Coney Island

A photo I recently took of the Parachute Jump,
the only "survivor" of Steeplechase Park

Coney Island in the 1950's was a vibrant, amazing place. When I was a boy, I used to go there on weekends with my parents. We would take the West End  train to Coney Island, and then the Brighton train to the Brighton Beach Station. After we spent the afternoon on that beach, we often would walk down to Coney Island to head home.

We would set our blankets down on Brighton Beach, and from there I could hear the cries of the brave souls who braved the "Jump." Yes; the screams from Coney Island could be heard all the way in Brighton! The parachute would ascend slowly to the top, challenging the moxie of its brave riders. With a sudden release, the parachute would go into a frightening free fall, invariably triggering a chorus of panicked screams. Then abruptly, the ride would jerk to a halt about 3/4 of the way down, leaving its riders suspended in mid-air. More screams; what fun!!

My photo of the Coney Island Pier

Sometimes we would take a walk to the Coney Island Pier, pictured left. I was - and still am - an incurable Yankee fan, and everyone carried small transistor radios then. One time, in 1962, Mickey Mantle returned to pinch hit after being out with an injury for months. He hit a home run into the left field seats, and I went crazy - jumping up and down on that pier like a wild thing! Finally, I was asked by my friend's father to "Cool it"; apparently, I was too unhinged even for the open spaces of the Coney Island Pier. 

My photo of Nathans at night, on a recent visit.

We would walk home from Brighton by going down the Boardwalk to Coney Island, and then exit on the side street that passed by Nathan's (pictured on right). We would then head for the Stillwell Avenue train station, where we could catch the B-64 bus back to our house.

As a family, we didn't eat at Nathan's; in those days, many families ate at home, and it was still practically more than a decade before the first McDonald's opened in Brooklyn. But I did eat there if my summer camp went there, and of course their French Fries are famous for a very good reason. I recently ate there, and the food is still excellent!

My photo of the outside of the Aquarium
I can remember when it was first being built!!

If you go to Coney Island, you will see that the plans for revitalization have hit a snag. Although many businesses were forced to close, the money must have run out to build something in its place. However, there is still Astroland, and some rides. There is also the Aquarium (pictured left) Would you believe I can remember walking on the Boardwalk before the Aquarium opened (in 1957?) and watching them build it?

When I was on the Boardwalk recently, I saw people enjoying the beautiful surroundings, and at night there were bands playing and folks were dancing to some Latin music. It's still a vibrant place!