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Family Photo

Dear Mr. Coney Island...
I have a family photo that I have guessed is at Coney Island, but I can't seem to find any images online that show the landmarks in it or the right angle for me to identify it properly. Can you tell if it is at Coney? From the ages of my grandparents and the some of the children (my aunts & uncle) in it, my guess is that the photo is circa 1920 - 1922. (More likely the earlier year.) From what I have read, if it is Coney at that time then the roller coaster could possibly be the Giant Racer?
- John

Hello John,

The photograph was taken between West 8th Street and West 5th on the public beach at the former site of Dreamland. The turreted building on the right is the Sagamore Hotel, on the corner of West 8th and Surf Avenue. The coaster is the Giant Racer, and the two towers behind it belong to Luna's Aquadrome entrance at West 10th Street. The tent-like structure behind the tent in foreground houses the Dreamland Circus Sideshow and the billboard just behind the tent was located above the L.A. Thompson Scenic Railway. Nice photo!

Comments

Submitted by HOWIE (not verified) on Thu, 12/23/2010 - 19:57

Isn't the group farther west (near West 12th. St with the photographer looking northeast)? The Sagamore was on n.e. corner of W. 8th. and Surf Ave., the Giant Racer near todays Cyclone site and Luna Park entrance was where a West 11th would be if there ever was such a street (probably the LP Midway)
Excellent group shot anyway.

Submitted by Elizabeth (not verified) on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 11:55

I like your photograph! I wish I could help with the buildings in the background. But the roller coaster is definitely today's Cyclone roller coaster in the Coney Island amusement park. It has old but interesting rides and it is one of the places that hasn't been torn down yet for new rides. I haven't been on the Cyclone yet but it looks very thrilling!

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