Not so long ago, day trips to Old Orchard Beach were the height of summer excitement for young people of the Twin Cities. What could be better than the thrilling rides, the games of chance, the food and the spectacular expanse of sandy beach and surf?

Old Orchard Beach still offers a chance to enjoy an unsurpassed Atlantic Ocean experience, but its heyday of big band concerts and one-of-a-kind attractions on and near the massive pier will never be forgotten.

For more than 100 years, Old Orchard Beach was a Mecca for vacationers, near and far. It underwent devastating fires. Its appeal rose and fell as public tastes changed, and memories of the sights and sounds can be revived so easily with just a mention of its legendary allure.

The Pier has always been emblematic of Old Orchard Beach. At one time, it was said to be the longest steel pier in the world. It had its own locomotive shuttle, and the 1/8 mile structure reached seaward to its iconic Pier Ballroom, where the best bands and singers of the swing era played to huge crowds.

It was July 4, 1955, when I had the pleasure of seeing Louis Armstrong perform at The Pier. I was still in high school, and four or five friends accompanied me to that once-in-a-lifetime show.

It was a hot summer night, and Satchmo’s unforgettable jazz trumpet echoed across the waves. I can still feel the sensation of the whole ballroom swaying atop the tall pilings.

For decades, the Ballroom brought top stars such as Paul Whiteman, Cab Calloway, Tommy Dorsey, Guy Lombardo and Duke Ellington, and many more musicians, all for the admission prices of about a dollar. The stars of the day included the Clooney Sisters, Helen Forrest, Doris Day, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Dinah Shore, Keely Smith, Jo Stafford and Margaret Whiting.

The Ballroom had a capacity of about 5,000. It was Westbrook native Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees band that captured the attendance record.

Daniel E. Blaney’s 2007 book “Old Orchard Beach” in the Postcard History Series of Arcadia Publishing, offers remarkable looks at the old days. He collected views of The Pier and its arcades, its famous french fries stand, and the other attractions. He recalls the lighted archway at the entrance to The Pier and to the White Way.

Fires and storms took a tremendous toll through the years. The first pier was built in 1898 of steel and measured 1,770 feet long and 20 feet above the tides. The Pier was severely damaged in November of that same year by an early-winter storm.

Blaney’s book said, “The great fire of 1907 destroyed the entire beachfront as firemen from Portland, Biddeford, and Saco rushed to the beach but struggled to contain the blaze, hampered by low water pressure.”

March 1909 brought another damaging storm, destroying “White City” at the end of The Pier and reducing The Pier to 700 feet.

An international auto race was held on the beach in 1910 with Dave Lewis winning the 100-mile race. Hundreds of auto races took place on the hard-packed sand, but the beach also holds a place in the history of aviation. Influenced by Charles Lindbergh’s daring flight, many trans-Atlantic flights took advantage of Old Orchard Beach’s long stretch of wide hard-packed sand to attempt their own crossings.

Dick Shaw wrote in the June 17, 1977, edition of Bangor Daily News about a 48-state re-creation tour that included a replica “Spirit of St. Louis” that landed there for a major celebration.

“Lucky Lindy” had landed at Old Orchard Beach 50 years earlier, a day later than scheduled, and he set down on the beach instead of the Portland airport because of fog.

Many people recall the massive fire of July 19, 1969. It was said that a penny in a fusebox of the Moon Spinner ride sparked the blaze. Everything for blocks around was destroyed and flames could be seen as far away as Sebago Lake. Among the losses were a world-class merry-go-round, the Noah’s Ark fun house, the Coal Mine Ride, and the Jack-and-Jill Slide.

Everyone who has ever visited Old Orchard Beach has a favorite memory. For many, it was “Dave the Guesser,” who was famous for guessing facts about people. David Glovsky died in 1997 at the age of 88. From 1949, he was a fixture at Palace Playland, where he guessed people’s ages, weights and occupations. For a dollar a guess, tourists also received a liberal dose of entertainment. He took up that work when a promising career as a boxer didn’t pan out. His disapproving mother chased him out of the ring with an umbrella.

Dave Sargent is a freelance writer and a native of Auburn. He can be reached by sending email to [email protected].