Coney Island and the Modernization of America
"What crowds of people -- light-hearted, laughing people, rich, poor, citified, country-clad, all sorts, all thrilled by the tonic of the atmosphere and all active, yet wondering at their activity." - Anonymous, c. 1900
Modern scholars tend to define American history as the ever-evolving production of opposing ideas. The binaries of progress and tradition, freedom and safety, and democracy and the established order have shaped culture, politics, and society. These tensions have never been more apparent than they were at Coney Island in the early 20th Century.
The small oceanside island in New York captured the imagination of a nation at this time. Coney's pioneers sought to create an escape from the mundane and alienating world of industrial American modernity. The amusements they established would transport the masses to an exciting world where anything goes and everyone was welcome. Democracy defined Coney Island - its attractions were open to the working class tenement dwellers of the city's slums as well as the wealthy industrialists who employed them.
Visitors' senses were overwhelmed by the unprecedented production that was Coney. Steeplechase, Luna, and Dreamland parks outdid every World's Fair in the exotic, overblown scope of their architecture. Every building gleamed with the futuristic splendor of electric light. Oompah music, animal noises, and the cries of a joyful crowd mingled with the smells of taffy, hot dogs, and waffles to make the air intoxicating. People saw villages of dwarves, the world's largest woman, exotic dancers, simulated spectacles, and all for the cost of a train ride from Manhattan.
At the height of its cultural influence, from 1893 to 1911, Coney Island functioned as a fantasy escape for the masses and a catalyst for social change in America. This sensual playground challenged Victorian ideas of morality and decency. It showcased new technologies and mass entertainment which blurred the line between the two. With its overwhelming and unending array of spectacle, Coney Island captured the popular imagination as depicted in the prolific media that attempted to capture the spirit of the place.
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