Coney Island has a rich culture that has taken shape for over a century. The neighborhood has a rich history in the amusement industry, beach culture, and great food. New events and places have arrived at the neighborhood and made the area’s culture even more enriching.
The Parks:
Coney Island became the “People’s Playground” in the early 1900s. At the time, Coney Island was the biggest and most grand amusement area in the entire world (PBS). The amusement parks made the neighborhood famous and kept the neighborhood relevant for years. In its prime, Coney Island had three major parks: Dreamland; Luna Park; and Steeplechase Park. Here is some information about each of these highly influential amusement parks:
Dreamland (1904-1911): Dreamland was perhaps the most extravagant and “sophisticated” of the three amusement parks. The park was founded by William H. Reynolds as an effort to compete with Steeplechase Park and Luna Park. The amusement park was made almost entirely of painted wood and flaunted massive attractions such as the Dreamland Tower, Hell’s Gate, wild animals, and Shoot-the-Chutes. Sadly, the park burned down in 1911 in a massive fire (NY Times). Nothing of the park remained after the fire and it was never rebuilt.
Luna Park (1903-1944): Established by Frederic Thompson and Elmer Dundy, Luna Park was a huge part of Coney Island for nearly forty years. Generations of New Yorkers and patrons were able to go on rides such as Witching Waves and Helter Skelter. The park eventually declined after lower attendance rates, issues with fire, and pressure from the city to move out. In 1944, it was closed down, but its influence is evident to this day. The newest amusement park at Coney Island is named after the famous attraction.
Steeplechase Park (1897-1964): The oldest and perhaps most famous park of the three, Steeplechase Park has had a lasting impact on both Coney Island and the amusement industry. George C. Tilyou founded the park on the grounds of what is today MCU Park (Denson). The original park burnt down in 1907, but Tilyou pledged to make a better Steeplechase Park. He rebuilt the park in a metal and glass structure to prevent future fires. This proved to be effective and the park lasted until 1964. The most famous ride was the Steeplechase, where people could ride on wooden horses on a track. Following Steeplechase was the Blowhole Theater, one of the city’s longest running shows. George C. Tilyou even influenced the design of the “Tilyou”, a cartoonish face that is associated with amusement parks. The Parachute Jump was an attraction at Steeplechase Park as well.
Even after the transition into a lower income community by the 1970s, Coney Island never lost its culture; it was enriched. Old landmarks such as the Cyclone, Wonder Wheel, and Nathan’s Famous continue to run, but the community has seen the arrival of new attractions as well. The community created its own event called the Mermaid Parade in 1983. It has become one of the neighborhood’s most popular events and has a strong following. Nathan’s Famous began its hot dog eating contest in 1972 as well, which is a staple in celebrating the Fourth of July. The area saw one of its biggest changes in years with the building of Keyspan Park (now MCU Park). The baseball park gave Coney Island a minor-league team, the Brooklyn Cyclones, and helped to bring people back into the community. Smaller amusement parks have tried to fill the role of the three old parks as well. Astroland, for example, was the neighborhood’s main amusement park from 1964 to 2008. Today, a new Luna Park has entered the area and created brand new rides. The combination of all of these attractions and events have made Coney Island its busiest in decades (Durkin). Although these parks lack the spectacle that the old parks had, they have done their best to emulate the spirit and culture of the community.
Works Cited
“Flames Sweep Coney Island: Blaze Starts in Dreamland, Spreads Rapidly, and Park is SoonWholly Wiped Out”. New York Times. 27 May 1911: pg. 1. Web. 10 May 2014.
Denson, Charles. Coney Island: Lost and Found. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed, 2002. Print.
Durkin, Erin. “Coney Island Draws Biggest Crowds Since 1964 This Summer After Opening Two Brand New Amusement Parks”. New York Daily News. 7 November 2011. Web.27 April 2014.
Immerso, Michael. Coney Island: The People’s Playground. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 2002. Print.
PBS. “American Experience: Coney Island.” PBS. PBS, 1991. Web. 10 March 2014.
PBS. “George Tilyou.” PBS. PBS, 2000. Web. 04 May 2014.
PBS. “Zipper: Coney Island’s Last Wild Ride.” PBS. PBS, 2012. Television.
