Hellhole, Sportland Pier, Wildwood, NJ, 1974

Hellhole

Came across this image of a postcard from the North Wildwood boardwalk on CardCow. It’s an amusement ride called Hellhole. The cylindrical room inside spun, much like the Trabant, an outdoor spinning ride where you’re standing but belted in. There were no belts or seats in the Hellhole cylinder, which was decorated with flames and devils, and had a gallery around and above the drum where you had to spend tickets just to watch. The ride would start and the cylinder would spin. In a few moments centrifugal force would paste you back against the wall. Faster and faster and then you were pinned there. Then the floor dropped away!  And you were stuck on the wall for a couple dozen more revolutions fifteen feet above the floor.  Some riders would get fancy and spin themselves around so they were upside  down.

I rode it many times in the late 60s/early 70s. The times I remember most vividly were when I was about 12. Sister Joanne, cousin Michael and I were on Sportland Pier. The other two didn’t want to go on Hellhole, so I went on once alone. Then Mike wanted to go and I went on with him. When we got off we convinced Joanne, and the three of us went.  So I rode it three times that night, and after the third time, his second, Michael came off and threw up.