By LISA CAPOBIANCO STAFF WRITER What began as a scientific experiment on the family-owned lake of Gad Norton in 1846 has now become a park that sits on 404 acres and offers 44 rides. In her new book, local author Lynda Russell takes readers on a journey through the history of Lake Compounce, the oldest, continuously-operating theme park in the country. “Lake Compounce” is the newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s newest series, “Images of Modern America.” Royalties of the book will be donated to the Bristol Historical Society. Russell’s book is the first one yet on Lake Compounce, highlighting never seen before pictures and a history of the park that expands from the 1800s to the present day. “It’s the only book on the park, and I wanted to make sure it was out there for people to see,” said Russell, who has a passion for history. The story begins on Oct. 6, 1846 when Gad Norton invited the public to see a scientific experiment conducted at his family-owned lake. Although the experiment failed, crowds of folks inspired him to open a recreation area. For Russell, the transformation of Lake Compounce from private land to a nationally-known amusement park is […]
By LISA CAPOBIANCO STAFF WRITER What began as a scientific experiment on the family-owned lake of Gad Norton in 1846 has now become a park that sits on 404 acres and offers 44 rides. In her new book, local author Lynda Russell takes readers on a journey through the history of Lake Compounce, the oldest, continuously-operating theme park in the country. “Lake Compounce” is the newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s newest series, “Images of Modern America.” Royalties of the book will be donated to the Bristol Historical Society. Russell’s book is the first one yet on Lake Compounce, highlighting never seen before pictures and a history of the park that expands from the 1800s to the present day. “It’s the only book on the park, and I wanted to make sure it was out there for people to see,” said Russell, who has a passion for history. The story begins on Oct. 6, 1846 when Gad Norton invited the public to see a scientific experiment conducted at his family-owned lake. Although the experiment failed, crowds of folks inspired him to open a recreation area. For Russell, the transformation of Lake Compounce from private land to a nationally-known amusement park is […]