"Amusing the Millions" - Page 2
© Meg Greene Malvasi
People who had never been outside of New York City could visit such exotic places as an American Indian village, the city of Venice, Italy complete with gondolas, a Japanese garden, or the famous Durbar of Delhi. Men, women, and children flocked to see the wide variety of exotic animals and watch the recreation of famous disasters such as "The Fall of Pompeii" or "Fire and Flames," a staged event in which a building was set ablaze. While people watched, brave firemen battled to save the building's "residents" who jumped to safety in the nets below.
Known as the "Gibraltar of the Amusement World," Dreamland tried to recreate the look and feel of the Chicago Exposition of 1893. Here people entered a world of lavish grandeur, as they walked past large white buildings with high columns and colossal statues everywhere. To compete with Luna's light display, Dreamland installed a million lights! The Beacon Tower alone, which rivaled Luna Park's Electric Tower, had 100,0000 lights.
Dreamland's rides included two Shoot the Chutes and two scenic railways. Entertainment came in the form of a Lilliputian Village inhabited by more than 300 midgets, simulated airplane and submarine rides, a ride called "Coasting Through Switzerland," and version of a live disaster similar to that staged at Luna Park called Fighting the Flames, which included a cast of 4,000 characters. Unfortunately, Dreamland was not a success. It was destroyed by a fire that rivaled the production of the mock disaster in "Fighting the Flames."
At its height, Coney Island had almost twenty five million visitors annually during its five month season. New Yorkers especially, anxious to get away from the city, flocked to Coney Island to relax and have fun.
But like all good things, Coney Island's time came to an end. Both Luna Park and Steeplechase Park, like Dreamland, were destroyed by fire. Even the existence of other attractions and the effort to rebuild did not enable Coney Island to compete with newer parks. As a result, Coney Island continued to decline. Eventually much of the original parks lay in ruins. Today people are at work to have Coney Island recognized as a historic site and to restore some of the original attractions. Despite its diminished splendor, Coney Island continues to draw some 50 million visitors every year. They come to stroll or sit along the boardwalk, take in the sights, and perhaps recapture for a moment the magic that was Coney Island.
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