Remember This Christmas Ad for Benson's Wild Animal Farm in NH?

For some of you, this will be a nostalgic blast from the past. For others, you might not have any clue what this place is, or perhaps it existed before your time.

So, let's learn more about Benson's Wild Animal Farm.

Even though this park has been closed since 1987, it has an active Facebook page with reviews written as recently as a few years ago, which goes to show how beloved this place was. The page describes Benson's as a "long-running private zoo and amusement park in Hudson, New Hampshire," that was open for 60 years starting in 1927.

This property was HUGE. Just look at the map, filled with places to see and enjoy music, rides, shows, and of course, animals.

Benson's Wild Animal Farm via Facebook

But the fun at Benson's didn't stop when the temperature dropped. Someone shared this picture to the New Hampshire Heritage, History, and Memories Facebook group, showing a 1980 Christmas advertisement from the park.

Followers of John Patrick Jordan - Manchester, NH history and beyond via New Hampshire Heritage, History, and Memories on Facebook

It turns out that Benson's hosted a two-month seasonal event called Christmas in New England, featuring everything from Santa Clause to horse-drawn hayrides, shows, a petting zoo, food and refreshments, shows, and $1,000,000 worth of Christmas lights and decorations. That's worth around $3,400,000 today, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Holy cow. How awesome does that sound?

It's always interesting to see blasts from the past like this, so thank you to the person who shared this. How about you? Do you have any holiday memories from Benson's Wild Animal Farm? Feel free to reach out and let us know.

In the meantime, here are some of the best horse-drawn sleigh rides in New Hampshire and Maine.