I came across a bunch of Vintage Coney Island photographs from many years but all before Kings Island (1972) So sit back and keep checking back at this topic for classic rare Coney Island photos. Before I start I must state I do not own or hold the rights to any of these photos.

All the photos have a scan of the back, which has information about what the photo is along with newspaper clippings.

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M

More to come.... let me know what you think.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I love seeing these old photos...and look forward to more.

I remember well the Coney Island of my youth...and wish that park was still there in all its glory. Coney today is fun, and I enjoy going there, but I really miss what once was.

Simply amazing photographs! I love the history of Coney Island, and am one of the few seasonal ride ops at Coney that truly understands all the history behind the amusement park. Speaking of history, if you have seen any advertisements for Coney this summer, you probably have noticed that they are using their history in marketing this summer. Better than "Coney Has It!", in my opinion.

And on another note, this coming Sunday, June 20th, is Coney`s 124th birthday!

Thanks for the memories Paul.

Notice that people dressed a little more formally back then. Could you imagine anyone today wearing a dress to an amusement park?

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I love seeing these old photos...and look forward to more.

I remember well the Coney Island of my youth...and wish that park was still there in all its glory. Coney today is fun, and I enjoy going there, but I really miss what once was.

I agree with that. The current Coney is fun, but its NOT the park it was. If they would build a couple of wood coasters,

perhaps it would be little like the old days!

Thanks for the memories Paul.

Notice that people dressed a little more formally back then. Could you imagine anyone today wearing a dress to an amusement park?

Oh, there are those visitors who occasionally wear a suit and tie with dress shoes to parks...

I wouldn't know who exactly, but it's been done...as recently as last Sunday...

I often feel over dressed when I visit KI after a day at the office (wearing business casual with nice pants and dress shoes on).

Does security follow you around, too?

I can`t say that I`ve ever noticed security following me around.

Wow, AWESOME find!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I love seeing these old photos...and look forward to more.

I remember well the Coney Island of my youth...and wish that park was still there in all its glory. Coney today is fun, and I enjoy going there, but I really miss what once was.

I agree with that. The current Coney is fun, but its NOT the park it was. If they would build a couple of wood coasters,

perhaps it would be little like the old days!

Would be nice but not likely because of the past problems Coney had with flooding. ( The main reason KI exists today. ) Sure loved the old Shooting Star.

People back in the Sixties would not believe that nowadays a person in a suit, tie and dress shoes in an amusement park, who does not work there, would arouse suspicion...and does...

And Coney's problems were not just with flooding, but also with access, parking and expansion room...Also a move to what was then a semi-rural area was thought to alleviate some of the problems of being in an urban location...

Unfortunately, I never was able to visit Coney in its final years (when the park used the slogan "America`s Finest Amusement Park") since I was born in 1985. While the park is not what it was at the end of the 60s, the fact that is still around and entertaining families to this day is a truly amazing story (even more so considering it co-exists with Kings Island to the north).

I still can`t believe that I am in my ninth year of employment at Coney. My how times flies.

People back in the Sixties would not believe that nowadays a person in a suit, tie and dress shoes in an amusement park, who does not work there, would arouse suspicion...and does...

And Coney's problems were not just with flooding, but also with access, parking and expansion room...Also a move to what was then a semi-rural area was thought to alleviate some of the problems of being in an urban location...

I remember when we used to get dressed up just to go to the movies. Could you imagine that today?

I`m just thankful that Coney no longer requires the ride ops to dress with long pants and a button up shirt and bow tie in the summer, like they did in the early days of Coney. Now that would be incredibly hot on a weekend like the one coming up!

Wow, thanks for the photos!

On a side note, my parents talk about going to football games in high school (in the '60's) dressed up-guys in ties, etc.

I`m just thankful that Coney no longer requires the ride ops to dress with long pants and a button up shirt and bow tie in the summer, like they did in the early days of Coney. Now that would be incredibly hot on a weekend like the one coming up!

Not to mention that those uniforms were cotton, or worse...wool...and had to be ironed...Many wore them with starch. Can you stay itchy and scratchy? In the seventies, they were replaced with 100 percent polyester...often called Dacron Polyester from DuPont, which was hot and stank with body odor that could not be washed out, no matter how hard you tried...

Thanks for sharing, I really like old pictures of parks. Its nice to see what things used to be like.

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Plenty of more to come there's dozens.

I LOVE the expression on the dark suited guy's face! Especially if it was before the ride (which I suspect it was). I wonder if he liked it!

And for those that frequent Coney Island, the building in the background of the picture with the Monster still stands. It is now Moonlite Pavilion (although at the time the picture was taken, it was home to rides, such as the Dodgems and Cuddle Up. Seen behind the covered building is a white building, which is Coney`s administration building. Today, Round Up resides on the approximate site of this picture!

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Why oh why are there no longer flat rides (for adults) like the Whip?

And the picture with the "Old Coney" sign is located along Kellogg Avenue, in the approximate location of the current Coney marquee. Notice, on the side of the now demolished portion of the bath house is the quote I like to throw around (and there is still a sign on the filter room/bath house to this day with this quote on it "You don`t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing."

One interesting thing to note about that picture of The Monster... It lacks the "latch pin" which is now in place (not my photo):

According to http://capital2.capital.edu/admin-staff/dalthoff/adventures/tr2006/uspki02.html the latch pin was added for the 2006 season (though I seem to remember it being there long before then).

No, those pins are a relatively new addition, as noted on the site you linked to. On a side note, the Monster was painted for this season.

Sunday,

I got to visit Coney. We live in Vegas and my wife and kids took a trip to see great friends. coney was great. Its on the up and up and suprisingly reasonable, affordable, great food, and yes even the canoes on lake..Wow!

Hope they keep it going, these pictures are great the more you can post, would be wonderful, I can see what my grandparents would tell me about.

hope you can find some lost river and more shootin star pictures.

Also what was in the lost river building was it animatronics anyone know???

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^Good pictures Paul, great find!

I also like how there are three people seated in the front row in the picture!

Westcoaster, were you at Coney this past Sunday? I was there working the Ferris Wheel until around 3:45, and then was briefly at Round Up, Rock O Planes and Ferris Wheel between 5 and 6:30.

Also what was in the lost river building was it animatronics anyone know???

From what I've heard, The Lost River's tunnel was designed for young couples... Sort of a Tunnel of Love, of the first, non frightening kind. Just a dark, empty tunnel.

(I cannot be certain, as this information is very hard to come by.)