Amusing The Million

Amusing the Million When you hear the name Coney Island you instantly think of excitement, entertainment, and a city where you can escape all responsibilities. This reputation began in the late 19th/early 20th century during a time when the people of America were adjusting to new lifestyles and a new country. The United States was going through an intense urbanization, with new developments in transportation, communication, and other inventions; citizens were living in an America they had never seen before. For a country that revolved around success and the working industry for more than a hundred years, the idea of Coney Island and other types of amusement was both new and exciting for citizens. This excitement led to the success and positive reputation of Coney Island that would continue on for many years to come. The idea of amusement parks and Coney Island came about by bringing together two concepts that were already present in the new America. The idea of parks and a place of relaxation could be found in places like Central Park in New York City and the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago. Frederick Olmsted brought about the idea of Central Park as a concept of democratic recreation. “Olmsted intended the park to serve, above all, as a rural retreat in the midst of a city, an easily accessible refuge from urban pressures and conditions” (12). The idea of the World’s Columbian Exposition came about with the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America. “The Columbian Exposition offered architects, artists, and patrons an opportunity to construct an ideal that would purify the gross materialism of American culture, order its chaotic energies, and uplift its taste and character” (18). The second idea brought forth to create Coney Island was the idea of amusement and entertainment. Traveling carnival shows and attractions were very popular during this time and people saw them as a huge source of entertainment. Coney Island was a new