Today in history, Steeplechase Park (1897-1964) closed forever. Coney Island History Project director Charles Denson described the closing ceremony in the chapter titled "The Death of Steeplechase Park" of his book Coney Island: Lost and Found:
"Steeplechase Park closed at the end of the season on September 20, 1964. Marie Tilyou, Bill Nicholson, and Jimmy Onorato were together at the traditional closing as the park's bells were slowly tolled once for every year of operation. The sound system played 'There's No Business Like Show Business' and then 'Auld Lang Syne.' Thousands of lights were switched off slowly, row after row, on each toll of the bell. As it turned out, the park went dark for the last time. Bill Nicholson left the closing ceremony with Tilyou and her friends and walked to the Clam Bar for drinks."
Marie Tilyou was the daughter of Steeplechase Park founder George C. Tilyou. Bill Nicholson was the executive secretary of the Coney Island Chamber of Commerce and Jimmy Onorato was the park's manager, and for a time, its president.
Photo courtesy of Dan Pisark.
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last two years working at Steeplechase Park 1963/64
I worked on the Sports car ride, accessible from the Boardwalk or the park. Best summer job ever. My first weekend in April 1963, the nearby Ravenhall Baths went up in flames and the embers threatened to set all the wooden structures on fire, the pavilion, the rollercoaster etc. Park had not yet opened and the staff on hand jumped into action and began hosing down the structures. I was stationed at the top the roller coaster and we kept wetting down the wood as much as possible. Some embers looked like glowing basketballs and, I believe , if we had not been there that day and intervened , the park would have caught fire, too. I recorded a podcast for the Coney island History project explaining what I remembered about the event, What a first day at work!!
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