Anthology tells the story of Coney Island in historical fiction and non-fiction
The history of Coney Island is fairly well known. In the early 19th century, it was known as a place where people could commune with nature and only a few guest houses existed. By the early 20th century it had been transformed into an amusement mecca, complete with expensive hotels, amusement parks and music halls featuring entertainers like Al Jolson, the Marx Brothers and Mae West. These big attractions maintained high standards, but in the alleys, one could always find prostitution, illegal gambling and more.
After the subway reached Coney around the time of World War I, it began to attract a more working-class crowd. The amusement parks remained, but most of the hotels were demolished. Hot dog stands, games of chance and standalone amusement rides sprung up everywhere. This was the era of Coney’s greatest popularity.
From the 1960s on, a period of deterioration set in. Steeplechase, the last of the old amusement parks, closed, and drugs, robberies and gang activity kept many people away. This was the Coney depicted in the classic 1979 street-gang movie, “The Warriors.” Since 2000 or so, there has been a revival, with new attractions such as MCU Park, the Luna Park and the Scream Zone.