Community Corner
First Roller Coaster Opens on This Day in 1884
According to History.com, the coaster debuted at Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 16. The closest coaster to Laguna Niguel is Disneyland.
The first roller coaster in America opened on June 15, 1884 at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York.
It was called a switchback railway, and was the brainchild of LaMarcus Thompson. It went about 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, says History.com.
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.
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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, adds the website.
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Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955 in Anaheim to the media and continues to be a draw for visitors as well as locals.
July 18 was the first day it was open to the general public. "Black Sunday" was what the July 17th press day was called by Disney employees due to all the problems of getting a theme park built in a year, the heat, and all the difficulties in putting together a huge live broadcast.
Locally, for those who want to get their amusement park fix, you might try the C all day on Saturday. While there may not be any roller coasters, there will be rides, and "Elvis."
