Coney Island, Cincinnati, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
and waterpark located in the California neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
and Anderson Township
Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio
Anderson Township is one of the twelve townships of Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. Located in the southeastern part of the county and less than 15 minutes from downtown, the township has been named one of the Cincinnati area's most desirable neighborhoods to live...
, on the banks of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
10 miles (16.1 km) east of Downtown Cincinnati. The park is currently owned by Brenda Walker.
History
Coney Island's beginnings date back to 1867 when an apple farmer by the name of James Parker purchased 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land along the shores of the Ohio RiverOhio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. James soon realized in the early 1870s the popularity of the farm's location, and that renting it out was more profitable than his apple orchard. He eventually added a dining hall, dancing hall, and bowling alley. He later sold the land in 1886 for $17,500 to a company called Ohio Grove Corporation headed by two steamboat captains. In time for the opening on June 21, 1886, the name was officially changed to "Ohio Grove, The Coney Island of the West" in an effort to link the park with the famous New York destination
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
. Fortunate enough to be on a riverfront location, riverboat soon became the most popular method of transportation for park visitors. In 1887, "Ohio Grove" was completely dropped from the name as the park became known simply as "Coney Island".
Over the years, the park became a full-fledged amusement park, complete with rides and carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
games. In that capacity, Coney Island was a Cincinnati institution. However, the park's proximity to the river made it prone to frequent flooding. In 1968, park management entered into talks with Taft Broadcasting
Taft Broadcasting
The Taft Broadcasting Company, also known as Taft Television and Radio Company, Incorporated, was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio....
for the purpose of developing a new park on higher ground. Taft responded by buying Coney Island outright in 1969, and construction began the following year on the new site located in Deerfield Township
Deerfield Township, Warren County, Ohio
Deerfield Township, one of the eleven townships of Warren County, Ohio, United States, is located in the southwest corner of the county. The most urbanized of the eleven, it had 25,515 people in the 2000 census, down from the 26,359 in 1990...
of Warren County
Warren County, Ohio
Warren County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 212,693 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Lebanon. Warren County was erected May 1, 1803, from Hamilton County, and named for Dr...
25 miles (40.2 km) north of Cincinnati on Interstate 71. Coney Island closed its amusements on September 6, 1971 as most of its rides were moved to the new theme park, Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
.
After Kings Island opened in 1972, Taft Broadcasting intended to sell Coney Island's land for redevelopment. However, with the company's decision to open another theme park in Virginia (Kings Dominion) and its acquisition of Carowinds on the North Carolina-South Carolina border, the property's redevelopment became a low priority. Less than two years after closing, Coney Island would reopen permanently in 1973. The park was only a shadow of its former self but still featured several popular attractions. The Sunlite Pool — still the largest recirculating swimming pool in the world — was one of those attractions that helped Coney Island remain a popular summertime destination.
The park donated 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) of land for the construction of Riverbend Music Center
Riverbend Music Center
Riverbend Music Center is an outdoor amphitheater, with a capacity of 20,500, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, along the banks of the Ohio River. Riverbend was built for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, to allow them to play in an outdoor venue during the summer months. Famed architect...
which opened in 1984. The land was the former location of the Wildcat and Shooting Star roller coasters. The amphitheater serves as the summer home of the Cincinnati Symphony
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
As the fifth oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours...
and Pops
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is a pops orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, founded in 1977 out of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Its members are also the members of the Cincinnati Symphony, and the Pops is managed by the same administration...
Orchestras as well as a concert venue for other musical acts. In 1991, Coney Island was purchased by Cincinnati businessman Ronald Walker. No longer held back by a corporate entity, management has been able to restore Coney Island as a traditional amusement park with familiar rides such as the "Tilt-A-Whirl
Tilt-A-Whirl
Tilt-A-Whirl is one of the best-known flat rides, designed for commercial use at amusement parks, fairs and carnivals in which it is commonly found. The rides are manufactured by Sellner Manufacturing of Faribault, Minnesota...
", bumper cars, carnival games and musical shows.
Roller coasters
| Ride | Year Opened | Removed In | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pepsi Python Pepsi Python (Roller Coaster) The Pepsi Python was an D.P.V. Rides designed Galaxi steel roller coaster. It operated from 1996 to 1999 at Splash Zone Water Park, but was relocated to Coney Island at the end of the 1999 season.-Incident 2008 :... |
1999 | From Splash Zone Water Park (1996-1999) | |
Sunlite pool slides
| Ride | Year Opened | Removed In | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Twister | 2009 | The Twister is the replacement of the Zoom Flume. The Twister is a 4 slide attraction. 2 of the slides are body slides, and the other two are double or single tubes. They are not fully enclosed. | |
| Zzip | 1984 | 1993 | The Zzip was similar to its successor, the Pipeline Plunge. |
| Pipeline Plunge | 1994 | Pipeline Plunge is a dual enclosed innertube slide. It replaced the Zzip. It is currently closed for the 2011 season. | |
| Cyclone | 2006 | The Cyclone type of enclosed slide. | |
| Zoom Flume | 1977 | 2008 | Zoom Flume, which had wooden supports, was the first of Sunlite Pool's large slides. It was removed at the end of 2008 season and replaced by The Twister. |
Flat rides
| Ride | Type | Year Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferris wheel | Eli Bridge Ferris wheel Ferris wheel A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on... |
1990 | Built in 1912, this ride is cable driven contrasting newer tire driven wheel. |
| Bumper Boats | Bumper Boats Bumper boats Bumper boats are an amusement park ride that uses inner tube shaped watercraft that can be steered by the rider. Some are driven by electric motors, some by gasoline engines, and some require the rider to propel the craft by pedaling. Most are equipped with water guns for duels with other riders... |
1990 | Bumper Boats located on Lake Como. |
| Scrambler | Scrambler Scrambler In telecommunications, a scrambler is a device that transposes or inverts signals or otherwise encodes a message at the transmitter to make the message unintelligible at a receiver not equipped with an appropriately set descrambling device... |
1991 | Standard Eli Bridge Scrambler |
| Tilt-A-Whirl | Tilt-A-Whirl Tilt-A-Whirl Tilt-A-Whirl is one of the best-known flat rides, designed for commercial use at amusement parks, fairs and carnivals in which it is commonly found. The rides are manufactured by Sellner Manufacturing of Faribault, Minnesota... |
1992 | Standard Tilt-A-Whirl painted green and purple. Relocated from defunct Fantasy Farm park. |
| Trabant | Chance- Morgan Trabant or Wipeout (ride) | 1993 | Colorfully painted. |
| Super Round Up | Round Up (ride) | 1993 | Mass produced "Round Up" ride. |
| Flying Bobs | Matterhorn (ride) Matterhorn (ride) For the Disneyland attraction, see Matterhorn Bobsleds.The Matterhorn or Flying Bobs, sometimes known by alternate names such as Musik Express or Terminator in the UK, is an amusement ride very similar to the Superbob, which consists of a number of cars attached to axels that swing in and out... |
1994 | Chance "Matterhorn" ride. |
| Carousel | Carousel Carousel A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders... |
1998 | Merry Go Round consisting of 30 horses and 2 chariots. Chance Rides model. |
| Dodgems | Bumper Cars | 2000 | Oval shaped Bumper Cars ride with a center island. A one way sign is posted, though it is not always followed. |
| Tempest | Grover Watkins Tempest | 2001 | "A tornado-like whirling dervish that cannot be found anywhere else in the state of Ohio." Relocated from Americana/Lesourdesville Lake Amusement Park Americana/Lesourdesville Lake Amusement Park Americana/LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park was an amusement park located in Monroe, Ohio, USA. This park is currently closed with no immediate plans to be reopened. When the park opened in 1922 it was named LeSourdesville Lake. The name was changed after the 1977 season to Americana Amusement... . |
| Giant Slide | Giant Slide or Fun Slide Fun Slide Frederiksen's Fun Slide is an Amusement ride that is popular with young children. People walk up the stairs to get to the top of this slide along with a mat, than sit down, and place the mat on the slide. They then slide down the slide. There are three models: State Fair 5 lane, 90 foot 3 lane,... |
2001 | 3 lane, approximately 25 feet (7.6 m) tall Giant Slide. |
| Frog Hopper | S&S power Frog Hopper | 2003 | Bouncing spring ride with frog theming. |
| Scream Machine | Moser Spring Ride | 2005 | 50 feet (15.2 m) tall Moser Spring Ride |
| Rock- O- Plane | Eyerly Rock-O-Plane Rock-O-Plane The Rock-O-Plane is an amusement park ride designed by Lee Eyerly in 1948 and manufactured by the Eyerly Aircraft Company of Salem, Oregon.It is sometimes nicknamed "the cages". Its shape is similar to that of a Ferris wheel, but with seats that are enclosed and rock and roll as the ride turns. If... |
2007 | Originally opened at LeSourdesville Lake in 1949. |
| River Runner | Pirate Ship (ride) Pirate ship (ride) A pirate ship is a type of amusement ride, consisting of an open, seated gondola which swings back and forth, subjecting the rider to various levels of angular momentum.... |
2008 | Relocated from Wild West World Wild West World Wild West World was a Wild West theme park in Park City, Kansas that opened on May 5, 2007 and closed on July 9, 2007. It was located on along Interstate 135 near Wichita.-History:... after closure. Canoe themed. |
| Pedal Boats | Pedal Boats | unknown | Located on Lake Como |
In addition to these flat rides there are five circular kiddie rides near the front of the park.
Events
Coney Island serves as the location for several festivals, including Summerfair Arts Festival, the "Cincinnati Celtic World Festival", The Appalachian Festival and the Cincinnati Flower and Farm Fest. Concerts are also held in the Moonlite Gardens area of the park, most notably by Over the Rhine.Scenes from the old children's TV show The Banana Splits were filmed on location at Coney Island.
A 'The Brady Bunch' episode was filmed here in Season 5, titled "The Cincinnati Kids".