What I've read...

     I read Avery, Marissa, and Alexis' blogs! I thought they were all really fantastic and informational! I like this method of learning, and I really enjoyed reading what everyone had to say/wrote about! I would like to do more of these in the future! (Especially if they take the place of research papers!)

Coney Island

The signature ride at Steeplechase Park, a mechanical
horse race called "Steeplechase"

Coney Island’s reputation for being a land of entertainment and adventure all started with a park called “Sea-Lion Park”, created by Paul Boyton in 1895.  Sea-Lion Park was the first amusement park in all of North America. Two years after Sea-Lion Park’s creation, a second park was constructed on Coney Island called “Steeplechase Park”; it was built in 1897 and was one of the lead attractions of its day. Sea-Lion Park’s days, although, were shortly numbered, because in 1903 it was replaced with the more well known “Luna Park”. Just a year after Luna Park’s birth, it gained a sibling named “Dreamland”.   Each park had a life of its own and had attractions with an original central theme. For instance, Steeplechase Park got its name from a ride there where you could ride on a mechanical racehorse.

Coney Island’s heyday was from the early 1900s to about the late 1910s.  The amusement parks were constructed around the time of what is known as America’s “Age of Play”, the time period earned this name from the sudden growth and stability in economy.  With such a rise in general population’s wealth, the entertainment industry began to grow due to people who were willing to spend a few extra dollars for some fun!  The wealthy and the poor flooded to the parks at Coney Island. The parks were even divided into sections, one specified for those of the upper class, and the other for those of lesser background.  Another fact that seemed to lure the thrill-seekers in was that the parks were easy to access! Railroads from many different areas had tracks that ran straight out to the island and back!

In 1910 the parks’ attendances were at an all time high on none other than Sunday! A popular tradition in the New York area was to go out and spend Sunday Afternoon “bathing” at Coney Island. Mainly women came from all over and spent hours getting ready in little dressing rooms, to come out completely transformed and “bathe” on the beaches and in the pools at Coney Island. 

Bathing Beauties at Coney Island in 1906, NY
(The term "bathing beauties" is derived
from the social gathering of women on the
beaches of Coney Island during the 1900s)

Bathing Beauties, Coney Island, NY, 1897

But, it seems to be if there are pretty women there, there are men there too!  Sunday was the best day of the week for Coney Island amusement parks during 1910.  There was even a newspaper handed out each night at the parks’ closing called “The Evening Star” which kept you updated on the island’s most popular news and gossip. (And don't forget to grab a "Coney Dog" on your way out!)

Coney Island "The Chutes"
ride in 1900

Coney Island’s three most popular parks, Steeplechase, Luna, and Dreamland, were filled with strange and awe-evoking sites.  Steeplechase had more attractions than just the mechanical horse race, which comes with a twist, might I add. On a blog about man’s memories of Coney Island, he mentions that when you dismount your mechanical racehorse, the only way out of the ride is through a scary fun house, where you are poked, spooked, and chased by midgets! Therefore you couldn’t ride the Steeplechase without enduring the Funhouse.  He also mentions that instead of tickets, you had a punch card that was punched on the ride’s worth.  At Luna Park there was an abundance of animals, including domesticated elephants and bears that were ridden jockey style for the amusement of on-lookers.

Trapeze artist in Dreamland during 1900s,
 at Coney Island, NY

Headless women "Freak Show" attraction,
Dreamland, Coney Island, NY

 Then there was Dreamland! Dreamland was sort of known as the park full of “freak shows”. They had a whole city, “Dwarf City”, inhabited by midgets and built to scale, so when you walked through it was as if you were walking through a little world.  Another central theme of Dreamland was to educate people. (Keep in mind: this park was mainly for the upper class.)  An example of the parks attempt at “education” was their Incubator Buildings! Filled with premature babies living only on the support of incubators.

             Another popular attraction at the parks was to witness “live fires” that burnt down buildings while actors pretended to be trapped in the licking flames of hotels.  Fire engines and all! (The midget city had a fire station too!) Ironic though, because in each parks’ history there is a devastating and cruel fire – being the reason for the majority of the parks' demise. (Dreamland was abandoned after the fire of 1911)

Firefighters fighting the fire at Dreamland in 1911,
Coney Island, NY

After World War II the parks slowly declined and lacked the throbbing crowds that they had in their heydays. By 1964 each park was permanently closed, the last being Steeplechase. Even though their fame was short lived, I’m sure the memories they have left people with will last more than a lifetime!  After all being some of the first amusement parks in the world is a pretty big deal. 

The roller coaster "Cyclone", 1949, most famous roller
coaster in the world

The remains of what used to be the "Cyclone" roller coaster
which is now abandoned in Coney Island, NY

My head is absolutely bursting with information about this beloved island and its theme parks, I wish I could fit all of the interesting facts in, but if you explore the links throughout the blog I'm positive you will learn extraordinarily interesting things just as I have!
PS: Here's a really awesome map of the park from 1949, check it out!

Research Update #2!

     I've now started researching on the Internet about Coney Island! It is a little difficult to specify the time period of the information that I have obtained, but I think I can figure it out! Since I started searching the web for information I have found a lot more general facts about the island and its amusement parks, but I have realized the more detailed information came from the books! The things from the Internet are still interesting though. The sources and cool facts are endless!

     So far the most interesting thing I have learned from the web is about the park's demise. I have also found some awesome things about films that were made with the park being the central basis of the plot line. Also, the pictures and film footage on the Internet from Luna Park, Steeplechase, and Dreamland are just endless and incredible! (This is a photo of night time in Luna Park, at Coney Island)

Coney Island Update!

    So far I have been very successful in researching about Coney Island. I have yet to take my researching to the Internet, but I know when I do I'll find an even more abundant amount of information. As of right now I have just been looking through the books that were selected for our project and I have come across a multitude of interesting, fun, and strange things. One example being the fact that Coney Island's "Dreamland" park had an attraction called the "Incubator Building" which housed tons of premature babies! Crazy! (The photo is an example of such a building, but not the actual one, this one is an Incubator Building from Buffalo, NY.) 

   Right now I have three primary sources, an excerpt from a book, an article from the New York Times, and a magazine published by the park itself, called "The Evening Post". I should definitely have seven by next Tuesday!

Hallowhat?!

    Even with the economy being in the state that it is this year, Halloween accessories are definitely not gathering dust on the shelves, instead the shelves are empty and haunted!
     Halloween sales have increased by 9% this year, an average consumer's spending going from $66.28 to $72.31.  These numbers are setting a bright standard for this year's Christmas shopping. 

     It is said that the amount of increase in Halloween sales from year to year usually determines the success of the year's economy, and how much money Santa is willing to spend when Christmas rolls around. One article even mentioned that Halloween could be the biggest holiday of them all - because it sets the economic mood for the rest of the season! 
     Let's hope things don't get too spooky!

National Labor Union

     The National Labor Union was the first labor federation in the United States. The National Labor Union was a polyglot association, it had 640,000 members, which included a variety of reform groups that had little or no direct relationship with labor. The NLU was founded in 1866.

     Most of the support the NLU received was from the construction unions, other skilled employees were invited to join, even the unskilled farmers. Interestingly, colored peoples created their own union since they weren't exactly supported by the NLU, their union was called the Colored National Labor Union.
     The NLU was around for about seven years until the Panic of 1873 occurred and the union slowly disintegrated.

A Nation of Dreams

     I feel that because of immigration America has a lot of character and multitude of cultures, which have over time blended together to create a very diverse, beautiful, and free country. I feel that being a "nation of immigrants" has made us unique and appealing to people from all sorts of backgrounds. 
     I think the determination and hope that immigrants had when migrating to the United States helped to form and shape America into a land of dreams and opportunities. The people of America have very colorful family trees, and help to make up a wonderfully diverse nation. These traits have helped the country of America to strive and be successful - because it is a land full of people who have drive and want to go places in life. 
     I myself am not very aware of who my ancestors were, and I sadly don't feel a very strong connection to them. My dad, however, is often very engrossed in topics such as history and family lineage, so I'm sure that if I learn more I will be aware and appreciate my family background more than I do at the moment. 

Faces of America

         The "Faces of America" films were about tracing back into one's family lineage and discovering where they came from and who their ancestors truly were. In the films Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reveals multiple interesting facts and old documents to 12 renowned Americans about their ancestry and how they came to be "Americans". The films are basically the unwrapping and discovering of the 12 renowned American's engrossing family histories.
          I think watching theses fascinating films can help others to appreciate and understand the racial diversity of the United States. These films help recognize the multitude of different cultures that make up America. Everybody has an interesting story lying in the depths of their family tree. These films help you realize that!

Rockefeller Gives Back

       Rockefeller's interest in philanthropy could come from the fact that he was raised in a modest background and was an active member of Erie Street Baptist Church, and was also on the board of trustees there. From a young age he gave to the church and various charities. Rockefeller gave money to many different institutions, including: sciences, churches, businesses, charities, medicine, education, and public health. Rockefeller didn't man all of the donations himself, he often had multiple people that helped him keep track of his charitable donations. Rockefeller is one of the most well-known successful philanthropists in the US.