New York City (NYC) has always been a bustling city with a constant flow of life. Big things were decided in its skyscrapers and matured in the shade of its parks. Many New Yorkers had no time to relax. They had neither the time nor the energy to go somewhere far away. That’s when Brooklyn created its own resort, Coney Island. Learn more on brooklyn-name.com.
Why a rabbit island?
Coney Island is an inaccurate translation from Dutch, meaning Rabbit Island. It is not known exactly why. It is believed that the Native Americans called it an island without a shadow. A piece of land cursed to an eternal sunny hell. The colonists saw it as a summer paradise. There the main resort of NYC was born.
For a long time, Coney Island was a full-fledged island until the strait was filled in and the island was connected to Long Island. Coney Island is a part of Brooklyn. The length of the peninsula is relatively short, 6.4 km. Despite such dimensions, Coney Island was once a real star of resort vacations. Since the middle of the 19th century, wealthy Americans have used it as their personal and private resort residence.
The Civil War of the second half of the 19th century made adjustments to their vacation plans. The peninsula was conditionally divided into two parts, family resorts and a dangerous ghetto. A land of contrasts. But at the beginning of the 20th century, everything returned to normal. Everyone knew the Riegelmann Boardwalk, Surf Avenue and Oriental Boulevard.
The carousel goes round and round
Few people could have thought or assumed that such a simple thing as a carousel would give a new start to the development of Coney Island. The first carousel appeared back in 1876. It was very different from modern carousels. The first ride was made of wood, not iron, as it was later. The musical accompaniment was provided by a brass band. The creator of the first carousel was Charles Looff. The costs were paid off in a week. He can be considered not only the creator of all future carousels but also of amusement parks in general. After all, it was from this wooden carousel with animal figures that the amusement park at Coney Island began to grow.
The most popular was the Dreamland park. It was opened in 1904. Unfortunately, a fire in 1911 destroyed it to the ground. It was not just a park with carousels for children. It was a real amusement park. Coney Island used to be just a resort on the Atlantic Ocean. People came here for the hot sun and salty ocean breeze. But since the beginning of the 20th century, people began to come here for entertainment and thrills.
“The Eiffel Tower” of Brooklyn is a kind of business card not only for the peninsula but for the entire decaying entertainment industry. The 80-meter tower, which was originally used for training skydivers, became a popular attraction. When it closed, it was very expensive to dismantle the tower. So it is a reminder of Coney Island’s former grandeur. This is no exaggeration. Here, the first roller coaster appeared. Indeed, Brooklyn became the home to the most favorite American ride.
The pedestal of the main symbol of the peninsula is boldly shared by the Ferris wheel. The 46-meter wheel became a favorite among couples in love. In 1923, a subway was built to Coney Island, making it a publicly accessible place. The century of elite recreation was over.
The music stopped…
The Great Depression put an end to many things in America. Coney Island was no exception. One by one, the parks were closed without any income. People simply did not have money for entertainment. In the 1960s, the peninsula became a dangerous area. Local gangs made it their main refuge. Only 20 years later an attempt was made to resuscitate Coney Island.
In the 21st century, Coney Island has undergone significant changes. It has not regained its former success. Americans began to visit it more for fun. They were no longer impressed by the promenade and the famous hot dogs. The new amusement park, which opened in 2010, also did not arouse much enthusiasm, except among children. Tourists do come here. But they are more influenced by old stories about a wonderful place on Rabbit Island.