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Photos: The 1890s "Shoot The Chute" Ride In Coney Island
By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 24, 2012
Modified Aug 24, 2012
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 24, 2012
Modified Aug 24, 2012
Share
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Let's take a break from the cruel world for a moment and look back at some old timey amusement rides, particularly the Shoot The Chute ride in Coney Island.
The ride was built by Paul Boyton and Thomas Polk around 1895 for Sea Lion Park at Coney Island, with replicas of similar chute rides popping up all over the U.S. at the time. These early rides had a "flat bottom boat [that] was pulled up the ramp by cable... In the ride at Sea Lion Park, the passengers arrived at the top by elevator. The bottom of the ramp curved upwards, causing the boat to skip across the water until it came to a stop. The boat was guided to a landing by a boatman on board." Naturally, those taking the plunge were fully clothed in head-to-toe dress, as was the style of the time.
There's an operating reproduction of the Coney Island version at Kennywood amusement park in Pennsylvania, but otherwise, this version of it is basically obsolete.
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coney island
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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