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The Carroll Family

Once billed as "a quiet spot to rest or dream" Riverside Park in Agawam, MA, like many other forest settings around the country, was promoted by the trolley companies that carried a lot of passengers during the week, but were looking for business on the weekends. The Park got its start in 1840 as a picnic spot called "Callups Grove." In the late 1880s, the name was changed to "Riverside Grove" before being shortened to just "Riverside" in 1912. Then, during the depression of the 1930s, the park went bankrupt. 

Ed Carroll senior, seeing an entrepreneurial opportunity, purchased the defunct amusement park in 1940 and over the years, transformed it into the premier tourist attraction in New England. He bought and installed new rides, and replaced the ballroom with a stock car track. Riverside soon became the premier short track in the nation, helping many of today's NASCAR Winston Cup drivers rise to prominence. 

Major Hollywood stars graced the entertainment stages at Riverside, including such names as Kenny Rogers,  Loretta Lynn, Lorne Green and the cast of "Bonanza," as well as Evel Knievel, the famous motorcycle jumper.

 In the 56 years that the Carroll family owned Riverside, over 50 million guests entered the facility. Satisfying those guests required an extraordinary commitment of time and energy by the entire family. Ed Carroll senior passed away in 1979 and his son, Ed junior, carried on making Riverside one of the largest attractions in New England. 

As with any successful business, you must look forward to the future. The success of Riverside was noticed nationally and the family was regularly approached by companies interested in purchasing the Park. So, one day, Ed junior and the family sat down and set the criteria for the sale of Riverside.  The company that met those criteria was Six Flags. It took just 90 days to complete the negotiations for the sale of Riverside, which was acquired by Six Flags in 1996. Now the park is the most visited attraction in Massachusetts.

As we watch new generations of visitors come to Six Flags for a day of fun, we will remember the family that had a vision for a parcel of land in Agawam and the courage to invest and reinvest in it. The Carroll family's dedication to providing a safe family entertainment destination set a standard that is still held in the highest regard by the amusement park industry.

We are proud to induct the Edward Carroll family into the Western Massachusetts Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame.