Steve Lester November 11, 2007 01:19:33 (EDT)

I just got back from seeing Dane Cook in Cleveland. He does a routine about Benson's and had to come home and look it up on the google. I grew up in Nashua and lived in Hudson (about a mile or less from Benson's) for a while. Then I saw that Dane had posted here as well. The park has left some fond memories I have carried with me all my life. Thanks for the momories Benson's! And thanks for the reminder Dane Cook.

Dane Cook November 9, 2007 15:54:23 (EDT)

I remember when my dad said he would take me and my family to Benson's Animal Farm. For a week we waited in anticipation. All I wanted to do was pet the llama. That's it. I know they only had one, but I wanted to pet it. Well the night before we were supposed to go to Benson's Animal Farm, or BAF as I liked to call it, my father decided to down a 30 pack by himself. After lecturing my sisters and I about what not to do when we grow up, he finally made it to bed...at 6am...an hour before we were supposed to leave for BAF. When I tried to wake him up the next morning, he looked at me and said..."Listen little buddy...Your dad here isn't feeling very well...we're gonna have to go to Benson's some other time." When he saw me getting upset he said, "Don't worry, Benson's isn't going anywhere." Well guess what, it did go somewhere. It went bye bye and I never got to pet the llama.

When I got a little older, my father developed a heartburn problem and always thought he was having a heart attack. So one day when he told me, "Dane, I'm having a heart attack! You gotta take me to the hospital!" We would jump in my car and I'd drive him to an empty lot. He'd ask, "This isn't the hospital! Where are we?" I would reply, "Benson's Animal Farm. Don't worry, the hospital isn't going anywhere."

Brenda MacLellan November 7, 2007 21:45:33 (EDT)

I am happy to see that there are many people who have wonderful memories of Bensons, like I do. I would like to know if anyone remembers my uncle, Paul Lemery. He was the bear trainer and lived in Nashua, NH. He also worked with the elephants & chimps. My uncle Paul unfortunately died 5 years before I was born. I think it was 1956. He was killed by one of his older bears at a circus in IL. Please let me know if anyone has any memories or history about my uncle Paul. I would love to hear the stories.

Andrew November 7, 2007 13:19:35 (EDT)

Don - I remember being taught the 'correct way to sweep" too!
The funny thing is, he was right, and I still do it to this day! A friend of mine worked for Aurthur when he owned "My world of pets" in Merrimack, and one day he showed us what we were doing wrong. Lol
It was great.

Helen Mullaney November 6, 2007 18:29:32 (EDT)

Today I took a ride by Bensons to see whats been going on there not to much went by Kimballs subs and found the back way to bad all the picture on the page make it look like there still around the park what a shock to see all the buildings and stuff just in one spot not really how it was what a shame.

AskDon October 15, 2007 23:37:34 (EDT)

How great to stumble upon these messages...
Actually the elephants names were Queen, Liz, and Jackie(the baby)... we referred to Queen as "Queenie" ...as in Bobby for Bob..etc...
I worked there for a few years....This was my first job as a boy-- it is great hearing that the memories are fresh in everyone's minds...
I have lots of stories...and pictures still...
My first job actually being grounds (trash detail!)... Once taught the "proper way to sweep" by Authur... :) and then moved onto games for a week or two and finally the elephant ride..spending the days with the elephants... once saving a little girl who simply slipped thru the fence to pet a chained "Jackie".... watching the chimp show.... the motorcycle wheel show.. elephant show of course.--what a great place for my first job experiences and great memories..

Ari October 13, 2007 15:50:30 (EDT)

as an after thought, if you got in contact with dane cooks agent im sure his fond memories of the place would alow for one heck of a benefit performance...i may be out of line with that idea but its just a thought

Ari Bernstein October 13, 2007 15:47:30 (EDT)

Dane Cook tells a story(I saw him at MSG) about wanting to go to Benson's Animal Farm. He explains how him and his brother are promised by their father to go to Benson's Animal Farm. they are excited kids hopping around the living room saying "i want to go to bensons animal farm. The story continues that the father gets drunk and is too hung over to take the kids to bensons animal farm. His lesson to his kids is it will be there tomorrow. So they finally go together once Dane is a bit older and they arive to an out of business bensons animal farm. So it is in fact not there. then he jokes that one day his father will ask him to take him to the hospital and dane says he will answer "dont worry the hospital will be there tomorrow".

Greg Ahearn October 8, 2007 11:18:12 (EDT)

Hello Benson Friends

I just found this website today, and I am so happy.
I too have suffered a true loss with Benson’s closing. I just saw Mr. Hawke's pictures which even beyond the sadness of disrepair still bring many fond memories. Our Alvirne High School 40th reunion was last year and many of us reminisce of our high school days working there. To say I went to Benson’s is an understatement, “ I lived Benson’s”

When I was 8 years old (1950’s) I helped my father, uncles and grandfather shoe the pony show troupe that was there. We were blacksmiths from Lowell Mass. In 1960 my father felt the need to get three sons out of Lowell, to a place with less opportunities to get in trouble.

Well as a coincidence we moved to Hudson and bought a home on Kimball Hill Road just up the street from Benson’s rear entrance. Needless to say when I turned 14 years old I went to work at Benson’s for the next 4 years.

Also all the animal trainers and their families lived on Kimball Hill Road. I am still in contact with many of them even today via the age of email.

I am not done yet! After finishing an electrical degree at a local technical college I spent the next 20 years working as an electrician for a local contractor. We did all the new electrical construction and maintenance at the park till it closed.

I to was supportive for the Benson Museum but it has slowed down with some recent problems but it is not forgotten

I look forward to hearing from any body and to throw names.
Wally Jameson, Simone and Will Houle, Chat Libby, Roland Teiboon (seal trainer), Charlie Keefe, The Parker Sisters.

I must also confess that I have become an Ebay addict for Benson Animal Farm Items and Mars Task Force, my fathers Merrill Marauders Troop in WW2

Thanks Greg Ahearn

Bret October 7, 2007 08:46:49 (EDT)

It is quite amazing to realize that it was 20 years ago this month, that Bensons closed. It was a VERY unique place. Worked with a lot of great people and had great times. We all complained...but loved every minute of it. I remember a few occassions when many employees chipped in for lottery tickets, hoping to win the 'big one' and save the park.

gary vrotsos September 28, 2007 23:28:15 (EDT)

My wife and I went to benson's about 20+ years ago when they were auctioning off some of the equipment. We bought, on a lark, a huge canvas painting of the elephant show that hung there for many years. Its been sitting in our basement kept away from the elements since there. We never hung it up or anything. Wondering what to do with it now. i think we paid about $400 for it then. Any one interested? Email me at gary.vrotsos@nemoves.com

jill arnold September 14, 2007 18:39:40 (EDT)

What a treat to find this web site. my sister and I talk about our visit to Benson's when we were little girls visiting our grandparents in Manchester. I must have been very small . I recall it was the first time I had seen a giraffe. Every time I would get animal crackers I would think of this place . It gives me much pleasure even @age 55 to think about my visit there . Whoever put this together THANK YOU!!

Marilyn Parker September 4, 2007 12:17:45 (EDT)

My friend in Nashua, NH and I were talking recently and the subject of Benson's came up. I was raised in Massachusetts and remember going to Benson's for a ride on Betsy...My friend recalled the same adventure with her family.. we are both hovering around the 70 year old mark and these are fond memories for the both of us...it is a treat to find all this information on Benson's...thanks!

Marilyn Parker September 4, 2007 12:14:20 (EDT)

Presently I live in IN but a good friend of mine that I am fortunately in touch with lives in NH. I was raised in Massachusetts and then moved to NH, Nashua. As we talked the subject of Benson's came up...she said her family went to Benson's and the children rode Betsy the elephant...I can remember going up to Benson's for the same treat and have pictures "on top of Ol' Betsy"...as she does. What fond memories!! These pages and this information is wonderful. Many memories for so many !!

Mel Gannon August 29, 2007 22:13:34 (EDT)

I worked at Bensons for most of my childhood from the costume Parade(the pay was a free ice cream coupon)I always was dressed as one of the three pigs til i fell into the pond while dancing around then I Dressed as chicken little. As i got older I worked for most of the rides and stands then went to the arcade barn for a while til the park closed I worked in the admissions/season pass booth with Tina. I was crushed when the park closed it felt like (10years) of my childhood closed with it. I WISH IT WAS STILL AROUND SO MY CHILDREN COULD ENJOY IT...as much as i did

Margaret August 29, 2007 21:43:00 (EDT)

I'm looking for Richard L. Lund who is a decendant of the owner of Bensons . Please respond if you know of him or his where abouts.....Margaret

Andrea D. August 23, 2007 22:33:04 (EDT)

I have been looking for pictures of Benson's for years. I remember going there as a kid in the 70's and only really remember the shoe. Does anyone know of or have any old pictures from when it was open or when it was NE Playworld. I went to the entrance when I was in college when it was NE Playworld but never went in - kicking myself now.

Paul Corcoran (TEX) August 21, 2007 15:06:59 (EDT)

I remember working at Benson's Wild Animal Farm back in 1973 with Ellen McGraw, her brother and a few other people. It was pretty fun. I mostly drove the small train they had there.

Deb Leonard August 21, 2007 14:41:12 (EDT)

I remember going to Benson's Animal Farm every summer. It was our summer trip as a family. I think my mother still has pictures of my sister and I sitting on a stone Lion or something.. I'll have to find that as well as many other pictures taken there. I was shocked to find that it had closed down as I would have liked to take my children there, when they were younger.