1884 First Roller Coaster In America Opens
On this day in 1884, the first roller coaster in America opens at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. Known as a switchback railway, it was the brainchild of LaMarcus Thompson, traveled approximately six miles per hour and cost a nickel to ride. The new entertainment was an instant success and by the turn of the century there were hundreds of roller coasters around the country.
Coney Island, a name believed to have come from the Dutch Konijn Eilandt, or Rabbit Island, is a tract of land along the Atlantic Ocean discovered by explorer Henry Hudson in 1609. The first hotel opened at Coney Island in 1829 and by the post-Civil War years, the area was an established resort with theaters, restaurants and a race track. Between 1897 and 1904, three amusement parks sprang up at Coney Island--Dreamland, Luna Park and Steeplechase. By the 1920s, Coney Island was reachable by subway and summer crowds of a million people a day flocked there for rides, games, sideshows, the beach and the two-and-a-half-mile boardwalk, completed in 1923.
The hot dog is said to have been invented at Coney Island in 1867 by Charles Feltman. In 1916, a nickel hot dog stand called Nathan's was opened by a former Feltman employee and went on to become a Coney Island institution and international franchise. Today, Nathan's is famous not only for its hot dogs but its hot dog-eating contest, held each Fourth of July in Coney Island. In 2006, Takeru Kobayashi set a new record when he ate 53.75 hot dogs with buns in 12 minutes.
1963 First Woman In SpaceOn June 16, 1963, aboard Vostok 6, Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman to travel into space. After 48 orbits and 71 hours, she returned to earth, having spent more time in space than all U.S. astronauts combined to that date.
On April 5, 2008 she became a torchbearer of the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay in St Petersburg, Russia at the age of 71
7 comments:
I have never been to coney Island have you?
A person we know worked in a meat packing place, I won't name him ,but he said don't ever eat hot dogs cause nasty stuff is in there.I still eat them but there is one brand I won't touch with a ten foot pole-but it wasn't the company he worked for.
Can anyone spell earthworms??
Torch bearer at 71 wow good for her ..love Jan xx
I have spent many happy hours at Coney Island. There is always something interesting/outrageous going on there. It was, in fact, originally an island but the land was filled in when the subway was built. When I was a young teen, a buddy of mine and I walked the tracks of the Cyclone Coaster, when it was closed down briefly for repairs. (At the risk of our lives and being arrested.) Coney Island also had the first parachute drop. It's closed now but the structure is still there. Every year there's a mermaid parade - sor t of a bizarre beauty pageant. The beach, on the Atlantic Ocean, is grand but usually always crowded. In the winter The Polar Bear Club, a group of crazy people, go swimming in the freezing water. The Boardwalk goes on forever and so could I. You get the poknt. I love Coney Island. It's a New Yorkers playground.
I love todays entry! And, all about the Magna Carta! Thank you!!!
be well,
Dawn
http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/
Great entry :) I have never been on a roller coaster and nor do I want to lol
Jenny
http://journals.aol.co.uk/Jmoqueen/MyLife
I love roller coaster, woohoo! That is just disgusting to eat that many hot dogs.
xx
Lisa
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