Giant Coaster Paragon

Upon its completion in 1917, the Giant Coaster at Paragon Park became the tallest coaster in the world with a lift hill 96 feet high. The massive double out and back ride also became the longest wood coaster of its time with a length of around 4,850 feet. The dog-leg layout began with an 80 foot double double dip with the upper part being 60 feet and the lower portion being 20 feet. Like many coasters from the 1910-1920 era, the drops were very shallow with the first drop only angled at 25 degrees. The structure was initially not as strong as in later years with ribbon board spacing being increased from every 12 feet to a more common 6 feet.

Three years later in 1920 the ride was modified to be more exciting but it was not until a fire in 1932 damaged portions of the ride that a major upgrade took place by Herbert Schmeck of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The first drop was rebuilt as one straight plunge of 90 feet at a 45 degree angle and an entire layer of hills was eliminated making the coaster only a single level out and back. At the end of the ride a new double helix was added but this section of track burned in 1963 and was never replaced making the ride shorter.

In 1985 the Giant Coaster was taken apart and moved to Six Flags America in Maryland where it opened in 1986 as The Wild One with a length of 3,300 feet. The helix was rebuilt in a smaller form at the new location but modifications were made to the ride in the years that followed including a shortening of the first drop height by approximately 10 feet and a raising of the turnaround that eliminated a curving double dip.