Coney Island photographs   Save
Wonderful World of Ohio
Description: Five photographs document Coney Island amusement park in the 1960s. The first three photographs were taken from the Sky Ride. A fourth photograph shows the Log Flume ride; the final photograph shows visitors walking along the midway. Established in the late nineteenth century on the banks of the Ohio River, Coney Island offered families a place to go for picnicking, dancing, refreshments and fireworks. The slides measure 2" x 2" (5.08 x 5.08 cm). In 1870, James Parker began renting out his apple orchard for Cincinnatians to ride horses and have picnics. When his apple trees died, Parker added a merry-go-round and pavilion and planted maple trees. In 1886 Parker sold the land to the Ohio Grove Corporation, which billed the site as "Ohio Grove: The Coney Island of the West," and immediately began attracting visitors from Cincinnati. In 1887 they changed the name to Coney Island. As the popularity of the park grew, other attractions, such as a Ferris wheel, the area's first movie theater, and roller coasters, were built. By the end of the 1920s, Coney Island was one of the largest amusement parks in the country. The park closed in 1971, but reopened on a smaller scale in 1999. It is located approximately fifteen miles east of downtown Cincinnati. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: Om3059_3669999_001
Subjects: Transportation; Arts and Entertainment; Amusement parks; Amusement rides; Ferris wheels; Roller coasters
Places: Cincinnati (Ohio); Hamilton County (Ohio)