More than50 different custom-built rides are on view and maybe orderedvia From the 1940s through the 1970s, bus tripsto Coney Island were so popular that concessionaires recall 50 to 100 buses arriving onSaturdaymornings and staying till 6 or 7 at night. the top and went into that momentary free fall I thought it was all over for me! but, it was also generate revenue I know I would pay to ride it. [25][26], Strong sold military versions of the tower to the Romanian and U.S. armies, as well as installed towers in New Jersey and Fort Benning, Georgia. Rode the Parachute Jump once (1952) with my father; we each were bluffing, thinking the other would back down. He also said, in an interview for that story, that the plan to make the ride into a beacon of light came only after he was advised that making it operational was not a The most interesting part of this story is that when I took that ride as a paratrooper, it was only my second time on the parachute ride. The pavilion has six sides divided by fluted piers which slope upward toward the corrugated galvanized-iron roof. The lighting of the Parachute Jump at Coney Island in July 2006. [33] A 12-foot (3.7m) flagpole was added atop the original 250-foot-tall (76m) tower to surpass the height of a statue within the Soviet Pavilion. [107] Organizations such as the Coney Island Chamber of Commerce and the Gravesend Historical Society decided to save the structure,[10][108] though the LPC could not consider such a designation unless NYC Parks indicated it was not interested in developing the Parachute Jump site as a park. Ben (No. In 1954, Lois McLohon posedfor a Daily News photographer as a bathing beautyagainst the backdrop of Coney Islandbeach andits famous skyline. [4] It consists of a hexagonal base, upon which stands a six-sided steel structure. Of course I would love to be able to stand in Prospect Park and look up at the sky and see the stars. I moved to Coney Island in late 1959 and was fortunate to be old enough to enjoy SteepleChase, all 3 major Nutty bunch of guys. [15] Furthermore, at least fifteen people were required to operate the Parachute Jump, making it unprofitable. Im too young to remember the Coney of the 1950s but youve painted a very vivid picture for all of us. parachute jump, but also the Steeplechase horse racing ride itself. The diagonal and horizontal ribs intersect at gusset plates, which contain splices at 30-foot (9.1m) intervals and are riveted to the base. [16] The 4-inch-thick (10cm) concrete platform surrounding the pavilion is several steps beneath the boardwalk level. [46], The Parachute Jump's popularity was negatively affected by its secluded location away from the World's Fair's main entrance. Its boss (although not as exciting as the parachute which I hope to be able to try sometime). With our technology now, we cant fix it? I mean, it as built and worked for decades. jump could possibly be made to work again. Coney Island History Site Location and Directions Situated in Steeplechase Plaza near the B&B Carousell, the structure consists of a 250-foot-tall (76 m), 170-short-ton (150 t) open-frame, steel parachute tower. I lived in Coney almost all of my life until the end of 1997. [122], In 1991, the city government announced an $800,000 (equivalent to $1,591,600 in 2021) expenditure to prevent the Jump from collapsing, though there was insufficient funding in the city budget. NYC Parks had said the structure would cost $10,000 a year to maintain. To be honest, I dont know exactly why the PD is fascinating me so much. c/o Deno's Wonder Wheel Park If I told you some of the things we did you wouldn't believe me. I wouldnt like it to Your public is not going to wait much longer!!!!! Steeplechase employees parked at Harrys parking (now a gass station) they all knew I was Harrys grandson and when I was old enough to ride the parachute jump I did. [124] The thrill-ride company Intamin was enlisted to determine whether the Parachute Jump could again be made operational. The ride stopped operating in 1968. Needless to say, every spring we were suddenly swarmed with new "best friends". The six-sided steel tower holds twelve drop points, accessible by six-foot steel arms. I plan on doing the same with my parents on my next visit to NY. Beside their famous rollercoaster installations, that amusement ride manufacturer has built several (modern) versions of the parachute-tower, The Parachute Jump was fortunately landmarked and rehabilitated, still an important landmark on the Coney Island boardwalk. His name was Timmy and lived across the street from my family on 92nd street in Bay Ridge. When they were dropped . [131] This plan was abandoned since the cost of bringing the Jump to safety standards would have been excessively high. Dawn of a New Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Xx2lZxRXk the best ride, as you hurtled on a track, holding on to a cast iron horse, with no safety apparatus at all! They are deprived of the opportunity Some balance needs to be kept. Growing up in the Bronx mom would take my brother and me to Coney Island regularly - got off the train at Stillwell Ave and walked to Bay 17. I think they just dont care. I just visited the Parachute ride and was surprised and perplexed that such a landmark had absolutely no signage or information attached to the structure describing any of its history. Went to Coney Island about 40 or 50 times. Ah, I worked in Coney Island for fifteen years and often dreamed of a lit functional parachute jump. After time spent on the other rides we would wind up at Bay 17 and Scovilles. Appeared so lone and barren by day, and only comes alive at night with the magnificent lighting effects. We just got off and left, no one even had a word to say what happened. Does anyone remember the area at the exit to the steeplechase ride where you could watch the clowns chase people around and blow air up the ladies' dresses? [65] The relocation was supervised by the engineer Edwin W. Kleinert and architect Michael Mario. The 262-foot-high Parachute Jump at Coney Island was created by Strong purely as a ride for the World's Fair. I had nothing to do with the Boardwalk. Brooklyn, NY 11224, info@coneyislandhistory.org(347) 702-8553. Its president, Sandor Kernacs, said Intamin studied the ride for the city 15 years ago, until restoration talk died out and contact broke off. The real kicker was that I entered the army in the fall of that year (1954) and became a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne, and while on leave I returned to the parachute ride with a fellow paratrooper, in full uniform, and we both took the ride, drawing the attention of the crowd. Lots of other great rides. [106] Despite its deterioration, it remained a focal point of the community;[106] according to local legend, the tower could be seen from up to 30 miles (48km) away. I remember it all too well. [123] The city government stabilized the structure in 1993 and painted it in its original colors, although the structure still suffered from rust in the salt air. !a downright shame!!!! I, too as a child/teen went to Coney Island every chance I could. [56] The Parachute Jump was slated to be sent to either Coney Island in Brooklyn or Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey following the conclusion of the Fair. At the risk of sounding stupid, why is so hard to get the Parachute ride to work again? . The local historian Charles Denson says it closed in 1964, but that many publications give an erroneous date of 1968. Artist Ita Bullard worked for years with her husbandHoraceto build a world-class amusement park in Coney Island, only to have the project destroyed by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. mob turncoat was kept for security (as they said when his body was scraped off the sidewalk, he could sing but he couldnt fly). Also for anyone else thinking about the classic attractions, I have to recommend the astro tower. You can also receive it via email. She shares memories of coming here with her friendsevery Friday night and sometimes every day in the summer. He said, in fact, that he recently spoke with someone, a representative of a European company that has offices in the United States, who said the Another similar attraction somewhere else had a problem so as a precaution all of these parachute jump attractions were closed. [14] The Parachute Jump ultimately became the Fair's second-most popular attraction, behind the Billy Rose's Aquacade stage show. The hot dog made its debut in 1867 at Coney Island. The first sprained ankle would bankrupt the park. No wonder almost everyone in this forum who has expressed interest in reviving the Parachute Jump is of my generation or older. [74] The planned renovation would have cost $20,000,000 (equivalent to $31,470,500 in 2021), excluding the high insurance premiums that would need to be paid on the attraction. Every year on the Sunday before Steeplechase opened he would take my sister and I and two of our friends to go on the new rides of the season for publicity photos. All the rides were It was in fact the Life Saver candy ride. but all those afternoons spent staring up at it and waving to his friends made an impression. [8], The Parachute Jump is 250 feet (76m) tall,[9][10] as compared to the 1939 New York World's Fair Parachute Jump at 262 feet (80m) tall, having been topped by a 12-foot (3.7m) flagpole. After I got in the army not soon after it was time for the real thing..P.T. We lived in Levittown so it was a haul. When old enough, I could get there with friends for additional days, and got to ride all the coaster and famous rides from the 1939 Fair - Bobsled, Virginia Reel, Wonder Wheel. The ride was originally built for the 1939 New York World's Fair in Queens. Why, Mr. Markowitz, why!!!! There was indeed as stated above a go-kart track. A circular structure runs atop the subframes, connecting them to each other. [106][107] Stern said he welcomed the community's proposals for reusing the Parachute Jump but other agency officials said the plans presented thus far, which included turning the Jump into a giant windmill, were "quixotic, at best". The Jump was well-maintained. Never went to a single beach in the Bronx. It was scary! Until these problems can be resolved, the landmarked Parachute Jump will continue in its role as a symbol of Coney Island survival and resurrection. When I was a kid I was crazy about the Jump. Although it's possible that the Parachute Jump could operate again, the ride's landmark designation would require it to be restored to its original form: a free fall with real chutes. The current crime rate is much lower than it was back then. I still remember at the end of the evening when we climbed onto the chairs. When I was a kid growing up in Baldwin, LI, one of the "required" annual family outings was a trip to Coney Island. Only safety belt was a rather loose strap draped across the lap. Metropolitan Diary continues to publish! Steeplechase had been founded by their father, George C. Tilyou (1862-1914), whose enterprises at the turn of the century helped Todays children grow with the belief that the world is a very dangerous place. Ken Murray/New York Daily News; On Wednesday, five-year-old Pradipla Sutradhar was riding the Sea Serpent, a kiddie roller coaster in Coney Island, when he crawled under the safety bar and jumped off the ride before it stopped, the Daily News reported.His leg got caught between the car and the track and he suffered multiple injuries as his mother watched; the boy's sister was on the ride . So, he claimed the PJ in Coney Island. Local politicians enjoy spending money on giving the city a makeover meanwhile the people who live in Coney Island are low-income residents who will have no community to fall back on once the restoration of Coney I hung on for dear life. After you would get off the horses, you had to get past a couple of characters dressed as clowns and they had slapsticks that would try to avoid and also a clown who was a midget wielding a eletric wand that would give you a harmless zap. [7][148] The B&B Carousell, an early-20th-century carousel that had become part of Luna Park, was relocated to Steeplechase Plaza east of the Parachute Jump in 2013. Therefore bringing us Dow had a family reunion there every year through the 50s. 3059 West 12th Street The ride was built for the 1939 New York World's Fair at Flushing MeadowsCorona Park, also in New York City. Reel #: 9018 TC In: 001811 TC Out: 002352Summer on the beach at Coney Island, NY 1950s. [137] The results were announced the following year; there were one winning team, two runners-up with cash prizes, and nine honorable mentions. [135][146] Anti-climbing devices were installed on the Parachute Jump in 2010 after several instances of people scaling the structure,[6] and the lights were temporarily turned off in 2011 because of a lack of maintenance. [136] More than 800competitors from 46countries participated. I worked as an operator on the Parachute Jump for two seasons, 1961-62, when 16 and 17 yrs old. A landmark of Coney Island, the Parachute Jump was a beloved ride while in service from the 1940s to 1960s. Bathing in Coney Island as a kid in the late 40s and early 50s (yes the water was not clean), I would witness the chutes getting stuck often sometimes for hours for hours. Unfortunately, the garden and building in the photo have been demolished and are being replaced with a high rise residential building. an large oval track and the horses were supported from underneath and goes fastyou really had to hold on. Standing 250 feet tall and weighing 170 tons, City landmark the Parachute Jump is an impossible-to-miss part of the Coney Island skylineespecially when. According to The New York Times, a 17-year-old girl was riding the park's Super Himalaya ride when suddenly, a coupling that binds the ride's cars together snapped. [37][38] Each ride cost $0.40 (equivalent to $7.79 in 2021) for adults and $0.25 (equivalent to $4.87 in 2021) for children. [20][23] In response to high civilian interest in trying out the ride, Strong modified his invention for non-military use, making some design changes. memorable, for me, will always be the first and only time I experienced the Parashute Jump. While children were long permitted to do things like play with droplets of mercury or run around and swing from monkey bars, we would now all feel safer if they Markowitz's office, NYC Parks, the NYCEDC, Schwendinger, and STV collaborated for two years on the project,[7] which cost $1.45million. petelush and Elle Stern, those are some great, evocative descriptions. Exhibit about the One Hundred-Year-Old Coney Island Boardwalk, April 23: Immigrant Heritage Walking Tour of Coney Island, March 16: Coney Island History Show and Tell via Zoom. [87] Concurrently, starting in 2011, the 2.2-acre (0.89ha) site around the tower was redeveloped as Steeplechase Plaza. A ladder is on the north side of the structure, extending from the top of the base. [27] He converted an existing observation tower in Chicago's Riverview Park into a six-chute amusement ride. [23] Strong filed a patent in 1935[24] and built several test platforms at his home in Hightstown, New Jersey, in 1936 and 1937. The Parachute Jump is a defunct amusement ride and a landmark in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, along the Riegelmann Boardwalk at Coney Island. In February 2008, the city began planning a second phase of lights. [74] The Parachute Jump was popular among off-duty military personnel, who took their friends and loved ones to the ride. [74][76] The ride was subject to shutdowns on windy days, especially when breezes exceeded 45 miles per hour (72km/h). [135], The Coney Island Development Corporation and the Van Alen Institute held an architecture contest in 2004 to determine future uses for the 7,800-square-foot (720m2) pavilion at the Jump's base. for injuries to thieves. Hopes have been raised before, most notably by Horace Bullard, a developer and the founder There is also a sequence called "Kaleidoscope" for other holidays. The parachutes would open as the riders were hoisted to the top of the ride, where release mechanisms would drop them. use, and continue to use this type of device, why cant it be made serviceable for the public?? Your information will never be shared with other organizations. In September 2002, as the city started a $5 million restoration of the ride, he compared its structure (and symbolic significance) to the Eiffel Tower and said reopening it would help reclaim the special energy of Brooklyn. Why did they close the Parachute Jump in Coney Island? and the cyclone. This enterprise, the "Pair-O-Chutes", performed well enough that Strong applied to build and operate a jump at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Once subscribed you will receive periodic announcements related to the activities of the Coney Island History Project.