Erin Rocha August 13, 2008 11:30:34 (EDT)

Hello,
My name is Erin Rocha, and I am the New Hampshire editor for Arcadia Publishing in Porsmouth, NH. Arcadia is the nation's leading publisher of local and regional photographic histories, and I am very interested in finding a qualified individual to author a photographic history of the park. I'd love to hear from anyone who might be interested in a project or have suggestions for an author. I can be reached at erocha@arcadiapublishing.com or 603-436-7610. You can find out more about Arcadia at www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Howie Finn August 9, 2008 22:06:15 (EDT)

Is there a "Friends of Benson's Park" in existance? The state of MA providex funds for volunteer groups as such for state park groups and maybe we could start one up for the park? Trail maintainance, walking trails, preventative maintenance around structures etc. are voluntary activities interested parties could help with!
My parents drove us out there from R.I. BEFORE the highways were built to spend a weekend camping nearby just to visit this park....Does anyone rmember the hollow tree that was converted into a mobile home you could walk through

mszoo August 6, 2008 19:52:30 (EDT)

I tried to buy a color poster at craigs list but someone bought all the colored ones. Anybody know where I can get one?

marcel perreault August 6, 2008 11:08:15 (EDT)

I have some realy good memories about Bensons Animal Farm and I am also sad that I do not have the oportunity to bring my children to Bensons so we can share the memories together and pass the memories on to their children.
All I have to share is memories and stories which isnt quite the same as creating your own memories.

MsZoo August 5, 2008 19:08:03 (EDT)

When I was little I used to go to Benson's every year with my family. I got married in 1973 and we went to Benson's for our honeymoon. I just loved the place. Private animal parks just don't work these days. Because they don't bring in the profits needed to keep them afloat, the animal parks these days must rely on state funds. Also, more humane environments are needed which means much more acreage. I wish my kids could have enjoyed the park as much as I did - picnic lunches and all.

Rich August 4, 2008 21:50:54 (EDT)

http://nh.craigslist.org/clt/779991070.html

Link to a guy selling old poster maps of Benson's on NH Craigslist

Rich August 4, 2008 21:46:31 (EDT)

Can anyone tell me the dates Boston and Maine ran the jungle train to Benson's? I picked up a neat old hand bill/flyer I had it framed but it has no year. On the back it lists prizes for the trip photo contest.

Yamira August 4, 2008 15:33:02 (EDT)

Wow!!! I can't believe how abandoned the place is.I'm 30 and I went there when I was little till about 12 I remember the place clearly.I'ts so sad what has happened to the place. Hopefully they will renew it and make it a new and improved Animal Farm instead of building estates or whatever they want to do. I can't believe that they would close down a place where family would go to have fun,to build something that nobody will care about.And I thought that when I had my kid I would be able to visit with him he's 4 and this would have been one of the places that I would have loved to share with him.....

Robert Bergeron August 4, 2008 01:17:58 (EDT)

Can anyone tell me every elephant trainer and anyone assosiated with the elephants. that would really be a personal favor

Pete Langlois August 3, 2008 08:32:16 (EDT)

I found this site while looking for something entirely different. It brings back very fond memories of my childhood. My dad used to work for Sanders and they would have their yearly outings here. Thanks for keeping these memories alive.

Pete

mike August 2, 2008 15:55:54 (EDT)

Hi Katie (and all),

Funny you should mention Queenie. I own a local laundromat/dry cleaning establishment. (I won't say who or where we are because I don't want this to be a shameful plug for business. If you look in this week and next weeks edition of the Hudson/Litchfield News it will be easy enough to figure out). We have "adopted" Liz (and before her death Queenie) and we are raising money to help feed them. This has been an ongoing attempt to help the Elephant Sanctuary meet their needs. For the month of August we are donating 10% of our dry cleaning revenues to the Sanctuary. We also have a display on our counter and folks have been putting their donations in to help out. Having grown up in Hudson and spent many days at Benson's it almost feels like they are old friends and we just want to help them out. Feel free to e-mail and I will be happy to let you know what you can do to help them.

Mike

steve (webmaster) August 2, 2008 12:24:43 (EDT)

Here, you can read Gina Votour's article about Benson's Animal Farm, published a couple of weeks ago on July 18, 2008 in the Hudson/Litchfield News. [Reproduced with permission.]

Katie Olmstead August 1, 2008 15:55:51 (EDT)

For those of you who remember....
Queenie the Elephant: http://www.elephants.com/queenie/queeniestart.htm

Katie (Johnson) Olmstead July 31, 2008 22:40:18 (EDT)

Many of my favorite childhood memories were spent at Benson's Animal Farm in Hudson, N.H. My favorite, the spitting gorilla, has been shared with many students over the past 21 years since its closing. So sorry to see that my son who was born in 1987 will never get to see it. How sad!
Ask students now how many of them have ever been to a real animal farm/zoo and the percentage is so sad!
It's time that N.H. brought back a real zoo like Benson's!
Just ask any typical 6-7 year old if they've ever seen a real gorilla! The statistics are sad!

Bob July 30, 2008 09:26:57 (EDT)

I agree with many of you that it is way past time for something to be done with Benson's. One of the setbacks is the people in the town and State government know very little, if anything about the historical value Benson's had to the area and the State. The people in Hudson government, with the exception of Selectman Jasper, have no knowledge of that value to this area. As for the Benson commitee, it is appointed by the selectman and to be a member, one has to be a resident of the town. As far as I can tell it was only started to quite the masses and has absolutely no clout nor say in what will happen with the property...............There are grants out there and what needs to happen is the state legislators from Hudson and Senator Gregg need to be involved. Senator Gregg, I am sure can recall that when his father ran for Governor, he used on of Benson's elephants in his campagne.

Dave Mullins July 29, 2008 18:59:50 (EDT)

Can someone give me some directions? I would like to go there and do some photography. I moved here from the Bahamas and don't know much of the history of the area.

Thanks

Dave

Laurie July 29, 2008 11:04:07 (EDT)

Though I've lived in the Midwest since 1990, I grew up in Hudson, graduated from Alvirne and have many awesome memories of times spent at Benson's. Several family members and friends worked at Benson's when I was young and I visited there with my family many times. It's obvious people are incredibly passionate about wanting something worthwhile to be done with/on the property. In my visits back to NH, it's truly heart wrenching to drive by the old property and see it going to waste... viewing the You Tube videos is almost too much to take. All very sad.

Specifically in the posts by lioness and Mike, there's talk about a Benson's Committee chaired by Esther. Understanding lioness believes the committee has decided not to meet until something tangible happens, how does one go about finding out more about this committee?... like current members?... how to apply?... how to be informed of the next meeting (whenever it happens)?... whether minutes from previous meetings are available for review? I'm honestly NOT trying to be negative, but waiting for something tangible to happen seems questionable to me. I'm obviously not informed enough to know when/why the committee came to this decision... I only believe grassroots groups need to stay organized and vocal so their desires can be heard/discussed.

I look forward to hearing back from those in the know with answers to the questions above. It's very evident others posting on this site may want to partake in committee membership and/or meetings plus read previous meeting minutes which may inspire additional great ideas for utilizing the old Benson's property that holds such fond memories for so many of us!

Thanks,
Laurie

Tom July 29, 2008 08:33:41 (EDT)

In my travels, I tell people I am from Hudson and they say,"Oh, isn't that where Benson's used to be?" The Town needs to suck it up and write the check. I could not buy an acre of land in Hudson without a building on it for less than 200,000! Apply for Federal/State Funds to reclaim the buildings. Apply for historical standing, give Hudson something they can be proud of again! Do we need to be known as a drive through town? Do we need to be known as just a way to get from Nashua to Salem? Get it together, write the check, and get it done! Get the Alvirne team in there and cut down some trees, get the horticultural kids in there to plant. There are people and businesses out there who will raise money for this one piece of history we have! Ask around and I bet when you tell people you are from Hudson they will say, " Oh, Hudson???, Isn't that where Benson's USED to be?" Make people change their statement to: :"Oh Hudson, that is where that beautiful park is on the Benson's old property". MAke the people of Hudson a community again, make them proud to have something instead of just a drive through town, or a way to get to Salem from Nashua!

Jennifer Ellenwood Conley July 28, 2008 22:27:12 (EDT)

Hi All Benson Fans,
I too grew up in Nashua, NH. I went to benson's animal park every year growing up. I too remember the good ole days especially at Christmas time. I worked there in 1986.I now live in florida, i still have lots and lots of pictures from my family's time there. I would love to reconnect with any of the ole crew that used to work there...:) Please get in touch with me. would love to reminince about fun times we all had.

Hope to hear from everyone real soon.
Jennifer