Thursday, August 23, 2007

Coney Island 1956 (From Eric Beheim)


CI-1 Steeplechase Park, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.



Attached is more largess from the View-Master company: Various Kodachrome photos of Coney Island taken in 1956. I’m not sure how much of what is shown in these photos is still around today. And someone recently mentioned that this area is slated to be developed into luxury housing, so there will soon be even less to see. No doubt, there are Bloggers familiar with Coney Island who can elaborate on these photos.
Eric

Posted by Buckles at 8/23/2007 05:23:00 AM

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The 1956 date might be taken with a grain of salt. The sign in the globe ride photo advertised Luna Park. That venerable dowager park that ignited the amusement park boom in America died in a 1944 fire. Unless the sign survived it by 12 years, that photo could be misdated.

This is the Moon Rockets ride, a post-war creation, one of the fast, circular rides. It replaced one of the old rides on the Surf Avenue side of the Pavilion of Fun.

23 August, 2007 09:27
slangster said...

Steeplechase Pavilion of Fun (pictured) & park closed forever in 1964. It was bulldozed by Fred Trump (Donald's dad) who wanted to build apartments on the site, but never got rezoning to do so. What a terrible loss! The sole survivor of Steeplechase is the Parachute Jump (pictured below), now a city landmark. Though it will never be an operating ride again, it has been restored, repainted and lit up at night. Today Coney is threatened by another developer. Visit the bbs at www.coneyisland.com to read more...

23 August, 2007 10:06
Anonymous said...

My claim to fame is being the very last person to go down the big wooden slide- it ended in a large bowl and you circled till you stopped. That same day they put stakes across it and kept peacocks in the bowl for an animal exhibit. cc

23 August, 2007 11:55
Anonymous said...

From Eric:

According to a published history of View-Master, these photos were taken on July 4, 1955 by staff photographers Rupert Leach and Fred Bannion. (Of course, View-Master might have slipped in a few shots that had been taken years earlier.)

23 August, 2007 12:15
Anonymous said...

The View Master company was very politically correct for it's time. Where are the joints, mitt camps and the other attractions to take the money at Coney Island???

23 August, 2007 20:10
Anonymous said...

The View Master company was very politically correct for it's time. Where are the joints, mitt camps and the other attractions to take the money at Coney Island???

23 August, 2007 20:10

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