Last Stop Wonderland

From Dave Brigham:

This building doesn't exist anymore.

Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere, Mass., was open from 1935 to 2010. The dog racing track's lifespan was defined by actions of the State. The park debuted a year after the Massachusetts Legislature legalized pari-mutuel wagering, and closed in the wake of passage of the November 2008 Massachusetts Greyhound Protection Act ballot question, according to this history of Wonderland (which spells the name of the park incorrectly in the title of the web site...oh well.)

Since moving to the Boston area in the early '90s, I was always vaguely aware of Wonderland. It was this place at the far end of the MBTA's Blue line subway, near Revere Beach. Since I've never been much of a gambler -- I can count on one-and-a-half hands the number of times I've been in a casino -- the dog track might as well have been halfway around the world. Sure, I've been to Connecticut's Plainfield Dog Track - once. It, too, is long out of business. I used to gamble at Hartford Jai-alai with my high school buddies a long time ago, but I was chicken to wager very much.

I took these pictures last fall. I'm pretty sure the site has been cleared by now. To see photos of the park in its heyday and at the end of its business life, check out this Boston Globe article and gallery. Prior to opening as a dog track in 1935, this site was home to a bicycle track, and before that, an amusement park.

To get an idea of what bicycle tracks at the turn of the 20th century were like, check out "Get On Your Bikes and Ride!" from May 2016, about a Waltham, Mass., course.

Demolition at the Wonderland site was halted for several months in 2017-2018 when crews discovered asbestos, according to this article. It's unclear at this point what the site's owners will seek to develop on the property. Best guess: multi-use development, with housing, retail, hotels and office space.

(Where the track itself once stood.)

For more on gambling facilities and projects in Massachusetts, see:

June 25, 2013, "Roll the Dice," about the neighborhood around what is soon to be the Encore Boston Harbor hotel and casino in Everett, Mass. This post dates back 5 1/2 years; I plan to post an update featuring tons of photos of the casino and surrounding neighborhood soon.

June 30, 2018, "Losing Bet at Suffolk Downs," about the loss of another former gambling mecca that straddles Revere and East Boston.

February 20, 2011, "Lose, Place or Show," about the former Great Barrington Fairgrounds horse track, which was recently leased by the owners of Suffolk Downs for the purpose of reopening for racing, perhaps as soon as this year.

Here's your headline explainer: