Iconic New Hampshire Amusement Park Sold

While we may not have the massive, internationally known theme parks that Orlando does, New England has its fair share of iconic amusement parks.

Funtown/Splashtown, Canobie Lake Park, and Palance Playland have been welcoming families for generations.

Another of our favorite New England amusement parks is Story Land.

Located in the tiny town of Glen, New Hampshire, the park was founded by Bob and Ruth Morrell in the 1950s.  While it started with just a few attractions, including a fire truck, the park grew immensely over the decades.

Following the deaths of Bob and Ruth, the park was taken over by their son, Stoney.  He ran the operation until his passing in 2006.  Following his death, the park was sold to Palace Entertainment.

Under the new owners, the expansion of Story Land continued.  A wooden roller coaster called the Roar-O-Saurus is one of the more recent additions.  And, just in time for the park's 70th anniversary in 2024, a new water park called Moo Lagoon replaced the old Oceans of Fun Splashground.

Now, it appears the park has been sold again.

Story Land in Glen, New Hampshire

According to a recent article on the Theme Park Insider website, a company called Herschend has just made an agreement with Parques Reunidos to purchase Palace Entertainment's U.S. properties.

Herschend is probably best known for being the owner of Dolly Parton's Dollywood park.  They also own Branson's Silver Dollar City.

The article goes on to say that Herschend has been in business for 75 years.

Of the acquisition, Herschend CEO Andrew Wexler said:

"Today's announcement marks a natural expansion and continuation of that vision. By growing wisely and staying true to our purpose, we are building a future where we can continue creating memories worth repeating for generations to come."

 

In addition to Story Land, the deal means that the company will also acquire New Hampshire's Water Country, Idlewild and Soak Zone in Pennsylvania, Georgia's Wild Adventures, and Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville.