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Coney Island & Luna Park -The Ghost of The World’s Playground
Coney Island & Luna Park
The Ghost of The World’s Playground
By Curt Solash
Ah, Brooklyn! As famous as the U.S. itself, where one out of every seven Americans has his roots. And, from an historical perspective, one of the most colorful parts of Brooklyn’s story is the area known to the world as Coney Island, once called “The World’s Playground.”
Discovered in 1609 by Henry Hudson, the area was called Conyne Eylandt in early 17th century Dutch documents. The most popular theory is that this name originates from the Dutch conyn (rabbit) because of the large population of these animals in the area. It was Anglicized to “Coney” when the English took over in 1664.
It started to evolve into a resort area after 1829 when the first bridge connecting it to the mainland was built. Because of both its relative proximity to Manhattan and its distance from the rest of Brooklyn, it gave the illusion of a proper vacation and started attracting visitors in the 1830’s and the 1840’s and its growth was accelerated by the concurrent development of carriage roads and steamships.
Most visitors arrived by carriage and were quite wealthy.
Middle class throngs started to frequent Coney Island in 1847 when a ferry to Morton’s Point, the western end of the peninsula, was built. The nearby areas of Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Sheepshead Bay hastened to build luxury hotels to compete with Coney Island.
Coney Island first became a major resort destination after the Civil War as railways and streetcars reached into the area in the 1860’s.
A steamboat line was started in 1881. Major hotels continued to develop and by the 1890’s,
Victorian spas, vaudeville theaters, and private bathhouses were common sights all along Surf Avenue, still the main thoroughfare, about one block from the boardwalk and the Atlantic.
Between 1890 and World War 2, Coney Island was the largest amusement area in the United States, attracting several million visitors per year.
At its peak, it maintained three competing amusement parks – Luna Park, Dreamland, and Steeplechase Park, as well as many independent concessions. It was a center for new technological developments, such as electric lights, roller coasters and baby incubators.
From 1885 to 1896, a seven story building called the Elephantine Colossu (which included a brothel!) in the shape of an elephant, greeted arriving immigrants who’d see it even before they’d see the Statue of liberty.
Sea Lion Park, the world’s first enclosed amusement park, opened in 1895.
The famous smiling face logo (Tillie), still the symbol of Coney Island and all its wonderful, surreal craziness, dates from 1900 and is supposedly a caricature of Steeplechase Park’s owner, George C. Tilyou.
When railways became electrified and connected Manhattan to Brooklyn via the Brooklyn Bridge early in the twentieth century, Coney Island turned from a resort to a destination for day-trippers seeking to escape the heat of the New York City’s tenements.
Upgrades in railway and subway lines from 1915 to 1919 ushered in Coney Island’s busiest era.
The world famous Nathan’s Original Hot Dog Stand, still going strong, opened in 1916 and now hosts the world famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest every summer.
The area’s decline began during the last years of World War 2. In 1944, a fire damaged Luna Park and part of it was turned into low-income housing. The development of air conditioning in homes and theaters and increased use of autos which provided access to the less crowded Long Island state parks, especially Jones Beach, created major competition and pressure for Coney Island’s continued success.
Changing demographics and street gangs problems developed in the 1950’s and the number of visitors to the rides and concessions, the staples of the local economy, declined sharply.
In 1964 Steeplechase Park closed. Middle class homes were replaced with housing projects. Because of lessening attendance, many amusement owners and concessionaires abandoned their properties.
Many attempts to revitalize the area and trade on its history have been made since then. The New York Aquarium was built in 1964 and the area was considering making a bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. A move to legalize gambling was considered, then rejected, and the minor league baseball team, the New York Cyclones, has made the area their official headquarters.
Currently, two amusement parks remain – a new Luna Park and Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park.
Three of the original rides have been designated as New York City landmarks and are listed in the National Registry of Historic Places:
* The Wonder Wheel, an enormous ferris wheel opened in 1920
* The Cyclone, the country’s oldest wooded roller coaster still in operation and dating from 1927
* The Parachute Jump, originally called the Lifesavers Parachute Jump, built for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Closed in 1964, it remains a Coney Island landmark, sometimes called Brooklyn’s Eiffel Tower.
Although now a shadow of its former glory, Coney Island, like all of Brooklyn, is a tough survivor, still quite alive and always evolving. It is home now to a very large and thriving Russian community.
Perhaps if you let your imagination soar, looking carefully among the “ghosts” and listening to the pounding waves it will still be possible to perceive the echoes of what was once “The World’s Playground.”
Luna Park in Coney Island is located at 1000 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224.
For more information about Coney Island, visit http://www.coneyislandfunguide.com/
For more information about Luna Park, visit http://lunaparknyc.com
For more to see and do in New York City, visit https://www.nycgo.com/
Gay travelers may want to look at this Three Day LGBT Itinerary posted by New York City Tourism at https://www.nycgo.com/articles/gay-nyc
The Ghost of The World’s Playground
By Curt Solash
Ah, Brooklyn! As famous as the U.S. itself, where one out of every seven Americans has his roots. And, from an historical perspective, one of the most colorful parts of Brooklyn’s story is the area known to the world as Coney Island, once called “The World’s Playground.”
Discovered in 1609 by Henry Hudson, the area was called Conyne Eylandt in early 17th century Dutch documents. The most popular theory is that this name originates from the Dutch conyn (rabbit) because of the large population of these animals in the area. It was Anglicized to “Coney” when the English took over in 1664.
It started to evolve into a resort area after 1829 when the first bridge connecting it to the mainland was built. Because of both its relative proximity to Manhattan and its distance from the rest of Brooklyn, it gave the illusion of a proper vacation and started attracting visitors in the 1830’s and the 1840’s and its growth was accelerated by the concurrent development of carriage roads and steamships.
Most visitors arrived by carriage and were quite wealthy.
Middle class throngs started to frequent Coney Island in 1847 when a ferry to Morton’s Point, the western end of the peninsula, was built. The nearby areas of Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Sheepshead Bay hastened to build luxury hotels to compete with Coney Island.
Coney Island first became a major resort destination after the Civil War as railways and streetcars reached into the area in the 1860’s.
A steamboat line was started in 1881. Major hotels continued to develop and by the 1890’s,
Victorian spas, vaudeville theaters, and private bathhouses were common sights all along Surf Avenue, still the main thoroughfare, about one block from the boardwalk and the Atlantic.
Between 1890 and World War 2, Coney Island was the largest amusement area in the United States, attracting several million visitors per year.
At its peak, it maintained three competing amusement parks – Luna Park, Dreamland, and Steeplechase Park, as well as many independent concessions. It was a center for new technological developments, such as electric lights, roller coasters and baby incubators.
From 1885 to 1896, a seven story building called the Elephantine Colossu (which included a brothel!) in the shape of an elephant, greeted arriving immigrants who’d see it even before they’d see the Statue of liberty.
Sea Lion Park, the world’s first enclosed amusement park, opened in 1895.
The famous smiling face logo (Tillie), still the symbol of Coney Island and all its wonderful, surreal craziness, dates from 1900 and is supposedly a caricature of Steeplechase Park’s owner, George C. Tilyou.
When railways became electrified and connected Manhattan to Brooklyn via the Brooklyn Bridge early in the twentieth century, Coney Island turned from a resort to a destination for day-trippers seeking to escape the heat of the New York City’s tenements.
Upgrades in railway and subway lines from 1915 to 1919 ushered in Coney Island’s busiest era.
The world famous Nathan’s Original Hot Dog Stand, still going strong, opened in 1916 and now hosts the world famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest every summer.
The area’s decline began during the last years of World War 2. In 1944, a fire damaged Luna Park and part of it was turned into low-income housing. The development of air conditioning in homes and theaters and increased use of autos which provided access to the less crowded Long Island state parks, especially Jones Beach, created major competition and pressure for Coney Island’s continued success.
Changing demographics and street gangs problems developed in the 1950’s and the number of visitors to the rides and concessions, the staples of the local economy, declined sharply.
In 1964 Steeplechase Park closed. Middle class homes were replaced with housing projects. Because of lessening attendance, many amusement owners and concessionaires abandoned their properties.
Many attempts to revitalize the area and trade on its history have been made since then. The New York Aquarium was built in 1964 and the area was considering making a bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. A move to legalize gambling was considered, then rejected, and the minor league baseball team, the New York Cyclones, has made the area their official headquarters.
Currently, two amusement parks remain – a new Luna Park and Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park.
Three of the original rides have been designated as New York City landmarks and are listed in the National Registry of Historic Places:
* The Wonder Wheel, an enormous ferris wheel opened in 1920
* The Cyclone, the country’s oldest wooded roller coaster still in operation and dating from 1927
* The Parachute Jump, originally called the Lifesavers Parachute Jump, built for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Closed in 1964, it remains a Coney Island landmark, sometimes called Brooklyn’s Eiffel Tower.
Although now a shadow of its former glory, Coney Island, like all of Brooklyn, is a tough survivor, still quite alive and always evolving. It is home now to a very large and thriving Russian community.
Perhaps if you let your imagination soar, looking carefully among the “ghosts” and listening to the pounding waves it will still be possible to perceive the echoes of what was once “The World’s Playground.”
Luna Park in Coney Island is located at 1000 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224.
For more information about Coney Island, visit http://www.coneyislandfunguide.com/
For more information about Luna Park, visit http://lunaparknyc.com
For more to see and do in New York City, visit https://www.nycgo.com/
Gay travelers may want to look at this Three Day LGBT Itinerary posted by New York City Tourism at https://www.nycgo.com/articles/gay-nyc
Article by Curt Solash
Copyright 2017 Sunny Harbor Publishing Sunny Harbor Publishing, PO Box 560318, Rockledge, FL 32956 Phone: 321-446-7552 Email: [email protected] Website: www.SunnyHarborPublishing.org |
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Gay Travelers Magazine
the best cruise & travel news, tips & reviews for the sensible gay traveler
the best cruise & travel news, tips & reviews for the sensible gay traveler