Can Coney Island Return to Its Former Glory?

July 1, 2006 — -- Once upon a time, Coney Island was the place where your childhood fantasies came true. The stretch of beachfront in southernmost Brooklyn -- attached to land and technically not an island -- was known as a world famous resort at the turn of the 20th century.

"All of these things that we think of in terms of great entertainment centers -- Las Vegas, Disney World -- they're simply inconceivable without first happening here in Coney Island," said Michael Immerso, author of "Coney Island: The People's Playground."

Coney Island's side shows, or so-called "freak shows" featuring the strange and sublime, are still legendary. And its three amusement parks -- Luna, Steeplechase and Dreamland -- were revolutionary at the time.

"Luna Park was probably the greatest amusement park every imagined," Immerso said. "It was lit with hundreds of thousands of colored lights. Dreamland, its central tower was illuminated with white lights and could have been seen perhaps 30 miles out at sea."

At the time, Coney Island was at the epicenter of American pop culture, the place where new trends went on display.

"Coney Island invented the hot dog; we even invented soft ice cream," said Dick Zigun, founder of Sideshows By The Seashore and the unofficial mayor of Coney Island. "It's the place where most of America saw the electric light bulb, where people first saw the electric light bulb, where people first saw moving pictures."

Coney Island introduced the roller coaster to America.

"The Cyclone roller coaster in 1927, which still exists, many people consider the greatest coaster that was ever created," Immerso said.

But Coney Island was perhaps best known as the place where people came together, immigrants from all over the world who came to New York City in search of the American dream.

"It was one of the few places where people of all different ethnic groups interacted," Immerso said.

Even Hollywood had a love affair with Coney Island. Films such as "Brighton Beach Memoirs" were set there, and stars like Lana Turner graced its beaches. Woody Allen's quirky character in "Annie Hall" grew up underneath a Coney Island roller coaster.