Little Known Facts

 

 

-Arthur Rozzi first put on an Independence day fireworks display at Coney Island in 1934.

-In 1929, George Schott began the practice of closing the park on Mondays giving the employees a two-day weekend.

-George F. Schott, who was the president of Coney Island in the 1920s and early 30s, died on July 25, 1935. He had visited Moonlite Gardens shortly before it closed for the night. He collapsed when talking with members of the Independent Hardware Stores, who had visited the park earlier. He died at the age of 57 of a heart attack. His son, Edward L. Schott became the President and General Manager of Coney Island at the age of 28.

-Sunlite Pool used to be fed entirely (and still is partially) fed by artesian wells that stretch down 100 feet into the ground. They keep the pool at a cool 77 degrees.

-May 21st, 1955 actor Fess Parker arrived to greet children at the park. Fess Parker portrayed Davy Crockett in the Disney television series. His failed attempt to build a frontier theme park in Northern Kentucky would lead to the eventual closure of Coney Island and the building of Kings Island.

-In June of 1956, Walt Disney made a visit to Coney to see how the park was run. He was in the process of building Disneyland in California. Coney`s president Mr. Schott was a “paid” consultant for Disney on the new park project. He was paid $1 for his services.

-The current building that houses LaRosa`s at the park was built in 1967 at a cost of $50,000.

-Moonlite Gardens continues to be a host for dances throughout the summer as well as a place for wedding receptions and special events.

-Coney purchased lot “G” in the Whetsone Plan from John L. Whetstone in 1890. The 16.007 acres of land cost $5,800.50 and was located directly behind Parker`s original farm. This land would become home to Lake Como, named after the lake in Italy. Lake Como, built in 1893, is only three to four feet deep, all the way across! The lake covers an area of 12 acres.

-Riverbend Music Center sits on land that once belonged to Coney Island. (And was the approximate location of the Shooting Star turnaround). Coney gave the land to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, which owns Riverbend. In 2007, it was announced that Riverbend would be building a smaller pavilion, The National City Pavilion to the northwest of the 1984 pavilion. Coney deeded some more land to Riverbend for this new pavilion, which will be located on part of the land of the old tennis courts, and immediately adjacent to the Dodgems. The $6.8 million project seats 4,100 guests and was completed in May of 2008.

-Coney`s main gift shop, The Museum Shop, houses many pictures from the park in its glory years, before Kings Island opened.

-Procter & Gamble dividend day, now held every September at Kings Island, dates back to 1929 when 10,000 P&G employees were entertained at the park.

 

-In 1947, Edward Schott estimated that each ordinary flood cost the park about $50,000.

 

-Coney began the practice of opening the park a few weekends before the regular season for a series of preview weekends. These weekends typically started around the last weekend in April (such as April 30th in 1948), and only a few of the rides were in operation during these preview days.

-An unfortunate incident occurred in 1947 when a 68-year-old widow, Josephine Rosenfeld, of Westwood, died when she fell from a Merry Go round horse. While riding, she suffered a dizzy spell on one of the jumping horses and she toppled over onto the floor of the merry go round. She died 90 minutes later at Christ Hospital of a basal skull fracture.

-“Suicide Simon” debuted at Coney in 1947. The stunt man performed numerous times at the park in the 50`s and 60`s blasting himself out of a cannon twice daily.

-1955, African Americans were finally allowed to visit the park as guests, although they still could not swim in Sunlite or the ballroom. The park would not be fully integrated until 1961.

-The carousel horses were removed every winter from the ride and stored in the highest portion of Moonlite Gardens, to prevent damage when the Ohio flooded.

 

-The original turnpike cars that were installed in 1958, were manufactured by Streifthau Manufacturing Co. of Middletown, Ohio. The Streifthau Manufacturing Co. was a division of LeSourdsville Lake. The ride beat out the Shooting Star for the most popular ride in the park in 1958 (367,422 customers to 365,010 customers).

-The title “America`s Finest Amusement Park” first appeared in 1926.

-The stone gate from the Ohio River was built in 1925, and utilizes stones found along the banks of the river.

-The car entrance gate along Kellogg Avenue was built in 1928.

According to the Wikipedia article, the park closed its amusements on September 6, 1971. I remember being there for the fireworks celebrations they put on in the park's final week of operation. I know it wasn't the very last night, but it may have been the night before.

 

Before my time then... :lol:

LOVED Coney!

So does the current Coney Island have any of the old rides? Is it in the same location as the old one?

So does the current Coney Island have any of the old rides? Is it in the same location as the old one?

It's in the same location, but has less property, and only a small handful of rides. Not sure if any of them are the originals -- other than one small rollercoaster. The Sunlight Pool and Moonlight Gardens Pavillion are still there.

I remember that in both the Lost River and the haunted house, wayward teens would sometimes get out of their boats/cars and run around. Very wicked! I can remember going on Coca Cola days. The Coke bottle caps had numbers in it and you could win something. My mom won a radio. Big times!

Wasn't the Racer originally at CI? Where is it in the picture.

Wasn't the Racer originally at CI? Where is it in the picture.

Nope. But when the Racer was built, it was the first big one built in a while, and it held speed records at the time, as well as starting the next generation of coasters.

Too young for Coney, but I have certainly heard plenty of stories.

 

I'm a product of the Kings Island generation, and can't imagine anyone not loving that place, but to each his own.

 

A couple of random thoughts relative to Coney though.

 

I seem to vaguely remember being told that the "Wild Mouse" roller coaster was moved from Coney to Kings Island and operated at that park the first few years of KI's exsistence. Can anyone confirm?

 

Even though we had passes to KI, a large group of my parents friends would annually spend a day at Americana amusement park. I know it wasn't the same as Coney, but I think it brought back a lot of those feelings for the parents. What with the large picnic area (where you could leave your food all day and no one would bother it), the pool, the more homey atmosphere, I think it was a thowback to their childhood a little bit for them. We always had a blast and their bumper cars were way better than KI's. Sadly, it's been closed for 20ish years now.

I seem to vaguely remember being told that the "Wild Mouse" roller coaster was moved from Coney to Kings Island and operated at that park the first few years of KI's exsistence. Can anyone confirm?

Yes it was, it was located about where the FestHause is now. Other rides such as the Bumble Bug, Sky Ride, the carousel were also moved to KI. Not sure of the name, but anther one was that ride right across the walkway from the Shake/Rattle and Roll, it was next to that 50s diner place. There were a few others they moved to KI as well, I think the Log flume, I can't remember the others.

I'm from the post-Coney generation, and I was brought up with a yearly family trip to Kings Island with my parents on Proctor & Gamble dividend day. My parents always made it a point to take us on as many "Old Coney Rides" as possibly each year, and to tell us all about their childhood trips to Coney Island. I was always told that the carousel, the dodgems bumper cars, the Monster, the Scrambler, the Screecher, and the Log Flume, and the Giant Slide all came from Coney.

Great memories. I really loved Coney at night. I do think the ferry ride was one of my favorites parts of the experience.

Great memories. I really loved Coney at night. I do think the ferry ride was one of my favorites parts of the experience.

Gotta agree with you. I think they should bring it back...just for the heck of it. Of course, they'd have to dig out the old entrance to the landing, from all the weeds and trees that have grown over it.

I vaguely remember old coney, the arcade game featuring a car that went back and forth and the fact that I was going to be able to ride the shooting star "next year" which happened to be the year they closed. :irked: