Coney Island Trivia Quiz

Answer: Snow cones were popular at the concession stands.

Coney Island was discovered in 1609 by Henry Hudson sailing for the Dutch East India Company while searching for a passage to India. A day later he discovered land where the colony of New Amsterdam was founded, later to be called Manhattan in New York City.

Answer: Kennywood

Kennywood is located near Pittsburgh, PA, and is still in operation (as of August 2004). Steeplechase Park, Luna Park and Dreamland were all Coney Island amusement parks. Steeplechase Park opened in 1897, burned in 1907, and finally closed in 1964. Luna Park opened in 1903, burned in 1944, and finally closed in 1946. Dreamland opened in 1904 and was completely destroyed by a fire in 1911.

The Dreamland fire was started by a knocked-over bucket of hot tar being used to seal leaks in one of the water rides.

A total of 33 fire companies were needed to extinguish the fire.

Answer: Ferris Wheel

George Ferris' 250-foot diameter Ferris Wheel was first used at the Chicago World's Colombian Exposition in 1893. When George Tilyou (creator of Steeplechase Park) observed it, he wanted to purchase it for Coney Island. Unfortunately, this moneymaker had already been sold to the promoter of the St Louis World's Fair to be held in 1904.

The world's first true roller coaster, an invention of La Marcus Thompson, debuted at Coney Island in 1884. Although a former coal mine train in Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, was used to transport paying customers starting in 1870, it was originally built for coal mining and was not used for passengers until the mine played out. Admission on Thompson's tame roller coaster was five cents. People would stand in line for up to three hours for a chance to ride on it.

The roller coaster has its origins in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the 16th century, as a simple slide that took thrill seekers down an icy ramp (dubbed an "ice mountain") past a variety of colored lanterns. Catherine the Great gave this ride a year-round boost when she fitted her imperial sleigh with wheels for summer use.

The Whip was invented by William Mangels, a Coney Island amusement manufacturer.

Answer: Charles Feltman

In 1852, the butchers' guild in Frankfurt, Germany introduced a sausage that was spiced, smoked, and packed in a thin, almost transparent casing, hence the origin of the word 'frankfurter.' In 1867 German-American immigrant Charles Feltman started selling these sausages from his pie pushcart at Coney Island.

His competitors started a rumor (false) that they contained dog meat, hence the origin of the term 'hot dog.' He was soon so successful he opened Feltman's Restaurant and Bavarian Beer Garden. With business booming, in 1915 Feltman hired a young man, Nathan Handwerker, as a roll slicer and part-time delivery boy. By 1916 Nathan opened his own competing hot dog stand. Coney Island visitors still fondly remember his hot dogs.

Answer: The promoter couldn't interest hospitals in this invention at first.

Dr. Martin A. Couney was educated in Paris by an early pioneer in the field in techniques to improve the survival rate of prematurely-born infants. His teacher requested that his young associate exhibit the incubator at the World Exposition in Berlin, Germany, in 1896.

This exhibit was a big success, drawing large crowds. Dr. Couney emigrated to America in 1903. When he was unable to persuade hospitals to adopt his techniques, he began exhibiting the incubator with live babies on Coney Island every summer for the next 40 years. Nurses were employed to attend the babies and the public paid admission to view this. For years he had shows at both Dreamland and Luna Park, and the night Dreamland was destroyed by fire the babies were saved by a quick transfer to the Luna Park incubators, some of the lodgers doubling up. Signs and barkers promoted the exhibit. One sign proclaimed that the exhibits had been seen by 1,500,000 visitors throughout the world. Of 8,000 infants brought to Dr. Couney over the years, 7,500 survived. An actor named Archibald Leach worked as a barker at the Luna Park exhibit while waiting for a part in an upcoming Broadway musical. Following this stint he went on to become a famous movie idol under the name given to him by Paramount Pictures -- Cary Grant.