History
Funspot first opened as the Weirs Sports Center on June 27, 1952, in the top floor of Tarlson's Arcade building across from the Weirs Beach boardwalk. It was opened by then 21 year old Bob Lawton as an indoor miniature golf course and penny arcade with $750 USD borrowed from his grandmother. On the first day the center was open it made $36.60 from miniature golf admission and $5.60 from selling soft drinks. A round of 9-hole mini-golf cost 35 cents.
In 1964, Funspot was created when Lawton bought 21 acres (8.5 ha) of land, the same land where Funspot now sits, and moved his entertainment venture there. The first attraction built was a miniature golf course and an adjacent building. This course came to be known as the "Landmarks of New Hampshire" miniature golf course. A small clubhouse was also built next to the course, and in 1965 it was expanded into a 4,000-square-foot (370 m2) billiards room. This was the first of several additions to Funspot.
In 1971, Funspot opened the first of two theme parks on its Route 3 campus, Indian Village. Indian Village was described by the president of the American Indian Lore Association, Chief Red Dawn, in 1973 as, "A village of life-size habitats - reconstructed from historical blueprints, representing major Indian cultural areas of North America." Buildings ranged from a " Nookta Whaling Shrine," to a "Mandan Earth lodge," to "Plains Indians Teepees." Indian Village closed in 1983.
A second theme park, Storybook Forest, was opened in 1976. This park was themed after children's nursery rhymes and fairy tales. One of the main attractions in Storybook Forest was "Gingerbread Man Pond," a pond created in the shape of a running gingerbread man, with two large buttons. The buttons housed Robinson Crusoe's hut and cave. There were also multiple fiberglass sculptures of story characters that are currently spread out around the kiddie areas of Funspot. When Storybook Forest closed, all of the attractions were removed with the exception of the red school house.
In 1980, Funspot switched from quarters to tokens. Funspot expanded over the years opening satellite locations in Wolfeboro, Concord, Dover, Amherst, South Portland, Maine, and Port Richey, Florida. By the mid 1990s these satellite locations all closed one at a time with the location in Florida being the last to close. It was transformed into another arcade, Stop N' Play, which is still open. The bowling center, featuring both ten-pin and candlepin, was added to Funspot in 1988, and the bingo hall was added in 1996.
Funspot was named the World's Largest Arcade by Guinness World Records in 2008. The American Classic Arcade Museum alone has more than 300 pre-1988 video games and pinball machines. In 2009, the outdoor minigolf course was almost torn out, and a restaurant put in its place, but it was saved due to its historical value. Bob Lawton said, "When we opened it in 1964, we were the only ones in the Lakes Region that had minigolf, but then several opened up. Last year, we decided we wouldn't close it and we were going to keep it. It's historic; the buildings are fantastic." There is currently an empty lot next to the outdoor minigolf course where Funspot has been talking to hotel chains such as Best Western, Hilton, and Marriott, about the possibility of building a hotel.
Read more about this topic: Funspot Family Fun Center
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