Curious Traveler:CJ Fitzwater

Was it just last month that they dropped the docks in at the marinas on the Merrimack? It seems like only last week we were welcoming home our favorite snowbirds, George and Judith Burtch, and Anthony Montasanti? and was it just yesterday that we were celebrating the graduation parties of Skylar Colburn, Cam Neary, and Marvens Pierre Jules? I feel like Yankee Homecoming and the Greek Food Festival was just this morning.

The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day moves fast, and is magical in Salisbury. The weather was hot this year, which I prefer, especially compared to the absurd rain of 2023. Rosalie Catalano claims Labor Day as her favorite day of the year; she enjoys greeting everyone leaving the beach with her signature one-finger salute. Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, so maybe the salute is in reference to the end of the best time of the year?

Things have changed since we Gen Xers visited or lived at the beach when we were at the magical age where our memories are our fondest. The contrast is even starker for the boomers. The Himalaya is long gone, along with its fast 11.5 RPM thrills, blaring hair bands, and bright lights. One ride on that classic could adjust your spine in mostly the wrong ways; a second ride might cost you the pork pie, fried dough, or beach pizza your parents bought for you.

If you’re over 60, you might remember rolling into Broadway and seeing the gigantic Wildcat, a large wooden roller coaster with a series of climbs and drops that left you begging for another ride—if only your parents were generous enough to pay for it. The last ride on the Wildcat was before I was born, in 1973 a woman jumped to her death from the iconic wooden coaster. Roughly two years later, the coaster was demolished, and the very popular bumper cars Dodgem was also closed.

Roger Shaheen built Fun-O-Rama out of the 300-car parking lot he owned back in 1959. This park housed all kinds of adventures, including the famous Witch Castle, a funhouse-type dark ride. Joe’s Playland is still around, having been here since 1919 when Joe and Jennie Haballa sold popcorn and peanuts from a stand before setting up shop at the Ocean Echo, and when in the late ‘30’s the Frolics opened up at the former site of the Ocean Echo Joe’s had a new home at the north end corner of the Frolics. It eventually found its permanent spot in 1952, where we’re fortunate to have the arcade operating seven days a week in the summer and on weekends all winter. Joe’s has seen it all—from the corruption of Salisbury during Prohibition, through its heydays in the 1950s and 1960s, the plateau in the ‘70s, and its decline in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Joe’s is the last remaining link to everything that was ever good in Salisbury—and everything that has gone bad. It’s been there through every attempt to revive the beach center and has collected new attractions along the way. After Joe and Jennie passed on, they left their business to their nephew, Fred and his wife, Julia. Fred and Julia then passed it on to their children. Fred and Dan Abdulla are there every day giving change, fixing machines, and handing out prizes to those who work hard collecting tickets in search of their chosen rewards. You can still get popcorn and taffy, and they’ve added ice cream and Lee’s Seafood on Ocean Front North, where you’ll find the Mother Theresa of Salisbury, Donna Abdulla. Donna cares for you like a mother, always checking on my health, scolding me when I’m doing things I shouldn’t be, and never saying no when I come calling for a donation to Santa’s Helper and other causes I support.

Joe’s Midway Arcade remains the crown jewel of the Abdulla enterprises, blending classic games with the latest in arcade technology—a sensory mix of bells, whistles, lights, and digital sounds. Every sense is used when you walk through the doors. The arcade games have replaced the old Salisbury Beach games of chance once owned by the Dean family, including the Cigarette Game, the Dime Store, and The Color Game.

Jake Beevers, fondly known as “Mr. Salisbury Beach,” ran the 10-cent game called General Store, where you’d put a dime on a number from 1 to 30. A wheel would spin with a light for each number, and when Jake pressed a button to start the game, a customer would press a button to stop it. Whichever number the light landed on was the winner. If you were lucky enough to know Salisbury in its prime, you can’t help but share your favorite stories of the Kon Tiki, the Sidewalk Cafe, The Barn, and, of course, Uncle Eddie’s.

Ocean Front North has transitioned quite remarkably, evolving from Fun-O-Rama and dive bars like the Sands into something vibrant, thanks to Atlantic Hospitality. The north end of Beach Center now boasts fantastic restaurants, including an Italian spot with a great bar, Capri—a Cheers-like place where manager Kathleen knows everybody’s name. Right across the street is Seaglass, a high-class contemporary restaurant with the most dynamic view of the Atlantic Ocean. If you’re lucky, you might even see a whale breach as you dine—it happens. Blue Ocean Music Hall is a world-class concert venue that attracts top-notch acts. The new round building that houses the historic carousel has added even more entertainment to the Beach Center and has cleaned up the once rundown, vacant storefronts. The vision of Wayne Capolupo and his partners on the north end has revitalized Salisbury.

Some of the greatest people in the world have migrated to the south end of the beach. All the old folks want to be kids again, and if I had to pick the happiest people in the world, I’d say it’s the generous and fun crew from the south end—they are my favorite people. To end summer on the right note, they all gathered for a potluck on the beach, each bringing something special to share. Lucky for Nina and I, they’ve adopted us as southenders. We will miss you, summer, and when our favorite snowbirds migrate to Florida, we will miss them too.

My good friend, Jim Pollard has fond memories of the beach after Labor Day weekend. As a boy, once all the summer residents went home, he and his buddies had the keys to the kingdom, running from cottage to cottage and exploring the treasures left behind. Summer has always been my favorite season, and it’s always hard to say goodbye. It’s now time to harvest, fresh corn is available at Bartlett’s Farm, the country’s oldest continuously running family farm, and of course you can pick up fresh vegetables, and sweet corn from Fred Bishop’s farm stand on Beach Road.

Want more signs that it’s almost fall? High Rock has fewer jumpers, it won’t be long before they start pulling up the docks, Ralphie B played his last Friday, the Saturday night fireworks are all over until next year, and the kids are already back in school. Now it’s time for fair season, apple picking, leaf peeping, and preparing for winter. These are the good old days, and these are our fondest memories.

Thanks to E.J. Dean, Dan Abdulla, Joe’s Playland, and the residents of Salisbury, the greatest people in the world.

Salisbury resident C.J. Fitzwater is a curious traveler, perpetually on the lookout for fresh frontiers. With each journey, he blends historical threads into his stories. Email him at: cfitzwater@ymail.com.