Located at far western end of Long Island, Brooklyn is one of the New York City's five boroughs and home to 2.3 million. From the 1840's into the early twentieth century, Brooklyn saw immense European immigration. The easing of U.S. immigration restrictions in 1965 brought an influx from the Caribbean, Latin America, and Asia, and by 1990, 2.3 million residents made Brooklyn the most heavily populated borough in New York City. "Coney Island is only another name for topsyturvydom" wrote U.S. art critic James Gibbons Huneker in 1915. By the turn of the century, this spilt of land at the southern tip of Brooklyn was already the most famous amusement center in the world, and it has never been equaled. "The place where the world was turned upside down, an odd combination of glamour and honky-tonk, drew gamblers and entrepreneurs, artisans and wax museum proprietors, old money and new immigrants"(Snyder-Grenier,167).
Coney Island developed as an amusement area about the same time that Brooklyn itself was rising as a major urban center. Surrounded on three sides by water, the site seemed a world away from the "smoky factories, commercial hustle and bustle of downtown Brooklyn" (Snyder-grenier, 167), but Coney was joined to the city and urban life in significant ways. People came from Brooklyn and Manhattan, whose populations surged with incoming immigrants. Transportation innovations like trolleys and subways, which played such an important role in Brooklyn's residential and industrial development, also brought crowds of visitors to the amusement area. .
Thompson and Dundy's Luna Park opened on May 16, 1903 to a crowd of 43,000 paying customers. The 22 acre park, on the site of the old Sea Lion Park, featured towers and spires lit at night by 122,000 electric lights. Attractions included A Trip to the Moon, a Dragon's Gorge (scenic railroad), Shoot-the-Chutes, Canals of Venice, Hagenbeck's Wild Animals, Miniature Railroad, Trip to the North Pole, Infant Incubators, Old Mill ride, Eskimo and German Villages, Chinese and Monkey Theaters and a Grand Ballroom.
Life in the 19th Century was Coney Island not only impacted adults. One of Coney Island's greatest impacts was on children. For children Coney Island shaped their lives in a totally different manner. ... But Coney Island allowed kids to see many aspects to life. ... Coney islands diversity also helped shape many lives. ...
Discuss how Coney Island reflected the broader changes going on in American society at the turn of the century. Changes going on in American society at the turn of the century was reflected greatly through Coney Island and its amusements. ... That in itself brought promise to the ` development of Coney Island The rise of Coney Island helped to push this change of society by challenging social order and public conduct even further with this new form of entertainment. ... Coney Island also influenced what some may call a "sexual revolution". ... The significance of Coney Island wa...
Coney Island shattered all sexual norms found in cities at the time. ... However Coney Island only offered immediate enjoyment and escape from the demands of work and social life. ... Big business operates the way in does in large part due to the culture revolt Coney Island initiated. ... Through these things Coney Island became a dream like world that was separate from reality. ... Coney Island proved to be a cornerstone from which the rest of the 20th century culture would build around....
This island was called Coney Island. What was Coney Island and what did it bring to the Americans? ... Coney Island was on its way to great change. ... Coney Island provided a freedom that was not sensed elsewhere. ... Many of the rides on Coney Island were inspired by actual modes of transportation. ...
Coney Island started out as an American dream, thousands of people visited everyday. ... Coney was one of the first parks in America designed to bring amusement to the public. ... Coney Island popularity declined because everybody wanted to get a taste of what it was like. ... The island became too accessible to the public; it was too easy to get there when the trains started going there. "Once upon a time Coney Island was the greatest amusement resort in the world. ...
Coney Island I can still remember my first trip to Disney World. ... I think Coney Island and Disney World both have the same appeal. ... At Coney Island there were many freedoms allowed. ... Many people would vacation to Coney Island as a break, a trip to another land, it was refreshing and almost everyone during that time could say they had been to Coney Island. ... Disney has replaced Coney Island, offering many of the same things. ...
Kassons" Amusing The Million: Coney Island at the Turn of the century, the amusement park (Coney Islands" amusement parks in particular) played a significant role in the shift of attitudes, morals and overall lifestyle of our society. ... Coney Island, a small piece of land on the western end of Long Island in New York housed three of the most famous, popular and well recognized amusement parks at the turn of the 20th century. ... Prostitution, wild drinking and animal like behavior began to take hold of the patrons and the innocent face of Coney Island began to erode. Also the advent of the s...
