The First Roller Coaster in America
On June 16, 1884, the first roller coaster in America opened at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. It consisted of three wooden hills connected by curved tracks, with a top speed of six miles per hour – nothing like the thrill machines we see today!
Russian Coasters
The earliest roller coasters were large ice-covered slides made of wood.
LaMarcus Thompson
Born in Ohio, Mr. Thompson is widely known as the father of the roller coaster.
Loop-the-Loop
The Loop-the-Loop coaster opened in 1901 at Coney Island. It eventually closed because more people were willing to watch than ride.
Brooklyn Cyclone
The Cyclone, a wooden coaster that made its debut on Coney Island in 1927, is one of the country’s oldest coasters in operation today.
Inventions are the ingenious gadgets and machines that have made our lives a little more fun, interesting, and useful. Real inventions are the things that we did not think were possible yesterday, and yet, it would be difficult to live without today. From the tiny paperclip to the massive jet engine, every month we will explore the history behind our world’s most famous inventions and learn about the innovators who designed them.
This month we explore the history behind one of the most popular amusement park rides…
The ROLLER COASTER
Roller coasters are one of the most popular amusement park rides. The fascinating history of roller coasters began in Russia in the early 1800s, when a wheeled cart was designed to go down an icy track. This prototype proved quite popular, as people lined up for hours to ride on the rails – something no one had ever seen before! From there, roller coasters took off around the globe.
First American Roller Coaster
In 1884, Ohio native LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the “Switchback Railway,” the first American roller coaster. It made its debut at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. The coaster was made of wood and featured a single track with sharp turns and three steep hills. It was designed to run down a hill and then use gravity to propel riders back up the other side.