Steeplechase Park

Steeplechase Park was an amusement park in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn in New York City. It opened in 1897 and closed in 1964. The park was created by a man named George C. Tilyou. It was the first of three big amusement parks on Coney Island. The other two were Luna Park and Dreamland. Steeplechase Park lasted the longest, staying open for 67 years.

The park covered 15 acres at its biggest. It started with rides that Tilyou bought in the early 1890s. It became a popular place for families to visit. The park was destroyed by fire in 1907 but was rebuilt quickly.

Steeplechase Park stayed successful for many years because the Tilyou family kept adding new rides and attractions, like the Parachute Jump. But by the 1960s, the park began to have trouble. People were choosing to visit suburbs more, and the area was changing. The park closed in 1964.

After the park closed, a developer named Fred Trump bought the land but did not build homes there. The land 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 cares for 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 had 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 were sold to other places. Trump wanted to build a large dome and apartment towers, but many people disagreed.

Later, Norman Kaufman operated a smaller amusement park on part of the old site. The city 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 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. It became a special landmark in 1977 and again in 1989.