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Seaside Stories

“Fascinated” on Broadway

July 15, 2012 | by Jon Rahl

The history of Seaside being one of the oldest seashore resorts – and the folks that have flocked to these ocean beaches – has been long documented. But one of the fun aspects about this North Oregon Coast resort town is what lies inside some of the walls and businesses that have been around for decades.
Consider the game of Fascination, housed in the Funland Arcade downtown. In Fascination, players have one or two rubber balls (similar in size to a racquetball) that they roll towards an area that contains 25 holes. Upon dropping through the hole, a backboard lights up in a pattern to the corresponding hole. The ball then rolls back to the player and the process is repeated until the particular game is completed (either by completing a bingo – five in a row – or a blackout – lighting up your entire board).
Seaside Fascination has approximately 40 tables and chairs that can be occupied at any given time. Points are awarded to single-game winners and those points can be turned in for a wide array of prizes.
Much like Seaside, the game of Fascination also has a long and storied history. It dates to the 1920s and popularity with oceanside resort towns that have boardwalks and amusement parks. Seaside’s parlor has been in place since the 1950s and is just one of a dozen remaining in the United States. Seaside Fascination is open throughout the week during the summer and weekends during the winter along Broadway.

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