but I remember going once with my parents & two younger brothers. I was scared to go in the Tunnel of Love, so I covered my eyes with my hands. I went with my best friends family also and her Aunt took me on the Rocket. It was my very first roller coaster ride and I just turned 60, and I’ve never been on any coasters since. So I think that’s pretty cool, it was my 1st & last ride🥰 I also remember riding the ferris wheel. And who could forget the laughing clown🤡 I know a gentleman who paints Oceanview Park. So seeing his work brought back those childhood memories I’ll always cherish ❤
    I learned so much about Ocean View Park from this. So Thank you.

  8. I always appreciate a deep dive into lesser-known historical sites. Ocean View Park might not be Disneyland, but it seems like it had its own unique charm and story. Thanks for shedding light on it, Alexis!

  9. I moved to Norfolk in 1976. I lived right on Ocean View. I got a job working at the amusement park running the softball toss. Those are very fond, loved memories. I was sad the day it was officially destroyed!
    Thank you for publishing this! Too much of our precious history is being lost or destroyed! Again … Thank you!

  10. My mother was born in 1920 one street over from the park on Portview Ave. She often told me of a silent film theater at the park that was heated by a wood stove and the roof leaked when it rained. She was a small child when she went with her mother. I noticed silent film theater was not listed in your items in the park. As for me, I was in the Easter parade where we showed off our new dresses. I cherish my memories of Ocean View Park, including watching fireworks from the top of the Colonial Store every Saturday night in the summer. The ferris wheel was my favorite and the tunnel of love/fun.