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Coney Island: 1905
Luna Park at Coney Island circa 1905. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. Tonight only: "Infant ... looking lights. Ric Burns did a superb documentary on Coney, the incubators were quite an attraction. Infant incubators Were ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 3:03pm -

Luna Park at Coney Island circa 1905. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. Tonight only: "Infant incubators with living infants." View full size. EtherealThis is such a good shot; long exposure with unearthly looking lights. Ric Burns did a superb documentary on Coney, the incubators were quite an attraction. Infant incubatorsWere they space-age incubators designed to make super-babies? Or just run-of-the-mill babies for people who had never had one of their own? Coney PreemiesAnd Next to the Bearded Lady, Premature Babies (NYT) The babies were lined up under heaters and they breathed filtered air. Few of them weighed more than three pounds. They shared the Boardwalk there on Coney Island with Violetta the Armless Legless Wonder, Princess WeeWee, Ajax the Sword-Swallower and all the rest. From 1903 until the early 1940's, premature infants in incubators were part of the carnival. It cost a quarter to see the babies, and people came again and again, to coo and to gasp and say look how small, look how small. There were twins, even, George and Norma Johnson, born the day before Independence Day in 1937. They had four and a half pounds between them, appearing in the world a month too soon because Dorothy Johnson stepped off a curb wrong and went into labor. All those quarters bought a big house at Sea Gate for Dr. Martin A. Couney, the man who put the Coney Island babies on display. He died broken and forgotten in 1950 at 80 years old. The doctor was shunned as an unseemly showman in his time, even as he was credited with popularizing incubators and saving thousands of babies. History did not know what to do; he was inspired and single-minded, distasteful and heroic, ultimately confounding. More here. Infants in IncubatorsSounds like something out of a Tom Waits song -- you know, along with Horse-Faced Ethel and the girl with the tattooed tear. Did you have fun at Coney Island?"Yeah, I spent all night checking out the babes." Medical HistoryThe incubators were extremely important in drawing attention to premature infants - and in raising money to advance the research. Countless babies were saved by the facilities at Coney Island, and countless more saved afterward thanks to the research and effort Dr. Couney began. As distasteful as putting infants on display may seem, I humbly bow to his memory. If he hadn`t taken the first steps, medicine may not have gotten up to the level it is today in that field. And my son probably wouldn`t be running around healthy after having been born at 14 ounces. Coney's CouneyThe Coney Island History Project inducted Dr. Couney into the Coney Island Hall of Fame. "By 1939, he had treated more than 8,000 babies and saved the lives of 6,500. One of them was his daughter, who had weighed less than three pounds at birth. Couney operated under constant criticism and numerous attempts to shut down his exhibit, which many considered to be "against maternal nature." But Couney persisted and provided medical care for the children of parents otherwise unable to afford it. By the time his Luna Park exhibit closed in 1943, Couney's methods were being used in mainstream hospitals." More here. Plus some interviews with Couney's "incubator babies" and their relatives. Fascinating!I never realized that the technology that saved my twin boys' lives was pioneered in an amusement park. It would never fly today but thank goodness it did then! Coney PreemiesThis type of showmanship used to be common. As a former preemie (born in the '70's) it's interesting to know what came before. Thank you!I was born premature myself, 10 weeks early, weighing only 2 pounds 6 oz, with a hole in my heart that required surgery - after which I weighed less than a pound. It's thanks to the work of this doctor that I am alive today, and it's sad to read that after developing the technology that would save so many lives, he died forgotten. Man eating chickenI do not intend to be in a world of my own, but these comments reminded me of the time our family was completely bamboozled at the State Fair of Oklahoma by a canvas sign at the sideshow proclaiming "See the enormous LIVE man-eating chicken" (yes, I know - everybody got it but us) and of course we all paid our quarter and went behind the stage to see just that, a very large man sitting at a table eating chicken! Boy, did we learn a valuable lesson. It was just a few years later that the fraudulent labels were prohibited in those shows but numbskulls like us have become much more cautious. Live and learn. Dying by degreesConey Island has been dying by degrees for decades. It lost a lot of the old luster when Luna Park burned down in 1945 and Robert Moses ordered the land rezoned for public housing instead of amusements (Moses apparently hated the area's "tawdry amusements"). In 1953 he had the whole area rezoned for public housing and announced plans to demolish all of the amusements. This was eventually fought and the area between 22nd and the Cyclone were retained as an "amusements only" area. The last of the three great parks, Steeplechase, closed in 1964 and was demolished by Fred Trump (Donald's father) before the site could be given landmark status. He wanted to build more low cost housing but couldn't get the zoning changed. Current efforts by a group called Thor Equities are responsible for the sale and closure of Astroland. Closed.Coney Island seems to be closing for good. It's sad to think of the millions of people who had such fond memories there over the years. I guess it's true- Time eventually catches up with us all. http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20080907/Coney.Island/ [Coney Island, which is a great big actual island, is not closing. Astroland, which is closing, is one of the amusement parks there. Two famous Coney Island attractions, the Cyclone wooden roller coaster and the Wonder Wheel at Deno’s Amusement Park, won't be affected. - Dave] Couney on Coney"Growing Up On Long Island" is being presented at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook until the fall. Included is the story of Dr. Couney and the babies he saved at Coney Island. What a great presentation! Toys, games, child labor, celebrities, interviews, Bannister babies, and more. For info, call 631-751-0066 or email mail@longislandmuseum.org. (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, Sports)
Pier Review: 1907
... pier just beyond Marine Hall, and modeled after a popular Coney Island ride, is an attraction called The Tickler ("The big tubs go bowling ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/10/2024 - 1:58am -

1907. "Atlantic City Boardwalk (lower right) and Young's Million-Dollar Pier." Out on the pier just beyond Marine Hall, and modeled after a popular Coney Island ride, is an attraction called The Tickler ("The big tubs go bowling their curious way down the incline, loaded with happy, laughing passengers," according to an item in the Atlantic Review). This image, a continuation of yesterday's Atlantic City panorama, shows at least two box kites on what must have been a windy day. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Sense of loneliness ...A few scattered figures at the water's edge are only the reminder that our beloved "actors" of this photo have left the stage. TickledIs this the same Tickler as seen in Cincinnati a couple years later? https://www.shorpy.com/node/8631 Westerly BreezeJudging by the angle of the blown skirts, it was a westerly breeze, blowing in from Pennsylvania, across the Jersey Shore, and out to sea. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Coney Island Bathers
On the beach at New York's Coney Island circa 1910-1915. View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham ... the world: I existed! My life was valid!" Slow Day at Coney Island The overcast weather limited the crowds that day, which I'd ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/25/2009 - 9:59am -

On the beach at New York's Coney Island circa 1910-1915. View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. Goodness...the ratio of wool bathing suits to exposed skin in this photo must be about, what? 3-to-1? 4-to-1? How times have changed. (Not that we see much in the way of scantily clad people on beaches here in Alaska, mind you! But we do get down to Hawaii every once in a while.) Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska Proof of ExistenceIt's stuck me from time to time when I've looked at old photos with lots of people in them that, in many instances, I'll bet, the camera inadvertently captured the only proof that someone ever existed. I get this same feeling when I watch old film clips - like people coming and going on a busy street, for instance. They are always the people in the background, not the people the camera is focusing on, that make me wonder if, in some back corner of that person's subconscious, a little message was sent to them saying "Be sure to walk down 3rd Avenue, at Elm Street, on your lunchbreak. Somebody will be taking a movie of the horse-teams there and you'll be captured there, too, for posterity. It'll be a way for you to tell the world: I existed! My life was valid!" Slow Day at Coney IslandThe overcast weather limited the crowds that day, which I'd guess from the women's shapes and hair styles was more like 1908-1910 than later. Not one of those "wall of human flesh" days on the beach that prompted Casey Stengel's "Coney Island? Nobody goes there any more - it's too crowded." Schwimmentchenoooh - so much cold water - I prefer Spain in July. But this foto is very nice to see - greetings from a long long time ago. Anne of Hessen, Germany It was the best of timesConey in the '50s was very much the same, lots more exposed flesh though. There's something truly magical about this image. This huge crowd of people, most of whom never saw each other before, nor ever again, enjoying "the perfect moment" together. (The Gallery, Coney Island, G.G. Bain, Sports)
The Hereafter: 1906
... St. Louis show. Mr. McClennan was manager of Luna Park at Coney Island for two seasons, and has created such shows as "The Johnstown Flood" and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/24/2024 - 5:39pm -

Norfolk, Virginia, circa 1906. "Pine Beach -- amusements and boardwalk." 5x7 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Grewsome ObjectsTHE DAILY PRESS, Newport News, Va., June 21, 1906 "HEREAFTER" AT PINE BEACH Local Amusement Company Offers Weird St. Louis Attraction "Hereafter," a spectacular show which created a sensation on the Pike at the St. Louis exposition, has been put in at Pine Beach by the Newport News Amusement Corporation at a cost of $10,000 and will be ready for public exhibition tomorrow afternoon and night. The contract for constructing this expensive amusement enterprise was awarded to Austin, Bradwell and McClennan of New York, the firm which put in the St. Louis show. Mr. McClennan was manager of Luna Park at Coney Island for two seasons, and has created such shows as "The Johnstown Flood" and "Over and Under the Sea." "Hereafter" is under the general management of Messrs. Clinedinst and Ballard, of this city. The show is a very weird one but it has never failed to attract immense crowds wherever exhibited. Entering the first chamber of the great building erected for this show, the spectators are ushered into the chamber of horrors, the walls of which are lined with coffins and decorated with grinning skulls and other grewsome objects. This is an exact reproduction of the famous Cabaret de la Mort, or the Cabinet [sic] of Death, in Paris. The lecturer invites some person in the crowd to enter one of the upright coffins and he is immediately transformed into a skeleton. His spirit invites the spectators to accompany him to the under world and together they descend a bottomless pit, finally crossing the river Styx and finishing in Hades. The electrical effects used are most vivid and greatly add to the impressiveness of the scene. Entertainment through the decadesIt's nice to see Oliver Hardy and Mary Martin making use of someone's time machine. But as for the Hereafter, it is easy for us to snicker at such a kitschy exhibit for the rubes, but our contemporary comic book movies and "reality" tv are just as stylized and phony. In fifty years this will be really obvious. Less amusing now.Pine Beach was located at Sewell’s Point in Norfolk. Pine Beach Hotel - The Hampton Roads Naval Museum Blog A Hellish Experience?I have to wonder if that expensive $10,000 investment was profitable as time went on. I'LL GET IT Apparently, the merry-go-round swing thing in the center of photo is stuck because someone is scaling up the side to locate the problem with a 1906 version of WD-40 aka lubricating oil. WhirligigThe merry-go-round swing thing in the center of photo. I'd be hereafter... a ride on the little train just the other side of the messy log patch. Looks like a nice steamer, willing to tote a dozen or so happy kids around the park. And the name "Hereafter" reminds me of the old plug about what guys say to their date right after parking in the woods. Somebody help meWhat is that thing which the woman in white is looking/laughing at? I refer to what appears to be an elephant trunk -- not attached to an elephant -- suspended between the two benches. BTW I am stone cold sober. [Is it a trunk? More likely a limb! It looks to me like part of a tree. - Dave] (The Gallery, DPC, Norfolk)
A Marvelous Time Was Had by All
... all. View full size. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. Coney Island??? I went to Coney Island when I was a kid. I think this picture was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/02/2011 - 2:23pm -

On the Scenic Railway at the Newsboys’ Picnic in Cincinnati, August 1908. A marvelous time was had by all. View full size. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. Coney Island???I went to Coney Island when I was a kid. I think this picture was taken there. [It was taken there - at an amusement park in Cincinnati called Coney Island, on the banks of the Ohio River. - Dave] CoasterA quick check on the rollercoaster database www.rcdb.com shows the park to still be open. Only one coaster is operating now and it is steel. Only one coaster was listed for 1908 called Figure 8 after the track layout. Scenic Railroad was a generic name for early coasters. Not much description is give outside of the usual stats. http://www.rcdb.com/id2032.htm Still thrilling at ConeyConey Island is still alive and thrilling kids of all ages just east of Cincinnati, Ohio. Check out "classic rides" under attractions to see the "Python" steel coaster on their website... http://www.coneyislandpark.com/ Give Me a BrakeNotice the man that seems to be higher than everyone else in the center of the train. He is the brakeman. That was a feature of scenic railway type rides. (The Gallery, Cincinnati Photos, Kids, Lewis Hine, Sports)
Coney Island Characters: 1903
New York circa 1903. "Steeplechase Park, Coney Island." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 8:44pm -

New York circa 1903. "Steeplechase Park, Coney Island." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The Far SideThis entire street scene, especially that guy with the duck, immediately reminds me of a Gary Larson cartoon: A messA problem with leakage of some white powdery substance? Note the tracks in white on the boardwalk. Characters in costume are interesting. I presume the top hatted one would represent Leprechaun but the other? They remind me of Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum from "Alice in Wonderland," the Disney version. Tutti-FruttiThat's an Adams vending machine selling Tutti-Frutti chewing gum, just to the left of the ticket-seller. Tutti-Frutti was the first gum to be sold in a vending machine. In 1871, Adams patented a gum-making machine and in 1888 patented a gum vending machine. A man and his duckPerhaps this guy was part of a duck performance continuum that also produced Gus Visser: Double-takeFor a split second I thought one of the "characters" was a two-headed cow. FelliniesqueOddball group we have here. I wonder if the guy in the far back would let you pet his monkey? Oh, to live in a day... when "Babeskin Soap" was a perfectly innocent name, and nobody even thought twice about whether or not the Razzle Dazzle passed state inspection! I noticed the white substance too -- it sort of leads in the general direction of the man perched precariously on the ladder up against one of the pillars near the center. Perhaps a leaky bag of plaster? Quack.A lot of things here could use explaining, but nothing so much as the man with the duck. Fresh & Ready to AmuseThe shadows are fairly long, and with a few maintenance men still on the grounds, it seems the park had just opened on a brilliant sunny day. Startled here. Startled there.There is certainly a lot to scare a person in this picture. At least it scares me. Reading other comments has left me wondering. Is that monkey not riding the cow? That is what I thought. And what the heck is that boy behind the cows doing? Looks like he has an air hose. Like the kind at the gas station? And the man with the duck? Looks like a clown to me and you never know with those guys. The razzle dazzle looks like it might make me "gag"gle. Was glad to hear it is rocked by people and not spun at high speed with no safety gear. The whole thing rather strikes me as a stage door sort of shot. Like someone got a candid shot of people arriving for work. Oh! And I can't believe that they had to hold up their umbrellas! DazzledRazzle Dazzle, 1891. Patented by William Mangels; built by McCullough. Circular swing for 70 people -- pushed by workers like a seesaw. Sound like fun? No seat belts. Coulrophobiais the word that springs to mind studying this photo. Half the things in this picture would scare the bejeebers out of my granddaughters today. Gus Visser is another thing altogether, I really don't want to know what he had to do to get the duck to quack on cue like that. Mr. & Mrs. Potato HeadThe large headed man and woman are Irish caricatures. Windmills of your mindHaving been reared on a farm my eye was first drawn to the windmill atop the water tower. I believe this is the first time I have ever seen one in a city. Next my eye was drawn to all the craziness and the windmill was soon forgotten. (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC)
Coney Island Orphans: 1911
Orphans going to Coney Island (Luna Park). June 7, 1911. View full size. George Grantham Bain Collection. CONEY IS CAPTURED BY AN ORPHAN ARMY 5,000 Youngsters from City ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 5:43pm -

Orphans going to Coney Island (Luna Park). June 7, 1911. View full size. George Grantham Bain Collection. CONEY IS CAPTURED BY AN ORPHAN ARMY5,000 Youngsters from City Institutions Have Their Annual Motor Outing to Resort. DAY'S REVEL AT LUNA PARK 310 Volunteer Automobiles Provide the General Joy Ride -- Children Bedraggled, but Happy. If the population of New York's orphanages and child-caring institutions had been made up of adults instead of immune and undamagable youth there would be no less than 5,000 cases of adult indisposition to-day, ranging all the way from cold-in-the-head to pneumonia as a result of the seventh annual outing of the New York Orphans' Automobile Association, which took that number of orphaned children for an all-day's excursion in the pouring rain to Luna Park yesterday. As it was, however, when the youngsters motored luxuriously back to their parentless homes there wasn't a complaint or a sneeze or a headache or even a case of popcorny indigestion among them. Every one was hoarsely talkative and happy, wet as all of them were." June 8, 1911, Thursday Page 11, 1004 words NY Times Archive [If the cockles of your heart need warming, click the link and read the entire article. Nothing like hot cockles, I say. - Dave] Nerdy detailThis truck has chain drive. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, G.G. Bain, Kids, NYC)
Coney Island: c. 1904
Visitors stroll on the boardwalk at Dreamland, Coney Island, N.Y., c. 1904. View full size. Tightwire It appears that ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 09/08/2011 - 7:10pm -

Visitors stroll on the boardwalk at Dreamland, Coney Island, N.Y., c. 1904. View full size. TightwireIt appears that there is a tightrope walkers wire stretched across the large pool or beach area on the right hand side of the picture. shadowsSee that line of shadows on the boardwalk that runs right in front of the lion statue? Now when this line of shadows line up with the steeple with a cross find the shadow that is closest the cross. Okay? Now take a look up at the steeple itself. Do you see anything that could have been creating that shadow? So either those dark spots on the boardwalk aren't really shadows, but some sort of stained or wet spots, or else something is missing in the photo that had to have made the shadows. Man, these are some amazing time capsules. You have done a wondrous job of putting all this together. My compliments... EarlierThis must have been before The Warriors. shadowsSee the line of small flags? That's where the shadows are coming from. wow! looks amazing. like awow! looks amazing. like a futures past version of the town. more grand than it is now or will be after the current moneysmiths get their hands on it. Flags & HatsLook carefully and you'll see a string of flags that are causing those shadows. People's obsession with hats during this period never ceases to amaze me. The guy in the lower left corner is both carrying a hat and wearing one! Back then, if a person dared to venture outside without a head covering of some sort, I wonder if they might've been arrested for streaking. Tall building?Anyone know what ever happened to the tall building near the middle of the photo? I looked up some modern pictures of Coney Island and don't see anything resembling it. Shadows2....I believe the "spot" shadows are created by the low swag of flags; each shadow lines up with a flag. Tall BuildingNo, there's nothing like that there now. You will only find "Shoot The Freak." Tall BuildingThe tall building - the Dreamland Tower - no longer exists. The entire park burned to the ground on May 27, 1911. Dreamland (the park) was never rebuilt. (The Gallery, Coney Island)
Coney Island Bathers: 1905
New York circa 1905. "Surf bathing at Coney Island." The latest in revealing swimwear! 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit ... undiscovered photo of Ed Grimley as a boy vacationing at Coney Island. It's Deja Vu All Over Again It just occurred to me ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:56pm -

New York circa 1905. "Surf bathing at Coney Island." The latest in revealing swimwear! 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Folded armsI get the impression it's cold outside, or they just don't like having their picture taken. Extreme Left MarginI believe Detroit Publishing captured an undiscovered photo of Ed Grimley as a boy vacationing at Coney Island. It's Deja Vu All Over AgainIt just occurred to me that a century ago the displays of bare skin were reversed between the sexes. Personally, I like today better. There Will Be SurfDaniel Plainview and HW enjoying some time off from drinking milkshakes. High FashionAttention, girls! All these spiffy designs are now available at your local Victorian's Secret! The more things changeThe more things change the more they stay the same. Until last year I always kind of sneered and made fun of the beach goers who just stand ankle deep in water with sour faces like its torture, as if modern people never do this, we're too busy having a crazy fun time splashing around and being wild, but then on my last trip to the beach I looked around and saw a bunch of these same sour faces. Ha ha. I see by your outfitThe mustachioed gentleman in the hat hopes to impress the lad with tales of the wild west. (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, NYC, Swimming)
Coney Island Mardi Gras: 1908
"Coney Island Mardi Gras 1908." Some interesting signs in this one. 8x10 glass ... Great stuff. There was apparently a "Mardi Gras Hotel" in Coney Island. Who knew? Sale of confetti stopped!!! Looks like the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2012 - 4:49pm -

"Coney Island Mardi Gras 1908." Some interesting signs in this one. 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Chop Suey and German BeerAnd Moxie! Great stuff. There was apparently a "Mardi Gras Hotel" in Coney Island. Who knew? Sale of confetti stopped!!!Looks like the celebration two years earlier got a little out of hand. [The curse of rowdyism! Not to mention its handmaidens-in-horseplay, boisterousness and hooliganism. Click the clippings to enlarge. - Dave] 1906: 1909: 1911: An AffrontThe word "affronted" in the bottom of the newpaper articles (thank you Vic)... Just love that word, don't know if I've ever used it in a sentence but am certainly intrigued by the possibility. Plus the idea of "affronting" a woman has got my imagination going overtime. Sigh, the perils of way too much time on one's hands. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Coney Island, G.G. Bain)
Coney Island Mardi Gras: 1908
"Coney Island Mardi Gras, 1908." Bon temps New York style. 8x10 inch glass negative, ... smell of chestnuts roasting We moved to Sea Gate, near Coney Island in 1952. Just in time for the last two years of the glorious Mardi ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/05/2011 - 8:23pm -

"Coney Island Mardi Gras, 1908." Bon temps New York style. 8x10 inch glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. The wonderful smell of chestnuts roastingWe moved to Sea Gate, near Coney Island in 1952. Just in time for the last two years of the glorious Mardi Gras, before it was stopped by Robert Moses. My parents, liberated from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp just seven years before, thought it was our "civic duty" to see the Mardi Gras. That incredible crush of people, the sight of the floats, the smell of chestnuts and roasting corn -- it was all about being "free in America." Even now, I can feel their hands keeping me safe in the crowd. Thanks for this glorious image, and the wonderful memories. A lovely eveningfor a pickpocket! (The Gallery, Coney Island, G.G. Bain)
Coney Island: 1911
... 1911. Aftermath of the Dreamland amusement park fire at Coney Island. View full size. George Grantham Bain Collection. Note the ancient ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 11:37am -

May 27, 1911. Aftermath of the Dreamland amusement park fire at Coney Island. View full size. George Grantham Bain Collection. Note the ancient streetlamp. (The Gallery, Coney Island, Fires, Floods etc., G.G. Bain)
The Iron Pier: 1903
... 1903. "Bathers and the Iron Pier -- West Brighton Beach, Coney Island, N.Y." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/27/2023 - 8:47pm -

1903. "Bathers and the Iron Pier -- West Brighton Beach, Coney Island, N.Y." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. What, again?Good grief, Ma wore her lampshade instead of her bonnet! ShenanigansI like the horsing around in the front there, especially the stern look on the face of the woman hoisted by the lifeguard. Oh, and where’s Waldo -- um, everywhere? Cullen's Coney CapersApparently the life saving wasn't always fun and games The musical stylings of Harry Von TilzerVintage ditty referencing the eponymous iron pier: https://youtu.be/-X7q6brOeZw?t=159 (Cued up to the key bit.) Unusual beach sceneFirst time I've seen a two-story pier. Pier reviewThere were two "Iron Piers" constructed on Coney Island in the post Civil War era (one known as the Old Iron Pier (built in 1879) and the other as the New Iron Pier (built in 1882). They served steamboats from Manhattan piers and Rockaway that brought patrons of the beach and its attractions for day and overnight trips. But that came to an end at the beginning of the 1911 season, when the Dreamland amusement park burned after a clumsy worker repairing a roof kicked over a bucket of hot tar into some light bulbs, starting a nine-alarm fire. The two Iron Piers were effectively destroyed by the blaze, with their usefulness negated. Only Steeplechase Pier remained. A Chorus LineIt appears some of the male bathers are auditioning for the Rockettes. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Swimming)
Pressing the Flesh: 1940
New York, 1940. "Crowd at Coney Island." Gelatin silver print by Arthur Fellig, the press photographer known as ... Weekend I was 8 my that year & mom had taken me to Coney Island beach since I was an infant. If this was the Fourth of July it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/22/2016 - 9:11pm -

New York, 1940. "Crowd at Coney Island." Gelatin silver print by Arthur Fellig, the press photographer known as Weegee. View full size. Fourth of July WeekendI was 8 my that year & mom had taken me to Coney Island beach since I was an infant. If this was the Fourth of July it marks the last time she put up with the crowds that were there (weather permitting) most every week end in July and August. After that it was Sunset Park Pool across the street from our third floor front apartment at 4109 7th Avenue in Bayridge, Brooklyn. No need for trolleys, subways and body odors. Kids who today think Woodstock and rock concerts in Central Park were huge should see this photo. I demonstrated in four "marches" on Washington and they couldn't hold a candle to this loony mass of humanity. In Living ColorA colorized version of this photo would be nice. Anyone up to the task? Where is WaldoBlack-and-white version. WoodstockThat was my first impression upon seeing the preview. Okay, Harry, where do we set up the tent?My one day spent at Coney Island Beach in 1958 or so was enough for a lifetime, and our subsequent outings to the beach at nearby (Jacob) Riis Park were far more pleasant, although I never became a big fan of beaches anywhere. The ride home on the bus and subway while still encrusted in sand and salt was truly the low point of every trip. Reminds me of:Where's Waldo. Yogi Berra's Quote“Nobody goes to Coney Island anymore, it's too crowded.” Small wonder, and he actually may have said it. However, he also is said to have said, “I never said most of the things I said.” Auntie Mary and cousin Joe in the tenth row back?How many megapixels to get that level of detail on this here newfangled digital film, then? Washrooms?Oh, the ocean. (I'm assuming it's there somewhere.) Special event?That can't have just been the regular Tuesday crowd, right? There had to have been something special happening that day, to have so many packed in like sardines .... It was so very hot on that day.None of the rides were open and Mister Handwerker ran out of red hots. Me?!?!jobaron I am somewhere in this picture. I grew up in Coney Island and, since this was taken on the Fourth of July, 1940, I most certainly am somewhere here. No way I wasn't on the beach that day... Anybody find me? :-) How many humans?Wow. Do that many people ever get together in one place any more? I know I have never been in a crowd that big in my life! Does Coney Island still get this overcrowded? Is the entire meyro NYC there all at the same time? to heck with Where's Waldo.Where's the water? It will take all day to find it. Show Us Your PitsI'll just show myself out now. No ExitSometimes it's nice just to get away from it all and go to the seashore Watch the birdieThe trick here seems to be: How do I get them to look at me? The Wonderwheel still stands and operates, as does the Cyclone, as far as I'm concerned the finest wooden rollercoaster in use. I once got paid to ride it for an audio experiment, and made 23 trips around it with a 24 pound tape recorder in my lap. I was a huge bruise the next day. They said my headphones flew off at one point and I calmly reached into space and grabbed them. What a great day. So Ralphie said"Why don't we go to the beach and get out of this hot, crowded city?" SunblindnessSomeone could have made a fortune selling sunglasses to this crowd... I only count about a dozen or so folks wearing eye protection. Today you'd only be able to count a dozen or so NOT wearing sunglasses! What a crowd! I'm getting claustrophobic just looking at the photo! A sea of humanityWonder what the occasion was? It's hard to believe there's enough room for anyone there to enjoy a peaceful day at the beach. Must have been a change for Weegee -- shooting live subjects, that is. Most of his photos I've seen are still life (or, more accurately, still "death") "Let's Go Down On The Sand,""It has to be less crowded than this boardwalk is...." My Dog Filmed a Short Film on that BeachMy dog filmed a video on the boardwalk and on the beach in this photo. We rode the Wonder Wheel together and also had our photo taken in a photo booth. He died on Oct. 18, 2015 at age 15. RIP Clancy :( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_CaQqDSRu4 Listen Without PrejudiceI always wondered where this picture was from! George Michael used it for the cover of his "Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1." and I always thought the woman in the center in the black bikini looked like my English teacher. Clearly, she was not; I'm not quite that old. East Coast For Sure!You can count the blondes on one hand! Good dayto head out to Flushing Meadows to the World's Fair! J. Edgar HooverMr Cool in the lower right corner cracks me up; he even wears fedora and sunglasses in the shower. Any open space will doWhere can I lay out my towel? Has anyone seen my flip-flops? What kind of drive would one have to go to such a place where you could hardly breathe? Like someone said..."where's the water?" Where Are They?So how did those folks find their blanket after the photo? That is one huge group of people. Was Coney Island Segregated Then?I see only shades of white and sunburned. Re: WoodstockYep, pretty close! This might make a good source for colorizers, too... Oh, the Humanity!My guess is 600 to 700 thousand people framed in the pic. About enough to fill 9 football stadiums. Ideal PlaceIf you ever wanted to lose a kid this would be where to do it! Anyone who's gotta use the washroomraise your hand. July 28, 4 p.m.Which was a Sunday. (Found with reference to a 2009 exhibition at the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas which included this photo.) THE RIDE HOME?!!!!!I will NEVER complain about a crowd and traffic again. I have never seen anything like this before. The comment volume..........is proportional to the amount of exposed skin. Of course, there is also a female coefficient to factor in when applicable. Where are Mom's shoes?I was born in Coney but went to neighboring Brighton Beach. On one of those hot days, with blanket touching blanket staking our space, a crowd started to gather as someone was drowning. After things calmed down my mom discovered that someone took her shoes. I was about 12 but remember it as if it were yesterday as she walked to the train without shoes. Oh the memory that this photo stirred up. Thanks Looking back.Imagine the heebie-jeebies this gathering would now conjure, with the pandemic we're facing. Social distancing 1940 style. (The Gallery, Coney Island, NYC, Swimming)
Japanese Rolling Balls: 1910
Cincinnati, Ohio, circa 1910. "Coney Island -- the midway." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing ... if anyone has a clue about how many places were called "Coney Island" back in the day? If many, were they part of a larger enterprise. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 2:43pm -

Cincinnati, Ohio, circa 1910. "Coney Island -- the midway." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. InterestingI wonder if anyone has a clue about how many places were called "Coney Island" back in the day? If many, were they part of a larger enterprise. Delightful ladies, in their glorious hats, planning the day's activities over at the right side. Maybe a little earlier?From the clothes, etc., and comparing it to other images I've seen here at Shorpy, I'm wondering whether this image is from a little earlier than 1915, say maybe 1906 or so. Just a thought. [There were no 46-star flags until 1908. - Dave] Skee BallAn early version of the popular arcade game? ChapeauxI love the hats on the ladies to the right. Two Borrowed Terms"Coney Island" from New York, and "midway" from the Midway Plaisance at Chicago's Columbian Exhibition of 1893. It was the amusement area of that world's fair, and today it's a park. Coney Island of the WestThe Cincinnati Coney Island was originally an apple orchard until the farmer realized that he could make more money renting out the property for events. He built some facilities and called the place Ohio Grove. He sold the property in 1886 and the new owners renamed it "Ohio Grove, The Coney Island of the West." The next year they dropped the "Ohio Grove" and it became Coney Island. The park is still in existence although it was closed between 1971 and 1973 following the construction of King's Island. Part of the park was donated for the construction of the Riverbend Center Amphitheater, the home of the Cincinnati Pops. It's a pleasant old fashioned family amusement park. Bright LightsWhat a unique row of light poles on the left. I've never seen anything like them. (The Gallery, Cincinnati Photos, DPC)
Coney Capers: 1905
New York circa 1905. "On the beach at Coney Island." Note the kites. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing ... (lion) tamer Frank C. Bostock . [Bostock's is the Coney Dreamland attraction seen in this post . - Dave] (The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/16/2012 - 12:28pm -

New York circa 1905. "On the beach at Coney Island." Note the kites. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. How did they do that?There seems to be an American flag soaring [near the kite] way above the scene. There are flags near the shoreline that might be on the same line. Would they use a balloon to hoist that or would a kite be able to do it? AwashReplacing the carbon electrodes in the arc lights atop the poles awash in the sea couldn't have been much fun. [If it was me, I'd wait until low tide. - tterrace] Above AllThe banner on the left says "Above All Bostock's." Most likely animal (lion) tamer Frank C. Bostock. [Bostock's is the Coney Dreamland attraction seen in this post. - Dave] (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, Swimming)
Getting Their Picture Took: 1904
Coney Island, New York, circa 1904. "Getting their picture took." 8x10 inch dry plate ... as you can, and I'm wearing my nice black suit. A Coney Island song At the Library of Congress's great new National Jukebox ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 6:08pm -

Coney Island, New York, circa 1904. "Getting their picture took." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The Little RascalsDarla and Alfalfa take a walk on the Beach! This is a slightly different picture than the (Photoshopped) one I uploaded, did you change it? Call me SandyStill waiting for the invention of the beach towel. Getting Away From It AllReal estate on the sand looks a little spotty. And how is that banner floating above the crowd supported? It appears to be towed by an airplane but in 1904 there likely wouldn't have been planes capable of doing that. Could the date on the photo be wrong? And what are those things in the air to the right of the banner? They don't look like birds. [There are two kites, and two things flying from them -- a flag and an advertising banner. - Dave] Sunscreen? Nope, I forgot my briefcase!In these beach photos, I am always struck by the men in suits and hats. The one who caught my eye is the gentleman to the left, facing the camera. Kinda looks like Col. Sanders to me. On any beach in the world today, can you imagine the looks one would get wearing a suit? Different times. No Business CasualThere's no middle ground--except for the escaped prisoner, it's either beach wear or business formal. OK gang, we're heading for the beachso put on as many clothes as you can, and I'm wearing my nice black suit. A Coney Island songAt the Library of Congress's great new National Jukebox site you can listen to a funny song from 1906 called "Coming Home from Coney Isle." Bostock's bannerThis was advertising the Bostock circus at the Dreamland. InspirationThis reminds me of the scenes in 'The Devil and Miss Jones' with Charles Coburn and Jean Arthur, et al, and their visit to Coney Island. Everyone got 3 square feet worth of sand, no more, no less. (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, Swimming)
Coney 1905
New York circa 1905. "Main tower, Luna Park, Coney Island." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 12:57pm -

New York circa 1905. "Main tower, Luna Park, Coney Island." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Clever titleAnd judging by the crowds, Luna Park was a viral sensation in its own right. Wish I could have seen this lit up at nightI can only imagine how wonderful it would have looked. Night view?I would love to see the same view at night. If you look for the thousands of light bulbs following the curves and outlines of the buildings it must have been quite a sight! White CityFirst thing I thought of when I saw this was how it looked similar to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Beautiful. Re: What's the show?Looking at some other Shorpy pics there seems to be sinage on the outside advertising a circus. Also, you can see a sign "ring number 1" near the horse, which makes me think of a circus. The rigging and supports above the horse could support a trapeze or tightwire act. What's the show?I see that there is quite a crowd gathering to view some event. I also see that there is someone leading a horse on the stage behind the pylon. However, what are they going to do? I can't find a sign that gives me a clue. (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, NYC)
Coney Island: 1963
On the Merry-go-round at Coney Island, New York, in 1963. View full size. Look out! He's got a gun! ... 
 
Posted by JoeV - 06/26/2012 - 6:56pm -

On the Merry-go-round at Coney Island, New York, in 1963. View full size. Look out!He's got a gun! Bet the coat was a hand-me-downBy 1963, I don't think coats with leggings were in, so I bet the little girl got hers from an older sister. Thanks Joe VYou & your sister are darling. Love you family photos brings back so many memories. Good times! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Half Moon Hotel, Coney Island
... The Half Moon Hotel was opened in 1927 on the boardwalk of Coney Island, at West 29th Street. It catered to the affluent in the early 1900s. ... 
 
Posted by dacam61 - 03/23/2011 - 10:18am -

The Half Moon Hotel was opened in 1927 on the boardwalk of Coney Island, at West 29th Street. It catered to the affluent in the early 1900s. During WW2 it became a naval hospital. In 1941, the notorious Abe Reles fell to his death from the sixth floor, though he was under police protection at the time. In 1953 it became the Harbor Hospital and a home for the elderly. Often the residents would give impromptu concerts on the boardwalk. The building was demolished in 1995. View full size. BeautifulWhat an image. Moody and picturesque. I love how the cloud line in the upper right mimics the shoreline. The silhouette view doesn't impart much information but your caption nicely summarizes the story of the hotel. Just for the record...During World War II, The Half Moon became a Navy Hospital. According to my Birth Certificate as well as my sisters I was born in Harbor Hospital and that was in 1949. I believe it became the Jewish Home for The Aged in 1953. Regardless of the chronological technicalities it is a WONDERFUL PHOTO. Thanks Dave (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Dreamland: 1905
New York circa 1905. "Dreamland Park, Coney Island." Theme park attractions vying for our attention include the ... see any cables. Great View I'm a big fan of early Coney Island. I love this view from the top of the Shoot-the-Chutes. In ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:37pm -

New York circa 1905. "Dreamland Park, Coney Island." Theme park attractions vying for our attention include the Shoot-the-Chutes water flume and various stunt spectaculars, cycloramas, rides and exhibits: Fighting the Flames, Fall of Pompeii, Marine Boat, Canals of Venice, the Air Ship and a pagoda-like tea house called Revels of Japan. Where to begin? 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Better than DisneyI have absolutely no interest in going to Disney World or D-Land, but I would have loved to have seen this place. Wonderful! No stringsHow did they get that floating sign up there between the two tall towers? I don't see any cables. Great ViewI'm a big fan of early Coney Island. I love this view from the top of the Shoot-the-Chutes. In May of 1911Dreamland burned completely to the ground. Article here. Triple ConeyThere were two other major Coney Island parks during this era. In addition to Dreamland, Luna Park can be glimpsed in the distance to the left, beyond the Ferris Wheel, and George Tilyou's Steeplechase park can be seen to the right. Coney was the Orlando of its day. Breaking the rulesThis young man looks to be breaking the rules of the day. No dark wool swimsuit. PompeiAre those fake buildings painted on the side of the Hall of Pompeii? From the picture posted by BryantG I think a few more people should have attended the Fighting Flames show. BTW, I sure would like the see a higher resolution photo of the "after" picture posted by BryantG. Floating SignHow did they get that floating sign up there between the two tall towers? I don't see any cables. I suspect it's farther away than it looks and is being supported by the two kites above it. Mies van der Rohe 's...vision of Hell, incidentally. Nice to see it during the day.I've been using this beautiful shot from last October as the desktop picture on my portrait-oriented monitor since it appeared. What a place! Watch Harold Lloyd's "Speedy."There's a long sequence that was shot at Coney... it looks like the most insanely fun place in the universe. Like it should be illegal to have THAT much fun in one location. SpeedyHarold Lloyd's great movie "Speedy" (one of my favourite silents) was obviously not shot at Dreamland but rather at Luna Park. Just follow the pointing hand to the left of the building behind the tower. (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, NYC)
Mom and girlfriends at Coney Island 1934
Taken at Coney Island in 1934 by the concession operator. My mom, at age 17, is at the far ... 
 
Posted by Woodman1567 - 08/01/2009 - 12:03pm -

Taken at Coney Island in 1934 by the concession operator. My mom, at age 17, is at the far left. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Coney Island (Colorized): 1903
Colorized version of " Coney Island Characters: 1903 ." Where's Patrick McGoohan? Absolutely ... 
 
Posted by Billfielding - 01/21/2011 - 10:29am -

Colorized version of "Coney Island Characters: 1903." Where's Patrick McGoohan?Absolutely surreal! What a gem of a colorization. Looks incredibly like the seaside village in "The Prisoner," the 1960's cult classic starring Patric McGoohan. Really captures the kitsch. (Colorized Photos)
Coney Krewe: 1913
New York circa 1913. "Mardi Gras parade, Coney Island." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2012 - 5:35pm -

New York circa 1913. "Mardi Gras parade, Coney Island." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. The King!Is the "King" John Bunny, the famous silent film comedian? [It sure looks like him, and indeed it is, as reported in the New York Times of Sept. 9, 1913. Good catch! - tterrace] Milk: It Does a Body Good!I can see why this particular "drink milk" campaign didn't get off the ground. This picture is nightmare fodder, for sure! (The Gallery, Coney Island, G.G. Bain, NYC)
The Great Coal Mine: 1901
New York circa 1901. "The Great Coal Mine, Coney Island." From the book Coney Island and Astroland : "The Great Coal Mine ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/17/2014 - 10:38pm -

New York circa 1901. "The Great Coal Mine, Coney Island." From the book Coney Island and Astroland: "The Great Coal Mine was a 1,500-foot-long dark ride that enabled visitors to travel on coal cars through several levels of a dimly lit simulated mine. It opened in 1901 on the north side of Surf Avenue at West Tenth Street, was not very popular, and was soon replaced by L.A. Thompson's Oriental Scenic Railway." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Re: Fire in the Hole!JimmyLee-I have ridden that ride several times. I you sit in the front car, you can see the big drop before the steam jets blow. (The steam jets were there to hinder your view as you went straight down a 40' to 50' drop!) I'll bet Coney Island was blast back then. I've been enjoying the close-up viewing on the pictures of it that have been posted these past few days. Wild guessI'm thinking that Pennsylvania was just a few hours from N.Y. and since so many Pa. people worked in the coal mines every day, they probably did not choose to go on this "ride" while vacationing at an amusement park, since they knew well the misery of the real thing. Long pants vs. short pantsDoes anyone know at what age boys began wearing long pants? These guys look pretty close in age. [Reaching puberty was usually the point. In this closer view, it's easier to see that one has, and one hasn't, quite. - tterrace] Hop to itBoth the lady in the street by the Zoo, and the man passing by the scenic railway seem to get along fairly well, considering they're both missing a leg. "Fire in the Hole"This reminds me of a ride in Silver Dollar City outside of Branson, Missouri. Built in 1972 it is a dark roller coaster ride that takes you through a simulated burning mine town. Still in operation and another one like it at Dollywood in Tennessee. Rip off: Belle Epoque styleI don't understand how the luncheonette can charge as much for Lemonade as Ice Cream Sodas and Milk Shakes. Similar to to-day's coffee being $1.49 a cup--is outrage! Digital Sign? In 1901!At the peak of the uppermost roof there seems to be an early example of some kind of nine character display sign. Behind the glass there looks to be a fourteen segment display. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteen_segment_display I'd sure like to see a night photo with the sign lit up! Surely advanced technology for its day! [According to the article, not so much advanced as costly: "Multiple segment alphanumeric displays are nearly as old as the use of electricity... a complete set of commutator switches, drums and lamps would have been required for each letter of a message, making the resulting sign quite expensive." A related display is the carriage call. - tterrace] Chicago Coal mineAt the age of 12 or 13 I was traveling with my family out to Kankakee, IL. One of the places we stopped was the museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. They had a replica of an operating coal mine there, as well as the U-505, a captured German U-Boat. I know that the U-505 is still there, but I am not sure about the coal Mine. This would have been circa 1959-1961 I wonder if any other Shorpyites remember this exhibit. Other unsuccessful rides at Coney IslandOther unsuccessful rides of the general era at Coney Island included: "Ride with Custer, Hero of The Little Big Horn" "A Trip through the Spanish Influenza Ward", and "Journey with the Majestic New 'Titanic' and Back" Remember it wellGreycat, the coal mine at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry was just one of the many wonders of "The Pushbutton Museum." I also visited a couple of times around 1961 during our layovers on train trips to Denver, even though it was a $12(!) cab ride to get there. As I recall, the walls on both the elevator and the mine tram portions were on moving belts to make the rides seem longer. Another favorite was the Santa Fe train layout with functioning Central Traffic Control. At the time I saw it, a female museum guard was overseeing it. She told me the male guards would try to run it manually, and derail the trains. What this country really needsThere's a wagon full of them, parallel parked in front of the L.A. Thompson Scenic Railway, though I can't say if they were any good. The coal mine ride, while less than enthralling to anybody who had been inside the real thing, must have thrilled the kids. I well remember the mine exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry when I was eight. Funny, if the fourteen segment display was so expensive, that they would put it on such a combustible building. Photographer at largeIt looks as if that fellow is whispering in the policeman's ear about the photographer. The cop is wondering what's up. Casing the joint? (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, Mining)
Nathan's Hot Dogs Coney Island
Nathan's Original Famous Frankfurters. Purchased a few originals ten years ago. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery) ... 
 
Posted by John.Debold - 07/07/2020 - 8:31am -

Nathan's Original Famous Frankfurters. Purchased a few originals ten years ago. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Drs. K & K: 1910
... to Detroit, find this corner for some delicious Detroit Coney Island hotdogs . The brightly-painted triangular building is the home of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/24/2023 - 1:19pm -

Detroit, 1910. "Michigan Avenue at Griswold Street and Lafayette Boulevard." Where Drs. Kennedy & Kergan's giant electrified sign advertises their MEN CURE. And, across the street, we have Stereopticons and Reflectoscopes. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. VD? KK!Ad from 1907, when K&K (Kennedy & Kergan, later Kennedy & Kennedy) were at the other end of the block: Lustful Practices > Gleet"At 15, I learned a bad habit ... " Ad from the Ann Arbor Argus 4/5/1895: New ideaThose cars are sporting 1910 Michigan license plates; the first year the state issued them. For the previous five years, you had to register your car with the state and make your own plates with the number they gave you. Most were house numbers put on a leather base. Do yourself a favorIf you get to Detroit, find this corner for some delicious Detroit Coney Island hotdogs. The brightly-painted triangular building is the home of the American (1917) and Lafayette (1924) Coney Island restaurants, two of the earliest to offer this style hotdog. Also, do yourself a favor and don't look up any of the obscure medical terms in the advertisements Dave posted. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Medicine, Streetcars)
Moxie Kids: 1904
New York circa 1904. "The goat carriages, Coney Island." Similar to this image posted here last year, except this one shows ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 1:43pm -

New York circa 1904. "The goat carriages, Coney Island." Similar to this image posted here last year, except this one shows the Moxie sign. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. MoxieAs some have surmised Moxie is a soda. It is still available in New england. It took its name from Lake Moxie in Maine. It tastes something like a cross of Dr. Pepper and root beer. MOXIE was greatI have an advertising sign with Ted Williams endorsing Moxie, if that doesn't prove it's great, I don't know what could. Oh the Joy, the thrill!They just couldn't look any happier to be there! So what was Moxie anyhow, a brand of Castor Oil? ExpressionismSome classic faces in this photo. There is the man (hands on hips) to the far left who is thinking "Darn kids, get them dang goats out of here!" The young Irish Boy, leaning on the left most cart, with his friend, who for the moment is looking elsewhere and NOT at the camera. The two young men who are leaning on the cart in the middle seem to be in charge as they look to be the oldest ones in the bunch. I see that the little girl in the middle cart is still trying to get herself settled as well. The two lads in the cart on the far right are interesting as well One is well behaved and sits looking straight ahead, holding the reigns, while the other one eyes the photographer suspiciously, probably wondering if he is going to take a third picture. Lastly, why are those two women on the far right wearing pizzas on their heads? You want me to wear a tie?Look mister, I work with kids and goats all day. Coney Island Railroad?!Intrigued by "The L.A. Thompson Scenic RY. Co." sign, I did a little checking and found it was s switchback railway invented by LA Marcus Adna Thompson (1848 - 1919). It was the first gravity powered roller coaster in the United States. He built the very successful ride at Coney Island in 1884 based on the Mauch Chunk Switchback in Pennsylvania. In 1887 he built a rolling scenery railway on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City that is said to be the forerunner to Space Mountain in Disneyland. He also sold his patented automatic car coupler invention to railroad car manufacturer George Pullman. "Full of Moxie"Did not know the word moxie came from the name of a soda. Usually heard the word used to describe someone who seemed to have a lot of nerve or as some say "fire and brimstone." (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, Kids)
Double Coneys: 1941
... fit on a railcar or truck. A diner bites the double coney dust There is a 4th North Street which would have been near, but not ... Hamburgs For Notcom, the older folks here in Rhode Island sometimes refer to hamburgers as hamburgs. My mom did - "We're having ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/29/2022 - 8:51pm -

October 1941. "Deserted diner near Syracuse, New York." Serving "Best" ice cream, merely "Good" coffee and -- yum! -- "Regular" dinners. Acetate negative by John Collier. View full size. PrefabulousBased on articles here, here, and here, some diners were converted streetcars, but most were prefabricated in a factory and shipped to their location. The shape was dictated by what would fit on a railcar or truck. A diner bites the double coney dustThere is a 4th North Street which would have been near, but not in Syracuse in 1941. It's a short stretch, x to x on the attached map. A diner might be successful there because 4th Street intersects U. S. Highway 11, north of Syracuse. I'm sure John Collier cropped the diner on the left to not show an addition built for the kitchen, storage, restrooms, etc. The charm here is in the former streetcar. Someone went to the trouble of building a brick skirt and steps, and planting shrubbery. I wonder how long they operated. Brand old advertisingThirty years old, at that point, to be exact Hamburg, in addition to being a stadt in Germany, is also a town outside Buffalo ... I'm not 100% certain someone who ordered one would end up with what was expected. (Then again if they don't seem to be "good" or "regular" they aren't called "surprising" either). HamburgsFor Notcom, the older folks here in Rhode Island sometimes refer to hamburgers as hamburgs. My mom did - "We're having hamburgs for supper!" Perhaps they did that in New York, too? Waste notSo cool, I wonder how common it was to repurpose old street trolleys as diners. Best's BestBeing an apostrophe fan, I note the ice cream logo in the ad says "Best's Creamy Ice Cream" but text in the ad says only "Best Ice Cream." I suspect the loss of the apostrophe happened organically over time, as people just called the stuff Best. We didn't have Best in the Midwest (although, hey, it rhymes) so I'm unfamiliar with whether it was truly the Best. Don’t forgetIn addition to Best Ice Cream and Good Coffee, the breakfast had So-So Scrambled Eggs. I wonder How the heck they double decked a coney hotdog?! Gosh I really want one now, too! (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, John Collier, Syracuse)
Night Lights: 1905
New York circa 1905. "Night in Luna Park, Coney Island." A veritable wonderland of incandescent illumination. Detroit ... things in the past, like the original Ferris Wheel, and Coney Island in its prime. Modern day designers would do well to learn from ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/20/2014 - 6:46pm -

New York circa 1905. "Night in Luna Park, Coney Island." A veritable wonderland of incandescent illumination. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Thanks DaveI would crawl inside this photograph if I could. The Luna Park CircusAs if the architecture wasn't enough, the cafe mezzanines overlook a "floating" circus ring supported on arched trusses over the central lagoon. In the Shorpy image, Ring No. 1 is set up for a trapeze act. Here's a tinted postcard of a performing horse act on the same elevated platform. Ooh.I would have given anything to spend a night at the old Luna Park. The blurred figuresbring this photo to life! I love this website!!!! Ethereal glowI really like how the camera captured an aura around some of the lights. Even today this would be considered a beautiful display of lights. I can't imagine how magical it must have been to people who grew up without electricity in their homes and still may not have had it. I think that people too easily forget about some things in the past, like the original Ferris Wheel, and Coney Island in its prime. Modern day designers would do well to learn from these works of engineering art. WOW.They didn't waste any time taking advantage of electricity, did they? FWIW, I found this site yesterday and it is the most glorious corner of the Internet I've yet found. Just incredible. You have a new fan for life!! I was originally looking for Lewis Hine photos for a lecture ... and found more than I ever could have imagined! Keep up the good work! [Aw shucks. Thanks! - Dave] Job security!Can you imagine having the job of changing the burned-out light bulbs there? I imagine it'd have to be done after dusk so you could see which ones were out. Wonder if they bulb arrays were rigged so they could be lowered to the ground for maintenance, or if the poor workers had to scale the heights! GorgeousBut hardly a surprise it burned down. What a Sight Even the most staunch Victorians were impressed with this -- actually "awed" might be more appropriate. I've read a lot about Luna Park but don't remember anything about those elephants. Glowing praiseOne of your best choices yet -- an amazing photo. Oriental FantasiesThere's never been anything quite like the hallucinatory grandeur of the architectural mashups seen in amusement park and exposition buildings in this period. The primary quotations appear to come from Cairo minarets and Mughal Indian archways, but these have been all mixed up with motifs from Chinese pagodas and old Russian church spires, Venetian balustrades and Italian baroque shields on the balconies. Then there are the what-the-heck details like the phoenix-head fern planters erupting from the bases of the flagpoles all around the upper deck. What shall we call it all -- Electro-Moresco-Sino-Baroco? Lights - actionI have seen a number of photos of Luna Park, and they are all astonishing. It must have been a fabulous place! Hey, Dad!Can I borrow the time machine tonight? I want to head on over to Coney with the gang. What an unbelievable shot. You've done it again, Dave. Sadly, about all that is left of the old Coney Island is the Cyclone and Nathan's. Disney's inspiration?The attention to detail is amazing. I have (happily) wasted a half an hour on this picture and still find new details! AC/DCWhat makes this photo truly remarkable is the fact that even in 1905 there still wasn't an electrical standard. Was the power Edison's DC or was it Tesla's AC? I'm betting on AC. My grandfather, born in 1875, would regale us with stories of Coney Island. He would weave these almost impossible sounding stories about the grandeur of the place. Now you have to remember, the Coney Island of the 1950s and the 60s and then into the very depressing 70s was a very far cry from his experience, so it was almost as if he was telling fairy tales. It really must have been something else back then for the blue-collar worker. Working six days a week, up to 14 hours a day and taking your only day off to go to Coney Island. We have gained so much, we have lost so much. Few places I'd rather bethan Luna Park and Coney Island in 1905. What an interesting, fascinating and exciting place it must have been. HauntedI watched Ric Burns' documentary about Coney Island several years ago and it was so haunting and eerie that I can't look at this photo without getting chills. The 1903 footage of a Coney Island elephant being electrocuted for the "crime" of attacking a handler who threw a lit cigarette in her mouth still haunts me. Time machine pleaseIf I had a time machine, I'd take it back, throw a huge blanket over this place and tell them that they couldn't touch it for another 100 years, when they could appreciate the grandeur of all that is here. Those architectural details! Today's buildings are just squares and rectangles. No pomp! No curlicues! No flourishes! How amazing it must have been to see all this electricity in one place. All that light. Must have been like they imagined the future would be. Where do you think we live, Luna Park?!While growing up on the Lower East Side of NYC in the 60's and 70's my grandparents and parents were always admonishing us kids to "turn off the lights when you leave the room!" If they ever had to turn the lights off after we carelessly left them on they would always say, "Where do you think we live, Luna Park?!" Or, my father's favorite, "the place is lit up like Luna Park!" Now I see what they meant! Fascinating photo. Thank you. Luna ParkMaxim Gorky's remarks about Luna Park fit this photo perfectly: With the advent of night a fantastic city all of fire suddenly rises from the ocean into the sky. Thousands of ruddy sparks glimmer in the darkness, limning in fine, sensitive outline on the black background of the sky shapely towers of miraculous castles, palaces, and temples. Golden gossamer threads tremble in the air. They intertwine in transparent flaming patterns, which flutter and melt away, in love with their own beauty mirrored in the waters. Fabulous beyond conceiving, ineffably beautiful, is this fiery scintillation. NicopachydermI must correct Mattie below. The elephant was certainly electrocuted at Luna Park, but not because a handler threw a lit cigarette into her mouth and she killed him. She was killed because she had killed three men in as many years. While it was true that she was abused by patrons and had in fact been fed a lit cigarette by someone, that incident was some time before and her handler was neither whom she killed nor who fed her the lit cigarette. Luna in filmI was just flipping through the channels and Turner Classic Movies is showing a silent film called "The Crowd" that features a montage of the lead characters enjoying the sights of Luna at night. The shots were just as spectacular as the photos of Luna park here at Shorpy. (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC)
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