Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It borders Winthrop, East Boston and Chelsea to the south, Everett and Malden to the west, Saugus and Lynn to the north, Melrose to the northwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. It comprises 10.0 square miles, although 4.1 of which are open water and wetlands and not suitable for development. Of the 5.9 miles² of developed land, 70% is used for housing. Revere is located approximately 5 miles from downtown Boston. The population was 47,283 at the 2000 census.
Revere Beach is the oldest public beach in the United States. It has a fairly active beach front district.
From its inception, Revere Beach was "the people's beach," used mostly by the working class and the many immigrants who settled in the area.
When people reminisce about Revere Beach it is not the sand and surf they remember most: It is the amusements. The Whip, the Ferris Wheel, Bluebeard's Palace, the Fun House, Hurley's Dodgems, the Pit, Himalaya, Hippodrome, Sandy's, the Mickey Mouse, the Virginia Reel and many more provided hours of enjoyment for residents and visitors alike. Of course, the biggest attraction was the Cyclone, among the largest roller coasters in the United States. Opened in 1927, its cars traveled at a speed of 50 miles per hour and its climb reached a 100 feet.
In addition to the sand, surf and amusements, there were two roller skating rinks, two bowling alleys, and numerous food stands. There were also the ballrooms, including the most famous, the Oceanview and the Beachview, each the site of many dance marathons which were popular in the 1930s.
The Beach began to deteriorate in the 1950s. By the early 1970s it had become a strip of honky tonk bars and abandoned buildings. The Great Blizzard of '78 proved to be the final death knell for the "old" Revere Beach, as many of the remaining businesses, amusements, pavilions, sidewalks, and much of the seawall were destroyed.
The Beach was the focus of a major revitalization effort by the Metropolitan District Commission and the City in the 1980s and was officially reopened in May 1992. It now boasts high rise housing units, a resanded beach, restored pavilions, and a renovated boulevard. Revere commemorated the centennial of the first opening of Revere Beach on the weekend of July 19, 1996. |
