Coney Island and Victorian Culture Essay

Coney Island at the spring up of the century was a brisk and growing place. People of every last(predicate) classes traveled from modern York City as well as otherwise subprograms of the world to take depart in the famous diversions that helped to loosen the roiled corsets of Victorian gentility. Inspired by the Columbian Exposition in 1893 George Tilyou began to build a car honey oil on Coney Island beginning with the Ferris swan similar to that feature at the translation which was designed by the Pennsylvania Steel Company. By 1895 Tilyou opened Steeplechase jet and began to fill it with acts and side turn ins thus inspired by his travels a few years prior.While c erstwhilentrating on the appeal to all walks of bearing Tilyou acquired A Ride to The Moon from Fredric Thompson and Elmer Dundy who built the ride specifically for the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, unsanded York. A short season later in 1902 Thompson and Dundy unexpended Steeplechase to create L una putting surface taking the cheer with them. Playing finish off the near democratic sport on Coney Island, Tilyou obtained a mechanical one dollar bill race that took riders on a thirty second ride slightly a track complete with hills and sharp turns.Other attractions added to the park include the Human Roulette Wheel which threw riders in all directions and Earthquake st songs which jostled climbers and challenged them to descend a shaking stair case. These attractions as well as the wild side shows caused volume to throw off all convening and made them rub elbows with other classes while having unrestricted cheer. While Steeplechase force visitors to the peninsula it also increased in the popularity of swimming or bathing as it was referred to in Victorian speak.People on a hot New York day adventured to Steeple Chase and the beach by various message of transportation. Donning the latest in bathing fashions people enjoyed more unrestricted fun regardless of any cla ss system in the water. Although Victorians looked down their noses at the amusements and popular bathing, people serene flocked to the beaches and splashed in the chilly waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Ruckus rides and the ability to socialise appealed to the younger generations looking to riff off the oppressive garbs of Victorian gentility and just have translucent unrestrictive fun.In 1907 tragedy struck Steeplechase as evict harry the park exit a smoking ruin. In the efforts to still turn a dollar Tilyou charged admission to the ruins of the once great park. During the rebuilding, Luna car park benefited from the loss and treated guests to a modern park with rides to thrill invariablyyone. The senescent- makeness of Steeplechase was challenged as Luna Park, the approximately modern of its m dazzled park goers with galvanizing lights and tall white towers bathed in bright bulbs.This enabled the park to be given at night. But still people remained loyal to the orig inal amusement park they k sunrise(prenominal) so well purge though built anew from combust ruins. George Tilyou sadly passed away in 1914 after visual perception his park with another fire in 1911 which claimed never-never land. Luckily enough the winds shifted and spared his park from a second disaster. By 1914 the amusement park began to fall come surface of favor. The once well loved and most visited park suffered a loss in the visitors during the hot New York summers.Steeplechase continued to operate and help people socialize and essentially come turn out of the tight bonds of gentility by pass a carefree time with out restrictions. Then on New Years Eve 1964 the last light was turned off for the final time at the ill fated old fashioned park. Luna Park on the other hand was not as popular as the original park but provided new wonders for those curious and act enough to seek it out. Created after the Beaux-Arts movement of the time Thompson an erratic interior designer began to design the park as a world where someone could be lost in fantasy.By opening day on may 16th 1903 Luna Park opened its doors to the wonderment of many people seek out entertainment and new amusements to help them shed the conventionality of the coordinate Victorian world. Here we can distinctly see where still Steeplechase was cherish like a child hugs a ragged teddy put on but the new adventure which was named Luna was embraced for its latest technologies that Steeplechase clearly was lacking. With all over 1 million lights, long distance telephone service, telegraph and radio run Luna Park became a city with in a city.With Thompson and Dundys triumph in creating illusion rides for the park guests they still relied on others as well. When they left-hand(a) the employment of Tilyou after the 1902 season they brought their famed Ride to the Moon amusement with them. Counting on its fame from Steeplechase park and the illustrious past of universe featured at the P an-American Exposition in 1901 the creators hoped it would bring the crowds in. With more and more people seeking a day at the park and on the beach both park helped make Coney Island known world roomy and soon became a top tourist destination.At a time when high society still held restrictions of how men and women should act in public in high regards, more and more people used these parks as a way to shed the restrictions of society and seek titillating amusements and fill curiosities each other had that Victorian culture had suppressed over the years with rules and barriers against those who dared to go against the prim and worthy societies. Technology in these multiplication were changing and what better place to display these but at amusement parks and expositions.Younger Victorians embraced these changes and viewed them as a move toward the future. We can clearly see where walls were broken down between classes while all walks of life frolicked on the beaches of Coney Island , let outed on the same rides, and traveled faster than they ever had in their lives. Luna Park and Steeplechase side by side were wonderful examples of old an new. While people still embraced the old curious onlookers sought out attractions that displayed futuristic gadgets.By the creation of the final park Dreamland in 1904 tourism and the shedding of Victorian genteel slipway were in sufficient swing. Dreamland brought more pleasure seekers to the peninsula and more bathers to the sea shore. The park was built by William Reynolds who is best known for his crooked dealings with Tammany Hall. Dreamland became the park to rival the other 2 on the peninsula. It is said that the park would be anything unlike the modern world has seen. The main tower of Dreamland had a beacon that shined out to sea and confused many ships coming into port.The amusement park sparkled as guests promenaded through the many attractions and thrill rides. With Dreamland shiny amusement in a more dignifi ed way the creators tested to offer Culture to those who visited the park. Providing a grand ballroom and upscale restaurants from some the world Dreamland attempted to cater to the upper class leaving lower classes to attend the sometime(a) less dignified parks. The developers still provided rides and attractions that rivaled the other parks and even stole ideas from them as well.Americans were fascinated by disasters. fighting the Flames was a good example of this as New Yorkers were most familiar with tenements catching fire and many people dying. People could identify with this ride. As tenement style buildings covered in asbestos were set ablaze, firefighters came to the rescue of the tenants who jumped to their asylum in huge nets below. With rides like Shoot the Chutes guests at Dreamland were still treated to rides that caused them to throw off all conventionalities. Dreamland with its intentions to preserve all that is roper and dignified still provided outrageous outle ts that caused people to smile and scream like they never had before. Sideshows still prevailed like Bostocks Circus and chief Bonavitas Lion Show. They treated guests to clowns, wild animals, and daring stunts which caused people to trouser and look on in awe. Dreamland gave people a look at the world in their own backyard. Rides like Touring the Alps which provided riders with a simulated ride through the Alps complete with blasts of cold air to the Japanese Tea Room which gave people a look at cultures foreign to their own.The achievements of creating an atmosphere of wonderment and awe like that of the previous expositions held in Chicago and Buffalo, Reynolds achieved ultimate success in helping people promontory their hum drum ways and rules that bound them tightly. On May 27 1911 the wonderment that was known as Dreamland came to an end when it burned to the ground. Complaints by the fire departments that fought the flames were low water pressure. It was said that Reynolds built the park so fast that he built over fire hydrants.The mistakes and rush to greed cost him his park only seven short years later. The fire although sparing because of the winds did not leave Thompsons railway alone. Sadly but fortunately that was one of a few external victims of the fire caused by greed. Fred Thompson found General Manager Samuel Gumpertz staring blankly at the ruins. Reynolds intractable not to rebuild the park and Gumpertz opened a freak show in a large tent. This was the beginning of the end of Coney Island, the most famous playground of the early twentieth century.Luna Park and Steeplechase continued to operate through many changes of attractions. The 1920s ushered in rides like The Wonder Wheel and The Cyclone. It is joked immigrants who came to this country saw The Wonder Wheel first before seeing the Statue of Liberty. Still The Wonder Wheel is a wonderful example of liberty through good times and laughter and the shedding of old ways to a new life. B y the close of the season of 1946 Luna Park could no longer afford to keep its gates open to the dwindling visitors.That which was new and exciting became old and worn out. Steeplechase continued to operate and pride itself of being risen from the ashes still provided visitors with aging and familiar rides. By the opening of Astro Park in 1962 this began to spell the end of the turn of the century amusements. At the knock of midnight New Years Eve 1964 the last light was turned out on the oldest amusement park of the time leaving undersurface a legacy of fun and a little known waltz indite for the opening of Dreamland entitled Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland.By looking at the amusement parks of the early 20th century we can clearly see where proper Victorians were given the probability to shed the constrictions of a culture that forced them into a protected part of society. Here creators of parks provided a person all types of amusements and bathing which for proper Victorians swim ming with people of the opposite sex was just scandalous. Many of the older generations still held fast to their convictions of manners and proper ways. In many ways Coney Island was a petrie dish for societies and cultures.Could they truly leave behind the tight corsets and stiff collars to have fun with all folks of all classes with out concern for class stratification due to wealth, power or even dress? The writer of this believes yes. This was a place where society began to leave behind their constrictions and just have plain fun. Therefore unmaking Victorian culture as it was known.