Steeplechase Park

Steeplechase Park was an amusement park that operated in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City from 1897 to 1964. It was created by entrepreneur George C. Tilyou and was the first of three large amusement parks built on Coney Island. The other two were Luna Park and Dreamland. Steeplechase Park was the longest-lasting of the three, running for 67 years.

The park covered 15 acres at its peak and started with rides that Tilyou had bought in the early 1890s. It quickly became popular as a family-friendly place to visit. Although it had some playful and cheeky fun, it was always a place where families could enjoy time together. The park was destroyed by fire in 1907 but was rebuilt soon after.

Steeplechase Park stayed successful for many years because the Tilyou family kept adding new rides and attractions, like the Parachute Jump. However, by the 1960s, the park began to struggle because of rising crime, people choosing to visit suburbs instead, and changes in the area. The park closed in 1964.

After the park closed, developer Fred Trump bought the land but never built homes there. The site was used for amusement rides again in the 1970s. Later, a baseball stadium called Keyspan Park, now known as Maimonides Park, was built there in 2001. Today, the Parachute Jump is the only part of the old amusement park that remains. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation takes care of the land under the stadium as a green space still called Steeplechase Park. A part of Luna Park from 2010, named Steeplechase Plaza, honors the old Steeplechase Park and includes the B&B Carousell.

History

Steeplechase Park was created by George C. Tilyou in 1897. During a trip to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, he saw a large Ferris wheel and decided to build his own version on Coney Island. After noticing the popularity of nearby horse racing tracks, Tilyou added more rides and attractions to the area.

Steeplechase Park opened in 1897 with many fun rides and games. It featured unique attractions like mechanical horses racing on tracks and a small steam railroad. The park aimed to be a family-friendly place, with rules against drinking and other unwholesome activities. Over the years, Tilyou added more rides, including carousels, swimming pools, and roller coasters.

Despite fires and other challenges, the park remained popular for many years. However, as time passed, fewer people visited, and the park eventually closed in 1964. It was then replaced by apartment buildings.

Later use of the site

Trump tore down Steeplechase Park's Pavilion of Fun in September 1966. Parts of the park, like mechanical horses, were sold to other places. Trump wanted to build a large dome and apartment towers on the site, but many people disagreed.

Later, Norman Kaufman operated a smaller amusement park on part of the old site. The city eventually bought the land to make a park but took many years to decide what to do. Kaufman had to leave in 1981.

In the 1980s, a man named Horace Bullard wanted to rebuild Steeplechase Park but faced many delays. Eventually, the city decided to build a baseball stadium instead, which opened in 2001.

Current status

Today, most of the area where Steeplechase Park used to be is now home to Maimonides Park. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation takes care of the land under the park and calls it "Steeplechase Park." There is also a public plaza nearby on the boardwalk.

In 2011, work began on a new area called Steeplechase Plaza around the Parachute Jump. Plans included bringing back the historic B&B Carousell, which had been stored since 2005. The carousel was moved to Steeplechase Plaza in 2013 and later recognized as important history in 2016. The plaza is close to Thunderbolt, a fun roller coaster that opened in 2014.

The only part of the old Steeplechase Park still standing is the Parachute Jump. Though it was once thought too expensive to remove, it became a special landmark in 1977 and again in 1989.