Coney Island Sunlite Pool photographs   Save
Wonderful World of Ohio
Description: Two photographs show the Sunlite Pool at Cincinnati's Coney Island in the 1960s. Built in 1925, the pool is 200 by 400 feet and holds three million gallons of water. 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: Om3060_3670021_001
Subjects: Arts and Entertainment; Sports; Pools; Swimming; Amusement parks
Places: Cincinnati (Ohio); Hamilton County (Ohio)