November 6, 2007
Photo(s) of the Day: Goodbye Coney Island?


These photographs were garnered from the Brooklyn Museum's holdings to create an exhibit titled: Goodbye Coney Island? The collection "traces the evolution of this fabled part of New York over the past 125 years," over which time it has undergone many transformations. The most prominent of which is still in the future -- with Thor Equities redeveloping the area.
The above ride looks terrifying! If you'd like to revisit the glory days, head over to the Brooklyn Museum's Visible Storage Study Center between November 28th and April 6th. The exhibit is fairly small, with just over 50 photographs. More preview shots after the jump...







Gotta love putting on a suit & jacket... to go to the beach.
The "above . . . terrifying ride" is the Parachute ride -- the only thing besides the Wonder Wheel guaranteed to be with us whatever Coney Island's future.
(And I'm old enough to remember one of my aunts taking it the last year it was in operation -- in the early 60's -- and it was terrifying for a 5 or 6 year old!!!)
I don't think the Parachute Jump would have been terrifying. Exhilarating would be more like it. Terrifying would be actual skydiving from 15,000 feet. It's just not natural to step into nothingness at that altitude.
That top photo is amazing.
MidC Frank, don't forget The Cyclone. That's not going anywhere.
I look forward to 15 years in the future when I can take the D Train to the end of the line and ride the Cyclone next to some luxury condos.