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159-627: Soundview Avenue is the primary thoroughfare through Clason Point. Soundview Avenue once stretched from White Plains Road and O'Brien Avenue in Harding Park to Westchester and Metcalf Avenues in Soundview-Bruckner before the construction of the Bronx River Parkway . It was then known as Clason's Point Road. The Bruckner Expressway which now bisects the area along the center was once known as Ludlow Avenue. Clason Point

318-537: A $ 100 million entertainment complex between West 9th and West 15th Streets, with a "virtual-reality amusement park" as well as a movie theater multiplex . Concurrently, a four-phase, 873-unit housing development in Coney Island was completed in 1996. In 1998, Giuliani canceled Sportsplex and the entertainment complex, and instead unveiled another plan where only the parking lot would be built. The Sports Foundation had prepared another proposal that would allow

477-402: A 1679–1680 journal, Jasper Danckaerts and Peter Sluyter noted that "Conijnen Eylandt" was fully separated from the rest of Brooklyn. The explorers observed that "Nobody lives upon it, but it is used in winter for keeping cattle, horses, oxen, hogs and others." By the early 18th century, the town of Gravesend was periodically granting seven-year-long leases to freeholders, who would then have

636-469: A 25-acre (10 ha) waterfront strip, which would be completed by 2002. Other proposals for the area included a $ 7.9 million restoration of the boardwalk, as well as a new high-school and college sports stadium. Some of Coney Island's iconic rides were designated as official city landmarks during the late 1980s. In 1988, the Cyclone roller coaster was made a New York City designated landmark. This

795-624: A bird's-eye view of the coast. The nearby "Camera Obscura" similarly used mirrors and lens to provide a panoramic view of the area. Coney Island became a major resort destination after the Civil War as excursion railroads and the Coney Island & Brooklyn Railroad streetcar line reached the area in the 1860s and 1870s, followed by the Iron Steamboat Company ferry to Manhattan in 1881. The 150-suite Cable Hotel

954-528: A boat launch, and esplanades with skyline views. The neighborhood has become increasingly more diverse with a rise in varied Latin American immigration in the 21st century. Crime has also seen a significant decline as a result of a number of factors including enhanced policing techniques and changing economic demographics. In the 21st century, the Harding Park section of Clason Point became known as Little Puerto Rico , with narrow streets and bungalow homes along

1113-516: A change of 2,933 (5.5%) from the 50,753 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 1,198.36 acres (484.96 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 44.8 inhabitants per acre (28,700/sq mi; 11,100/km). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 2% (1,067) White , 37% (19,876) African American , 0.3% (161) Native American , 1.3% (709) Asian , 0% (22) Pacific Islander , 0.4% (239) from other races , and 1.1% (586) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 57.8% (31,026) of

1272-420: A formerly half-day journey to two hours. Most of the vacationers were wealthy and went by carriage. Inventor Samuel Colt built an observation tower on the peninsula in 1845, but he abandoned the project soon after. In 1847, the middle class started going to Coney Island upon the introduction of a ferry line to Norton's Point—named during the mid-1870s after hotel owner Michael Norton —at the western portion of

1431-496: A lease extension. The 1970s brought along further renewal plans, such as proposals to construct public housing, though the community was beset by social issues such as high crime and a drug epidemic. By 1975, the city was considering demolishing the Coney Island Cyclone in favor of an extension of the adjacent New York Aquarium. The proposed demolition was controversial, and after a refurbishment by Astroland ,

1590-489: A mile (150 m) to the north, the roadways diverge and the river runs between them. Just beyond this is another at-grade interchange, Harney and Strathmore Roads. The roadways remain apart through a wooded section as they curve westward for the next three-quarter mile, returning to the highway's northeastern heading as it leaves Yonkers and briefly enters Greenburgh south of the southbound Ardsley Road exit east of downtown Scarsdale . Just after it curves eastward again and crosses

1749-670: A mile and a half (2.4 km) to the north, the Woodlawn station is located at the northeast corner of the cemetery next to the East 233rd Street exit. The highway bends left and then right again, crossing the river and the railroad, near the split along the tracks between the Harlem and New Haven lines immediately north of the station. After the curves, the Bronx River Parkway crosses the county line into Westchester County at

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1908-416: A passive to an active concept. Of these amusement areas, Coney Island was the largest. At its height, it contained three competing major amusement parks— Luna Park , Dreamland , and Steeplechase Park —as well as many independent amusements. The area was also the center of new technological events and innovations including electric lights, roller coasters, and baby incubators . By the first decade of

2067-534: A relatively average population of residents who are uninsured . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 16%, higher than the citywide rate of 14%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Clason Point and Parkchester is 0.0076 milligrams per cubic metre (7.6 × 10 oz/cu ft), more than the city average. Eighteen percent of Clason Point and Parkchester residents are smokers , which

2226-548: A resort to an accessible location for day-trippers seeking to escape the summer heat in New York City's tenements . Charles I. D. Looff , a Danish woodcarver , built the first carousel and amusement ride at Coney Island in 1876, at Lucy Vandeveer's bath-house complex at West 6th Street and Surf Avenue. Looff personally hand-carved the designs into the carousel. Looff subsequently commissioned another carousel at Feltman's Ocean Pavilion in 1880. Another early attraction

2385-586: A scaled-down Sportsplex to be built next to the minor-league baseball stadium. The minor league team was called the Brooklyn Cyclones, though naming rights to the stadium were sold to Keyspan Energy . Bullard, now no longer rebuilding Steeplechase Park, had wanted to restore the Thunderbolt as part of a scaled-down amusement park, but it was demolished instead. In 2000, the city approved the $ 31 million project to construct Keyspan Park using

2544-550: A shell road across the island to the beaches. In 1829, the company also built the first hotel on the island: the Coney Island House, near present-day Sea Gate. Due to Coney Island's proximity to Manhattan and other boroughs, and its simultaneous relative distance from the city of Brooklyn to provide the illusion of a proper vacation, it began attracting vacationers in the 1830s and 1840s, assisted by carriage roads and steamship service that reduced travel time from

2703-400: A thousand people homeless. The early 20th century additionally saw the infilling of a portion of the 3-mile-long (4.8 km) Coney Island Creek , thereby connecting Coney Island to the rest of Brooklyn. In the previous decades, there had been plans to dredge and straighten the creek as a ship canal , which were later abandoned. By 1924, local landowners and the city had filled a portion of

2862-520: A treatise on New York place names and said it was " Conyn's Island ", after the Dutch surname, and noted " there are already symptoms of the beginning of a tradition that it once abounded in Rabbits ". Other historians claim that rabbits were introduced to the island only after it was settled. The 19th century also saw the heavily Irish New York Tammany Hall political machine controlling development of

3021-459: Is NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in Morris Park . Clason Point is located within two ZIP Codes . The area north of Bruckner Expressway / Interstate 278 is in 10472, while the area south of Bruckner Expressway/I-278 is in 10473. The United States Postal Service operates three post offices nearby: Clason Point and Parkchester generally have a similar rate of college-educated residents to

3180-414: Is "point" or "corner of land". The "island" was originally several smaller historical islands, each being given a name by Dutch settlers, with the westernmost sand spit or point being given named Conyne Eylandt in early-17th-century Dutch maps, starting with the 1639 Manatus Map . There is no clear historical consensus on how the island got the name "Coney Island", in regular use in the first half of

3339-485: Is a northbound exit with southbound entry. Just to its north, southbound traffic can exit onto Greenacres Avenue. The parkway begins heading even more to the northeast, the tracks immediately adjacent, past northbound exits for River and Claremont roads. Just north of the latter exit, the highway enters White Plains , the Westchester county seat . After the northbound Walworth crossing exit, it turns northwest across

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3498-577: Is about the same as the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are youth and middle-aged adults: 25% are between the ages of between 0–17, 29% between 25–44, and 24% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 10% and 12% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community District 9 was $ 40,005. In 2018, an estimated 26% of Clason Point and Parkchester residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of

3657-740: Is at Story Avenue near the Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx neighborhood of Soundview . The northern terminus is at Kensico Circle in North Castle , Westchester County , where the parkway connects to the Taconic State Parkway and via a short connector, New York State Route 22 (NY 22). Within the Bronx, the parkway is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation and

3816-560: Is closed to motorist traffic from 10 AM to 2 PM select Sundays in May, June, September and October (with the exception of Memorial and Labor Day weekends), allowing bicyclists to venture along the scenic road. Another section north of the one reserved for bicyclists is reserved for inline skating . This program is sponsored by Con Edison and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Construction began in Westchester County in 1907, making it

3975-612: Is designated New York State Route 907H ( NY 907H ), an unsigned reference route . In Westchester County, the parkway is maintained by the Westchester County Department of Public Works and is designated unsigned County Route 9987 ( CR 9987 ). Most of the exits on the parkway, including the traffic light-controlled intersections in Westchester County, have interchange numbers. The term "Bronx River Parkway" originally referred to

4134-418: Is higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Clason Point and Parkchester, 32% of residents are obese , 16% are diabetic , and 34% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 25% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-three percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which

4293-450: Is less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 72% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", lower than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Clason Point and Parkchester, there are 13 bodegas . The nearest hospital campuses are Montefiore Medical Center 's Westchester Square and West Farms campuses, as well as Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center 's Longwood campus. The nearest large hospital

4452-430: Is located along the eastern shoreline of Clason Point. It surrounds a historic creek that was previously a tributary of Westchester Creek . Clason Point Park is located on the southern shoreline of Clason Point. It was historically the site of an amusement park, which operated in the first half of the 20th century. The park now serves as a ferry landing and kayaking facility. Clason Point and Parkchester are patrolled by

4611-467: Is mainly because parts of the neighborhood were created by land reclamation . Coney Island has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) and the hardiness zone is 7b. The original Native American inhabitants of the region, the Lenape , called this area Narrioch , possibly meaning "land without shadows" or "always in light" in reference to its sunlit south-facing beaches. A second possible meaning

4770-401: Is naturally supposed to replenish Coney Island is cut off by the jetty at Breezy Point, Queens . Sand has been redeposited on the beaches via beach nourishment since the construction of Riegelmann Boardwalk in 1922–1923, and is held in place by around two dozen groynes . A large sand-replenishing project along Coney Island and Brighton Beach took place in the 1990s. Sheepshead Bay at

4929-660: Is part of Bronx Community Board 9 , and its ZIP Code include 10473. The area is patrolled by the NYPD 's 43rd Precinct. NYCHA property in the area is patrolled by PSA 8 at 2794 Randall Avenue in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx. The small peninsula of the Bronx defined by the Bronx River, Pugsley's Creek, and the East River is known as Clason (pronounced CLAW -son ) Point. However, it has had several names over

Clason Point, Bronx - Misplaced Pages Continue

5088-482: Is still extant, dates to the early days of Steeplechase Park. The first decade of the 20th century saw two more large amusement parks. Luna Park opened in 1903 on the site of Sea Lion Park, which had closed the previous year. The park contained a variety of attractions and exotic landscaping, lit by electricity at night; its flagship ride was A Trip to the Moon , an attraction based on Jules Verne 's novel From

5247-472: Is the IRT Pelham Line ( 6 and <6> ​ trains), operating along Westchester Avenue . The following MTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes serve Clason Point: Nonprofit group Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance had been bolstering support to expand ferry service into the Bronx. In 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that in 2018, ferry service would begin operating in

5406-508: Is well served by the New York City Subway and local bus routes, and contains several public elementary and middle schools. The Encyclopedia of New York City considers the area west of Ocean Parkway (including Sea Gate and Nortons Point Light ) to be part of the Coney Island neighborhood. The neighborhood is situated on the western portion of the Coney Island peninsula , located on the western end of Long Island lying to

5565-684: The Culver Line steam railway to West Brighton in 1875, before Corbin and Engeman had even built their railroads. For 35 cents, one could ride the Prospect Park & Coney Island Railroad to the Culver Depot terminal at Surf Avenue. Across the street from the terminal, the 300-foot (91 m) Iron Tower (also known as the Centennial Observatory), bought from the 1876 Philadelphia Exposition , provided patrons with

5724-579: The Mosholu Parkway and Allerton Avenue. At the next exit, Gun Hill Road, the Williamsbridge station serving that neighborhood on Metro-North Railroad 's Harlem Line , which closely parallels the parkway from this point on, is located immediately west of the highway. The railroad tracks join the river and the parkland in paralleling the road north as it continues straight along the east edge of Woodlawn Cemetery , another NHL. Almost

5883-537: The Mount Vernon West station three-quarters of a mile (1.21 km) to the north. Another southbound exit, 10B, serves Bronx River Road just to the north at its Mile Square Road and Winfred Avenue intersections. The park widens around the highway as it bends slightly, heading even more to the northeast. Just past this is exit 11, the Cross County Parkway , where the road swings toward

6042-825: The New York City bid of the 2012 Summer Olympics . A plan was developed by the Astella Development Corporation . When the city lost the Olympic bid, the plans were passed to the Coney Island Development Corporation (CIDC), which made modified plans. Shortly before the CIDC's plans were to be publicly released, a development company named Thor Equities purchased all of Bullard's 168,000-square-foot (15,600 m ) western property for $ 13 million, later selling

6201-694: The Parks Department , a request that was granted in 1949. Moses then had the land rezoned for residential use, with plans to demolish "about a third" of attractions along Surf Avenue, one block north of the beach, and replace these with housing. Moses moved the boardwalk back from the beach several yards, demolishing many structures, including the city's municipal bath house, as well as several blocks of amusements. He claimed that fewer amusement-seekers were going to Coney Island every year, because they preferred places where they could bathe outdoors, such as Jones Beach State Park on Long Island, rather than

6360-707: The Shore Theater in 1925; several roller coasters in the 1920s including the Tornado , Thunderbolt , and Coney Island Cyclone ; and the Parachute Jump in 1941 contributed to the area's quality as an amusement destination. In particular, the Riegelmann Boardwalk enabled the crowds to be dispersed away from Surf Avenue, the main west–east avenue in the area. Despite staff shortages during World War II, Coney Island retained its popularity and

6519-589: The Statue of Liberty . Next to be developed were horse-racing tracks, and by 1890, Coney Island had three tracks: Sheepshead Bay Race Track , Brighton Beach Race Course , and Gravesend Race Track . Julian Ralph described Coney Island in 1896 as "the first made-to-order resort in America", with many businesses having "leaped from nothing into full fledged perfection". However, crime and corruption in Coney Island were prevalent. The main leader of this corruption

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6678-603: The War of 1812 . Coney Island was so remote that Herman Melville wrote Moby-Dick on the island in 1849, and Henry Clay and Daniel Webster discussed the Missouri Compromise at the island the next year. In 1824, the Gravesend and Coney Island Road and Bridge Company built the first bridge across Jamaica Ditch (by now known as Coney Island Creek), connecting the island with the mainland. The company also built

6837-594: The Westchester County Center , where it reverts to a four-lane expressway. From here, parkway traffic is also directed toward the nearby Cross Westchester Expressway ( I-287 ) via NY 119, as the parkway has no direct interchange with it. The two roadways once again diverge, becoming almost 400 feet (120 m) apart in the half-mile (1 km) before they converge again as they reach the Old Tarrytown Road intersection just north of

6996-482: The "mechanical gadget" attractions of Coney Island. Moses also announced that the Steeplechase Pier would be closed for a year so it could be renovated. In 1953, Moses proposed that most of the peninsula be rezoned for various uses, claiming that it would be an "upgrade" over the various business and unrestricted zones that existed at the time. Steeplechase Park would be allowed to remain open, but much of

7155-547: The 1609 expedition. A third posits that late 18th century Irish captain Peter O'Connor named it after Coney Island in County Sligo , Ireland, which has a rabbit population. In Irish 'coinín' (kun een) is the word used for a rabbit. Yet other theories suggest a Dutch etymology: one theory holds that the name had come from Conyn, the surname of a family of Dutch settlers who lived there, and another suggests that it came from

7314-414: The 1970s through the 2000s, though most of these were not carried out. The area was revitalized with the opening of the venue now known as Maimonides Park in 2001 and several amusement rides starting in the 2010s. Coney Island had around 32,000 residents as of the 2010 United States Census . The neighborhood is ethnically diverse, and the neighborhood's poverty rate of 27% is slightly higher than that of

7473-517: The 1970s. The original interchange is now exit 11W. In 2009 the northbound exit ramp to Oak Street in Yonkers was replaced by an exit to Yonkers Avenue, a block to the south. From 2012 to 2015, a realignment and bridge replacement project was carried out in Scarsdale. The Bronx River Parkway originally went beyond its northern terminus at Kensico Circle to NY Route 22 northbound. Today,

7632-518: The 19th century with the advent of regular ferry service to the island, but several theories have been put forward. One possible etymology is from a Native American tribe, the Konoh or Konoi (the "Bear Band"), who once inhabited the island. A second theory suggests that it was distortion of the name of Henry Hudson 's second mate on the Halve Maen , John Colman , who was slain by natives on

7791-594: The 20th century, Coney Island was seen as a top getaway and "a symbol of Americans' increasing pride". By the late 1870s, Coney Island's hotels had drawn people from many different social classes, and attractions were being built. When the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company electrified the steam railroads and connected Brooklyn to Manhattan via the Brooklyn Bridge at the beginning of the 20th century, Coney Island turned rapidly from

7950-402: The 43rd Precinct of the NYPD , located at 900 Fteley Avenue. The 43rd Precinct ranked 36th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. As of 2018, with a non-fatal assault rate of 100 per 100,000 people, Clason Point and Parkchester's rate of violent crimes per capita is more than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 603 per 100,000 people is higher than that of

8109-546: The Bronx River Parkway has an onramp to the southbound lanes from East 174th Street. North of it is exit 4, the interchange with the Cross Bronx Expressway ( I-95 ). The single ramp of exit 5 allows southbound traffic to follow East 177th Street to NY 895 (Sheridan Boulevard) and the Triborough Bridge . North of the interchange the road veers to the northeast slightly and crosses

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8268-694: The Bronx River Reservation, New York's first linear park , of which the road is a portion, from the Bronx–Westchester county line to Kensico Dam Plaza. Current usage of the term is confined to the roadway, but extends it to the portion which now continues southward beyond the Reservation. Its northern terminus ends with a rotary near the Kensico Dam with exits for the Taconic State Parkway and NY 22 . The southern third of

8427-447: The Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in eight residents (13%) were unemployed, compared to 13% in the Bronx and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 55% in Clason Point and Parkchester, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018, Clason Point and Parkchester are considered low-income relative to

8586-514: The Bronx". The Ferris wheel in the amusement park was blown over in a 1922 windstorm, killing at least seven. The resort area started to decline during the 1930s, with the onset of the Great Depression and the construction of the IRT Pelham Line . Permanent residence increased in the area. Some residents converted existing bungalows around Harding Park for year-round occupation. After World War II, urban planner Robert Moses targeted

8745-536: The Bullard deal by approving the construction of a minor-league baseball stadium on the site allotted for Steeplechase Park. Giuliani had wanted to build Sportsplex in order to improve sports facilities in the area, and to create a professional baseball team in Brooklyn. By the late 1990s, some $ 67 million had been secured for the development of Sportsplex. In 1997, developer Bruce Ratner proposed constructing

8904-520: The Clason Point area in the 1920s, featured Helen Kane , a singer who coined the phrase "Boop-oop-a-doop" and for which cartoon flapper Betty Boop was modeled. Baby Esther was a black woman who originally performed at the Cotton Club in Harlem and was actually the first flapper with the Betty Boop persona, but Helen Kane was falsely credited at the time. Clason Point in the early 20th century

9063-573: The Cyclone reopened for the summer 1975 season. The abandoned Parachute Jump was left in situ, and the New York City Board of Estimate planned to tear down the structure. In the meanwhile, Coney Island was still affected by a perception of crime and deterioration of old rides, but by the mid-1970s, middle-class families started returning to Coney Island following the implementation of a unified admission ticket to Coney Island's amusement areas. The city continued to pursue litigation over

9222-522: The Dutch word for rabbit , "konijn", derived from a purported large population of wild rabbits on the island". There is little evidence for each origin theory, and there are conflicts between the pieces of evidence that do exist. The most popular idea is the translation of the Dutch word for "rabbit" into the English word coney , but that has its detractors and counter explanations. In 1816 politician and U.S. Founding Father Egbert Benson presented

9381-520: The Earth to the Moon . The following year saw the opening of Dreamland , which reproduced many attractions at Luna Park, but at a grander scale, with a large central tower and lagoon, a sunken plaza, and one million electric lights. Additionally, the City of New York made efforts to condemn all buildings and piers built south of Surf Avenue in an effort to reclaim the beach and create a boardwalk, though

9540-414: The Harding Park area of Clason Point, contained dance halls, roller coasters, picnic groves and baseball games, as well as a 300-by-50-foot (91 by 15 m) saltwater outdoor swimming pool known as "The Inkwell". There was a volunteer fire department, a small airport, docks for sailboats and motorboats, saloons, and novelty shops. The amusement park rides and novelties was then known as "The Coney Island of

9699-543: The Harlem Line and the Bronx River for the last time. Northbound traffic has the last exit, exit 27, onto Washington Avenue North. Kensico Dam is visible in the distance as the parkway reaches its northern terminus at Kensico Circle, southern terminus of the Taconic State Parkway , also listed on the Register. A seven-mile (11 km) section of the Bronx River Parkway in Westchester County south of White Plains

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9858-489: The Harlem Line, entering Scarsdale, traffic can enter and exit at Crane Road and East Parkway with southbound traffic using a light to cross over the northbound lanes and no entrance onto the southbound lanes. In the next 2.2-mile (3.5 km) stretch, where it becomes a four-lane freeway , there are exits for Ogden and Butler Roads from the northbound lanes. Fenimore Road, just east of the Hartsdale and its train station ,

10017-614: The McLean Avenue/Nereid Avenue overpass and leaves the Bronx. Once across the county line the parkway is in Yonkers , close to its boundary with Mount Vernon . A southbound exit, 10C, serves Bronx River Road at Wakefield Avenue near that train station a quarter-mile (500 m) north of the county line, even though the station is in the Bronx and the Harlem Line enters Westchester north of it. Northound traffic has 10A, for Mount Vernon Avenue and Yonkers Avenue at

10176-540: The Parks Dept. which maintains an office there. This was around the time other U-turns were being eliminated from various parkways in New York City. A gas station in the wide median between Bronx exits 7 and 8, north of the pedestrian overpass to the Botanical Garden, was closed due to fire in the early 1980s and has since been razed and the median relandscaped. Of a pair of former gas stations on

10335-586: The Parkway between Woodland Viaduct in White Plains and the Scarsdale border was reconstructed to eliminate sharp dips and twists that purportedly provided a "roller coaster-like" effect for drivers. During the 1960s and since then an entrance and exit on the northbound side between current exits 5 and 6 in the Bronx, and an associated U-turn from southbound to northbound, formerly open to general traffic, were reserved for official use by police and

10494-666: The Shorehaven Condominiums in 1999, a gated community of 1,183 multi-unit condominium townhomes. Development on most of the remaining vacant parcels in the area continued through the 2000s. Soundview Park , one of the largest in the South Bronx, was renovated to include pedestrian access and redesigned recreational areas. Future plans in accordance with PlaNYC initiatives will create an urban oasis in this dense community; complete with recreation nodes, Greenway connections, bike/hike trails, designated fishing areas,

10653-423: The Siwanoy sachem believed to be the Indigenous leader who killed Anne Hutchinson and her children in 1643 at Split Rock , now in the northern Bronx. A passing ship rescued the Cornells, and they returned to their home the year after Wampage's last raid. Britisher Thomas Pell arrived at a treaty in 1654 with several Siwanoy sachems, including Wampage, that the Dutch authorities didn't recognize. This disagreement

10812-403: The Westchester County Archives , winning an award of excellence from the Lower Hudson Conference. Coney Island Coney Island is a neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn . The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to the north and includes

10971-404: The Wonder Wheel. The New York Aquarium's new site opened in June 1957. At this point, there were still several dozen rides in Coney Island. During the summers of 1964 and 1965, there was a large decrease in the number of visitors to Coney Island because of the 1964/1965 World's Fair at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens. Crime increases, insufficient parking facilities, bad weather, and

11130-439: The addition of parking lots and reconstruction of part of the boardwalk. The city purchased a 400-foot-wide (120 m) strip of land along the shoreline, which would allow the boardwalk to be moved 300 feet (91 m) inland. At this point, Coney Island was so crowded on summer weekends that, according to Moses, a coffin would provide more space per person. Though ride construction was delayed due to material shortages caused by

11289-431: The arable land and extending east through today's Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach . This was officially the first official real estate transaction for the island. Op Dyck never occupied his land, and in 1661 he sold it off to Dick De Wolf. The land's new owner banned Gravesend residents from using Guisbert's Island and built a salt-works on the land, provoking outrage among Gravesend livestock herders. New Amsterdam

11448-507: The area dwindled as the Dutch settlement grew and the entire southern tier of present-day Brooklyn, from Gowanus Creek to Coney Island to Gerritsen Creek , was purchased in 1645 from the Native Americans in exchange for goods. The goods were not recorded in the deed, but later accounts mention a gun, a blanket, and a kettle. In 1644, a colonist named Guysbert Op Dyck was given a land patent for 88 acres of land in what became

11607-482: The area was originally part of the colonial town of Gravesend. By the mid-19th century it had become a seaside resort , and by the late 19th century, amusement parks had also been built at the location. The attractions reached a historical peak during the first half of the 20th century. However, they declined in popularity after World War II and, following years of neglect, several structures were torn down. Various redevelopment projects were proposed for Coney Island in

11766-515: The area's economy. Residents and politicians supported the idea of building casinos at Coney Island, which they felt would alleviate its poverty, crime, and property vacancy rates. However, there was substantial controversy over the plans to place a gambling site in Coney Island. The state's interest in legalizing gambling had subsided by 1981, and the New York state legislature failed to take action on such proposal. In an effort to reduce crime,

11925-435: The area's murder and felony crime rate. By the late 1980s, deadly shootings were common, particularly in the low-income housing developments inside Coney Island. Commercial activity also decreased, and by 1990, storefronts on Mermaid Avenue had decreased by 90%, from over 400 stores before the urban renewal to 39 stores afterward. In the mid-1980s, restaurant mogul Horace Bullard proposed rebuilding Steeplechase Park. On

12084-603: The area. The very first roller coaster at Coney Island was the Switchback Railway , a gravity coaster installed by LaMarcus Adna Thompson at West 10th Street in 1884. Nearby was the Elephantine Colossus , a seven-story building (including a brothel ) in the shape of an elephant, which opened the following year. Until its demolition in 1896, the elephant was the first sight to greet immigrants arriving in New York, who would see it before they saw

12243-534: The capacity for 1,200 bathers. Hotel Brighton, also known as the Brighton Beach Hotel, was situated on the beach at what is now the foot of Coney Island Avenue . The Brooklyn, Flatbush, and Coney Island Railway , the predecessor to the New York City Subway 's present-day Brighton Line , opened on July 2, 1878, and provided access to the hotel. Simultaneously, wealthy banker Austin Corbin

12402-447: The city also began demolishing abandoned bungalows in Coney Island. By 1982, the area was filled with vacant lots, though several residential developments were being planned for Coney Island. Having finally acquired Kaufman's rides, the New York City government began advertising for developers to redevelop the former amusement park area that November. The Mermaid-Neptune Development Corporation constructed three residential developments at

12561-574: The city announced its plans to acquire the 125 acres (51 ha) of the former Steeplechase Park, a move that many residents supported but that Trump considered to be "wasteful". In January 1968, New York City parks commissioner August Heckscher II proposed that the New York state government build an "open-space" state park on the Steeplechase site, and that May, the New York City Board of Estimate voted in favor of funding to buy

12720-668: The city as a whole. Coney Island is part of Brooklyn Community District 13 , and its primary ZIP Code is 11224. It is patrolled by the 60th Precinct of the New York City Police Department . Fire services are provided by the New York City Fire Department 's Engine 245/Ladder 161/Battalion 43 and Engine 318/Ladder 166. Politically, Coney Island is represented by the New York City Council 's 47th District. The area

12879-842: The city as a whole. The 43rd Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 63.1% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 6 murders, 48 rapes, 747 robberies, 806 felony assaults, 302 burglaries, 1,039 grand larcenies, and 561 grand larcenies auto in 2022. Clason Point contains a New York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire station, Engine Co. 96/Ladder Co. 54, at 1689 Story Avenue. As of 2018, preterm births and births to teenage mothers are more common in Clason Point and Parkchester than in other places citywide. In Clason Point and Parkchester, there were 106 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 26.4 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Clason Point and Parkchester has

13038-494: The community for slum clearance, including the construction of public housing. His proposal was defeated by local residents. White flight occurred in the area through the mid-20th century. The former amusement park, purchased in 1947, became the site for the Shorehaven Beach Club two years later. The club was purchased by Soundview Associates, an investment group including Sylvester Stallone , in 1986. It became

13197-551: The community included the Atlantic Yacht Club , which built a colonial style house along the waterfront. Between about 1880 and World War II , Coney Island was the largest amusement area in the United States, attracting several million visitors per year. Its development as an amusement area was concurrent with the erection of urban amusement parks elsewhere in the United States, which changed amusement from

13356-700: The cost of the amusement park nearly doubled, to $ 100 million. Concurrently, in December 1986, the New York State Urban Development Corporation formally proposed a 17,000-seat minor-league baseball stadium north of the boardwalk between West 19th and West 22nd Streets as well as 15,000-seat indoor arena north of the Abe Stark Rink. Negotiations were ongoing with the Mets and Yankees to ensure their support for

13515-401: The creation of such a ditch would allow them to ship goods from Jamaica Bay to New York Harbor without having to venture out into the ocean. In 1750, the "Jamaica Ditch" was dug through Coney Hook from Brown's Creek in the west to Hubbard's Creek in the east. The creation of the canal turned Coney Hook into a detached 0.5-mile-long (0.80 km) island called Pine Island, so named due to

13674-572: The creek. A major section of the creek was further filled in to allow construction of the Belt Parkway in the 1930s, and the western and eastern ends of the island became peninsulas. More fill was added in 1962 during the construction of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge . In 1937, New York City parks commissioner Robert Moses published a report about the possible redevelopment of Coney Island, which would have entailed

13833-599: The earliest limited-access highway to start construction. However, although construction on the Long Island Motor Parkway began a year later, a section of the Long Island road opened for traffic before the end of 1908, opening before the Bronx River Parkway as the first limited-access highway to be put into use. Neither was up to modern freeway standards, utilizing left turns across the opposing direction at access points. The Bronx River Parkway

13992-506: The early 1900s, West Brighton had gradually become the most popular destination, and as such, became associated with the lively amusement area of Coney Island. In the 1890s, Norton's Point on the western side of Coney Island was developed into Sea Gate , a gated summer community that catered mainly to the wealthy. A private yacht carried visitors directly from the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan Island. Notable tenants within

14151-538: The east to allow space for the complex of onramps that also allow access to Broad Street and the Fleetwood station. A half-mile north of that junction, the parkland and the roadway narrow as Bronxville becomes the community on the opposite side of the Bronx River. The parkway reaches an interchange with the southern terminus of the Sprain Brook Parkway and narrows to four lanes, turning sharply to

14310-455: The east, then back to the northeast more gradually. Exit 8, Thompson Street, serves the nearby Crestwood station as the Harlem Line's tracks begin to parallel the road again. Another three-quarter mile north, after the road has resumed its northeast course, comes the next at-grade exit, Leewood Drive, on the northbound side. A quarter-mile (500 m) to the north are abandoned parking lots on both sides that were once gas stations. One-tenth of

14469-618: The east. Here, the road runs through the Armour Villa neighborhood until it runs under the Tuckahoe Road bridge. Almost a mile (1.6 km) separates it from the next exit, at Elm Street in Tuckahoe . The park continues to parallel the parkway, with paved bike paths and a large pond. A thousand feet to the north, Scarsdale Road is the first at-grade interchange, and the parkway becomes a four-lane expressway , turning sharply to

14628-417: The elevated IRT Pelham Line. Bruckner Plaza, which greatly expanded throughout the 1990s, contains big box stores. Other primary thoroughfares contain limited but necessary amenities like supermarkets, pharmacies, barbershops, hair salons, fast food, bodegas, and cheap shops. Bronx River is largely industrial in usage. There are several NYCHA developments: Soundview Park occupies 205 acres (83 ha) in

14787-604: The entrepreneurs who took advantage of the increased visitor counts was Nathan Handwerker , who in 1916 started selling hot dogs at Coney Island for a nickel each, and eventually expanded his enterprise into the Nathan's Famous hot dog chain. Coney Island's development as an amusement area continued through the end of World War II. The opening of the Wonder Wheel in 1920; the Riegelmann Boardwalk in 1923;

14946-412: The exclusive use of Coney Hook and Coney Island. In 1734, a road to Coney Hook was laid out. Thomas Stillwell, a prominent Gravesend resident who was the freeholder for Coney Island and Coney Hook at the time, proposed to build a ditch through Coney Hook so it would be easier for his cattle to graze. He convinced several friends in the nearby town of Jamaica to help him in this effort, telling them that

15105-472: The expressway. Beyond it the parkway goes due north before curving slightly into the Fisher Lane intersection just west of the last Metro-North station along the parkway, North White Plains . The Maryton and Virginia Road intersections follow, spaced roughly a thousand feet (300 m) apart. Another thousand feet from that intersection, the highway turns to the northeast again as the roadways diverge and cross

15264-400: The former Botanical Gardens /Burke Avenue terminus opened in 1951. That extension diverges eastward from the river. From 1953 to 1955, a 2.6-mile (4.2 km) segment of the parkway between Bronxville and the Bronx was closed to straighten and widen the road. During this reconstruction period, a new overpass was also built for the Cross County Parkway . In 1957, a half mile stretch of

15423-472: The funds from the canceled Sportsplex, and the minor-league baseball stadium opened the following year. Other major projects at the time included the reconstruction of Coney Island's sewers and the refurbishment of the Stillwell Avenue subway station, the latter of which was completed in 2005. In 2003, Mayor Michael Bloomberg took an interest in revitalizing Coney Island as a possible site for

15582-467: The island, and they may have gotten the name from the island in County Sligo rather than any tale of a rabbit population. Giovanni da Verrazzano was the first European explorer to sight the island of Narrioch during his expeditions to the area in 1527 and 1529. He was subsequently followed by Henry Hudson. Anthony Janszoon van Salee was the first New Netherland settler to acquire land adjacent to Coney Island, in 1639. The Native American population in

15741-433: The land from Trump. Condemnation of the site started in 1969. The city ultimately purchased the proposed park's site for $ 4 million, with a stipulation blocking Trump from developing the site as apartments. Trump filed a series of court cases related to the proposed residential rezoning, and ultimately won a $ 1.3 million judgment. The Steeplechase Park site lay empty for several years. Trump started subleasing

15900-417: The last remaining large amusement park in Coney Island, closed permanently after the 1964 season. The surrounding blocks were filled with amusement rides and concessions that were closed or about to close. The rides at Steeplechase Park were auctioned off, and the property was sold to developer Fred Trump , who in 1965 announced that he wanted to build luxury apartments on the old Steeplechase property. At

16059-452: The local amusement community opposed the move. Eventually, the city government and the community reached an agreement mandating that the beach did not begin until 1,000 feet (300 m) south of Surf Avenue and that the territory would be marked by a city-owned boardwalk. In return, the city would demolish any structures built upon public streets to reclaim beach access. The original resorts lost patronage after horse racing in New York state

16218-399: The middle 19th century Clason Point had many farmhouses, despite its poor drainage. Even today the main shopping area is fairly distant, along Story Avenue, the Bruckner Expressway and White Plains Road . Its seaside location and views attracted seaside resorts, dancehalls and amusement parks in the early 20th century, served by a ferry from College Point, Queens . Kane's, a major saloon in

16377-421: The minor-league stadium. State senator Thomas Bartosiewicz attempted to block Bullard's plan, as he was part of a foundation that had promised another developer, Sportsplex, the right to build an amateur sports arena on the site. Construction was held up for another four years, and by 1989, Bullard and the city were ready to sign a contract that would allow the developer to construct a 60-ride amusement park on

16536-479: The most obvious route through the circle leads motorists directly to and from the Taconic State Parkway , and the way to NY 22 northbound is considered to be a little spur off the circle. This spur from the Kensico Circle to NY 22 is unsigned CR 68 . Prior to heightened security measures enacted post-September 11 motorists could take the road that leads towards NY 22 and then drive across

16695-510: The neighborhood's western edge, with a combined total of 430 units. These developments were completed through the mid-1980s. Even so, the area still suffered from drug-related killings and other crimes, especially west of West 20th Street. Former amusement structures such as the Parachute Jump lay unused, and prostitutes roamed around the neighborhood at night. Through the 1980s, prostitution and drug use in Coney Island increased, as did

16854-470: The neighborhood. NYC Ferry 's Soundview route started serving Clason Point on August 15, 2018. Bronx River Parkway The Bronx River Parkway (sometimes abbreviated as the Bronx Parkway ) is a 19.12-mile (30.77 km) limited-access parkway in downstate New York in the United States. It is named for the nearby Bronx River , which it parallels. The southern terminus of the parkway

17013-401: The neighborhood. Starting in the 1990s, the construction of modern 2 and 3 unit row-houses and apartment buildings have increased the percentage of owners versus renters. The neighborhood's northern and eastern borders have a heavy concentration of commercial establishments. Westchester Avenue evolved into a mixed use, primarily commercial, district serving the greater area after the completion of

17172-589: The north is the main exit for the zoo at Boston Road, with access to Boston Road ( U.S. Route 1 or US 1 northbound) for northbound traffic, then the full cloverleaf at Pelham Parkway , where traffic can join US ;1 southbound on Fordham Road . Past the exit the large wooded area on the west is the New York Botanical Garden , a National Historic Landmark (NHL). One half-mile (1 km) further north, exit 8 allows access to

17331-534: The northwest, away from the Harlem Line. The exit numbers reset here; the new exit 1, Paxton Avenue in Bronxville, is on the northbound lanes just north of the Sprain (exit 1A allows southbound traffic to leave the parkway for Desmond Avenue just before merging). Exit 2, West Pondfield Road, also northbound-only, is a thousand feet (300 m) to the north as the highway curves around downtown Bronxville to

17490-411: The onset of World War II , two new rides were constructed in 1946 at the end of the war. In August 1944, Luna Park was destroyed by a fire. Two years later, it was closed permanently and sold to a company who wanted to tear down the park's remnants and build Quonset huts for military veterans and their families. Moses asked the city to transfer Luna Park's land along the Coney Island waterfront to

17649-439: The original park character, and are still used that way. North of White Plains, all interchanges are at-grade intersections with traffic lights. The parkway begins at Story Avenue in the neighborhood of Soundview in the Bronx , where two roadways merge near Metcalf and Morrison Avenues. Immediately to the north is the cloverleaf interchange at the Bruckner Expressway ( Interstate 278 or I-278), where most traffic enters

17808-471: The outer margins of the roadway in Westchester near Crestwood, the southbound one is currently being used as a Westchester County Police Sub-Station, and the northbound used only as a tourist information stand. The interchange with the Cross County Parkway did not provide direct access to and from both directions of the latter until extra ramps and an extra overpass were provided beginning in

17967-644: The parkway follows the eastern edge of the Bronx Zoo in the Bronx Park neighborhood and the Bronx River , which gives the road its name, begins to follow it on the west. On the northbound side, as it enters the park, is an unnumbered exit allowing authorized vehicles (like those of people working at the NYC Parks Department) access to local streets via Birchall Avenue. A quarter-mile to

18126-597: The parkway, in the Bronx, is exclusively controlled-access . It serves as a commuter route, intersecting several major east–west routes. Halfway through the borough it begins to closely parallel the Harlem Line of Metro-North Railroad , a pairing which continues to the road's northern terminus. In Westchester County, the road continues to have the same character until the Sprain Brook Parkway splits off at Bronxville , allowing most through traffic to bypass White Plains . The stretches north of that junction have more of

18285-507: The parkway, which begins as a six-lane freeway . Basketball courts and baseball fields flank the highway in the strip of parkland as the road leads to the north, slightly northwestward. North of Watson Avenue, within a half-mile (1 km) of the southern terminus, an on-ramp carries northbound traffic from Metcalf. The corresponding offramp for southbound traffic merges onto Harrod Avenue north of Westchester Avenue. Now in West Farms ,

18444-459: The peninsula housed almost 100,000 people. During 1966, developers tried to revitalize the Coney Island boardwalk as an amusement area. Trump destroyed Steeplechase Park's Pavilion of Fun during a highly publicized ceremony that September. In its stead, Trump proposed building a 160-foot-high (49 m) enclosed dome with recreational facilities and a convention center, a plan supported by Brooklyn borough president Abe Stark . The next month,

18603-436: The peninsula's northeast corner is, for the most part, enclosed in bulkheads . Two major parks, Kaiser Park and Coney Island Creek Park , are located on the northwest side of the peninsula along Coney Island Creek. A 2023 study found that Coney Island was sinking at a rate of about 2.6 ± 0.8 millimeters (0.102 ± 0.031 in) per year, making it among the fastest-sinking locations in New York City; this

18762-412: The peninsula. Gang activity started as well, with one 1870s writer noting that going to Coney Island could result in losing money and even lives. The Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad became the first railroad to reach Coney Island when it opened in 1864, and it was completed in 1867. Over the next 13 years, four more railroads were built specifically to transport visitors to Coney Island; this

18921-557: The population. Soundview's total land area is roughly 1.3 square miles. It is racially diverse and has a mixture of moderate single family homes, low income buildings and expensive condominiums. Most buildings in this section have the same requirements as buildings in Co-op City . The entirety of Community District 9, which comprises Clason Point and Parkchester, had 184,105 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 79.7 years. This

19080-429: The post-World War II automotive boom were also cited as contributing factors in the visitor decrease. During the summer of 1964, concessionaires saw their lowest profits in a quarter-century. Ride operators reported that they had 30% to 90% fewer visitors in 1964 compared to the previous year. A small amusement park called Astroland was announced for the boardwalk in 1962, to open the following year. Steeplechase Park,

19239-451: The present-day Coney Island was divided across several separate islands. All of these islands were part of the outer barrier on the southern shore of Long Island, and their land areas and boundaries changed frequently. Only the westernmost island was called Coney Island; it currently makes up part of Sea Gate . At the time, it was a 1.25-mile shifting sandspit with a detached island at its western end extending into Lower New York Bay. In

19398-438: The property to Norman Kaufman , who ran a small collection of fairground amusements called "Steeplechase Park" on part of the site. The city also leased the boardwalk and parking lot sites at extremely low rates, which resulted in a $ 1 million loss of revenue over the following seven years. Since the city wanted to build the state park on the site of Kaufman's Steeplechase Park, it attempted to evict him by refusing to grant

19557-481: The railroad tracks of Amtrak 's Northeast Corridor line. At East 180th Street, the linear park ends temporarily. The road becomes elevated to cross the East 180th Street Yard along the New York City Subway 's IRT White Plains Road Line , which carries the 2 and ​ 5 services, as well as the former New York, Westchester and Boston Railway . After crossing the yard, wooded surroundings resume as

19716-406: The relatively low cost of $ 20,000. This 460-by-210-foot (140 by 64 m) hotel, with rooms for up to 5,000 people nightly and meals for up to 20,000 people daily, was close to the then-rundown western Coney Island, so it was mostly the upper middle class that went to this hotel. The 400-foot (120 m), double-decker Brighton Beach Bathing Pavilion was also built nearby and opened in 1878, with

19875-512: The rest of the city and not gentrifying . There are large, residential housing complexes of various types. These include public housing, high-rise co-ops and rentals. The neighborhood contains one of the highest concentrations of NYCHA projects in the Bronx. There are also 5 and 6 story, pre-war, apartment buildings primarily concentrated along the IRT Pelham Line El on Westchester Avenue and multi-unit row-houses located throughout

20034-484: The rest of the city as of 2018. While 23% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 30% have less than a high school education and 47% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 26% of Bronx residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of Clason Point and Parkchester students excelling in math rose from 23% in 2000 to 44% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 27% to 30% during

20193-575: The river and the tracks and then resumes its northeasterly course. A half-mile (1 km) north it reaches the Main Street ( NY 119 ) northbound exit/southbound entrance, just west of the White Plains station on the west side of heavily developed downtown White Plains. It bends north and then northwest to the first of several at-grade intersections with traffic lights, also signed and numbered as exits, with Central Avenue ( NY 100 ), at

20352-743: The same time period. Clason Point and Parkchester's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is higher than the rest of New York City. In Clason Point and Parkchester, 28% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , more than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 69% of high school students in Clason Point and Parkchester graduate on time, lower than the citywide average of 75%. The following public schools are located in Clason Point that are not also located in Soundview: The New York Public Library (NYPL) operates three branches near Clason Point. The local New York City Subway line

20511-488: The second digit should be the region. New York City and Long Island , regions 10 and 11, share 0; Westchester is region 8 (the Hutchinson River Parkway also shares this oddity). The section south of here is marked only with reference markers, and the section north only with county mileposts. This middle section has county mileposts in the middle, and reference markers with state mileposts (counting from

20670-508: The shorefront amusements and concessions would be replaced by residential developments. After many complaints from the public and from concession operators, the Estimate Board reinstated the area between West 22nd and West Eighth Streets as an amusement-only zone, with the zone extending 200 to 400 feet (61 to 122 m) inland from the shoreline. Moses's subsequent proposal to extend the Coney Island boardwalk east to Manhattan Beach

20829-549: The site bounded by West 15th and 19th Streets between Surf Avenue and the boardwalk, Bullard wanted to build a $ 55 million amusement park based on the originals. The city agreed, and the project was approved in 1985. Bullard planned to open the park by mid-1986 to coincide with the Statue of Liberty 's centennial. However, the project was delayed while the New York City Planning Commission compiled an environmental impact report. By early 1987,

20988-505: The site occupied by Norman Kaufman, but for over a decade, was unsuccessful. It had no plan for the proposed state park, and in 1975 the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development nearly withdrew a proposed grant of $ 2 million to fund the proposed park. The city ultimately accepted the grant, though different city agencies still disagreed over whether to return the funds. Kaufman continued to operate

21147-483: The site until the end of summer 1980. The following June, the city paid Kaufman a million dollars for the rides, effectively evicting him, even though the amusements were estimated to be worth much less. In 1979, the state announced that it would be conducting a report on the feasibility of legalizing gambling in New York State. Mayor Ed Koch proposed that the state open casinos in New York City to revitalize

21306-562: The southern terminus in the Bronx, not the city line) alongside. However, Reference Route 907G is no longer listed in the NYSDOT traffic counts and the entirety of the parkway in the county is considered a county route by Westchester County. The parkway was documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in 2001. Drawings and photographs from the documentation project were made available through

21465-441: The southwestern section of the neighborhood, with ballfields and playgrounds and a pedestrian/bike greenway along the left bank of the Bronx River estuary from Lafayette Avenue to Leland Avenue. It was built on filled land starting in 1939. The first 93 acres (38 ha) of the park were acquired by the City of New York in 1937, and 66 acres (27 ha) more were acquired along the water's edge in December 1939. Pugsley Creek Park

21624-704: The spit of land first known as Snakipins by the Indians. An English settler, Thomas Cornell , began farming here from 1643, for which the area became known as Cornell's Neck. He owned 2000 acres. During the Pig Wars the Indigenous People burned his farm and he narrowly escaped by boat. In the 1640s a series of skirmishes between the Cornells and the Siwanoy, known as the Pig Wars, were led by Chief Wampage ,

21783-468: The subsection of Sea Gate on its west. More broadly, the Coney Island peninsula consists of Coney Island proper, Brighton Beach, and Manhattan Beach. This was formerly the westernmost of the Outer Barrier islands on the southern shore of Long Island , but in the early 20th century it became connected to the rest of Long Island by land fill . The origin of Coney Island's name is disputed, but

21942-555: The time, residential developments in Coney Island in general were being built at a rapid rate. The peninsula, which had 34,000 residents in 1961, was expected to have more than double that number by the end of 1964. Many of the new residents moved into middle-income co-operative housing developments such as Trump Village , Warbasse Houses , and Luna Park Apartments ; these replaced what The New York Times described as "a rundown sprawl of rickety houses". Developers were spending millions of dollars on new housing developments, and by 1966,

22101-480: The top of the Kensico Dam and eventually re-connect with the Taconic State Parkway. An extension from the southern terminus in the Bronx into Soundview Park was proposed until the 1970s. The southernmost portion of the parkway in Westchester, south of the Sprain, is internally designated as NY 907G, an unsigned reference route , in apparent violation of the numbering standard. Ordinarily,

22260-483: The town of Gravesend , on the southwestern shore of Brooklyn. The land patent included Conyne Island, an island just off the southwestern shore of the town of Gravesend, as well as Conyne Hook, a peninsula just east of the island. Both became part of Gravesend when its first town charter was granted a year later, in 1645. East of Conyne Hook was the largest section of island called Gysbert's, Guysbert's, or Guisbert's Island (also called Johnson Island), containing most of

22419-400: The waterfront. The infrastructure of the area has not been updated in many years. Many streets flood after periods of heavy rain. The nearest retail strip is almost a mile away. Public transportation consists of two bus routes and there are only a few schools in the neighborhood. Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Soundview/Clason Point/Castle Hill was 53,686,

22578-409: The west of the Outer Barrier islands along Long Island's southern shore. The peninsula is about 4 miles (6.4 km) long and 0.5 miles (0.80 km) wide. It extends into Lower New York Bay with Sheepshead Bay to its northeast, Gravesend Bay and Coney Island Creek to its northwest, and the main part of Brooklyn to its north. At its highest it is 7 feet (2.1 m) above sea level. Coney Island

22737-493: The woods on it. Each island was separated by an inlet that could only be crossed at low tide. By the end of the 18th century, the ongoing shifting of sand along the barrier islands had closed up the inlets to the point that residents began filling them in and joining them as one island. Development of Coney Island was slow until the 19th century due to land disputes, the American Revolutionary War , and

22896-601: The years. In ancient times, the Bronx River area to the West was known to the Siwanoys , who spoke Algonquian , as "Aquahung". The site of a large Native American settlement, comprising more than seventy dwellings, Clason Point was then known to natives as "Snakapins", or "Land By The Two Waters". Europeans began settling the region in the early 17th century, and the Cornell family built the first permanent European settlement in

23055-522: Was John Y. McKane, who ran prizefighting rings behind the elephant until he was arrested and sentenced in 1894. The development of amusement rides in Coney Island intensified in the 1890s with the opening of amusement parks. The first such park was Sea Lion Park , which operated from 1895 to 1902 and was the first amusement park to charge entry fees. Sea Lion Park's opening spurred the construction of George C. Tilyou 's Steeplechase Park , which opened in 1897. The Coney Island "Funny Face" logo, which

23214-437: Was an era of trolley cars on the main thoroughfare, Soundview Avenue or, as it was then, Clason Point Road. Clason Point was a mixture of mansions, farmland and undeveloped fields and swampland. There were ferryboat and steamer excursions from "The Point" to downtown Manhattan as well as local service across the East River to College Point, Queens . The last boat to College Point terminated during World War II. Fairyland Park, in

23373-443: Was built nearby in 1875. Next to it, on a 12-acre (4.9 ha) piece of land leased by James Voorhies, maitre d' Paul Bauer built the western peninsula's largest hotel, which opened in 1876. By the turn of the century, Victorian hotels, private bathhouses, and vaudeville theaters were a common sight on Coney Island. The three resort areas—Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach and West Brighton—competed with each other for clientele. By

23532-645: Was denied in 1955. A proposal to make the Quonset hut development into a permanent housing structure was also rejected. A new building for the New York Aquarium was approved for construction in the neighborhood in 1953. Construction started on the aquarium in 1954. The development of the new New York Aquarium was expected to revitalize Coney Island. By 1955, the area still included four children's amusement areas, five roller coasters, several flat and dark rides , and various other attractions such as

23691-582: Was designed by J. Pickering Putnam and contained restaurants, ballrooms, and shops—was opened for business in July 1877 at a ceremony presided over by President Ulysses S. Grant . The similarly prodigal Oriental Hotel, which hosted rooms for wealthy families staying for extended periods, was opened in August 1880. Andrew R. Culver , president of the Prospect Park and Coney Island Railroad , had built

23850-511: Was developing adjacent Manhattan Beach after being interested in the area during a trip to the beach to heal his sick son. Corbin, who worked on Wall Street and had many railroad investments, built the New York and Manhattan Beach Railway for his two luxury shoreline hotels. These hotels were used by the wealthy upper class, who would not go to Brighton Beach because of its proximity to Coney Island. The 150-room Manhattan Beach Hotel—which

24009-466: Was followed by the Parachute Jump and the Wonder Wheel in 1989. The neighborhood's high crime rate had reversed slightly by the 1990s. However, Coney Island's relative isolation from the rest of New York City, along with its ethnic diversity, deprived the area of significant political power, and to a greater extent money. After Rudy Giuliani took office as New York City mayor in 1994, he negated

24168-468: Was formerly an actual island, separated from greater Brooklyn by Coney Island Creek, and was the westernmost of the Outer Barrier islands. A large section of the creek was filled in the 1920s and 1930s, turning the island into a peninsula. The perimeter of Coney Island features manmade structures designed to maintain its current shape. The beaches are currently not a natural feature; the sand that

24327-402: Was frequented by military personnel . The era was also marked by frequent fires, and those at the beginning of the 20th century were particularly destructive. A 1907 fire at Steeplechase Park resulted in the park having to be completely rebuilt. Dreamland burned down in 1911 and was never rebuilt. One of the largest conflagrations at Coney Island, which occurred in 1932, left at least

24486-633: Was outlawed in 1909, but the amusement areas still saw significant patronage. In 1915, the Sea Beach Line was upgraded to a subway line, followed by the other former excursion roads, and the opening of the Stillwell Avenue station in 1919 ushered in Coney Island's busiest era. On the busiest summer days, over a million people would travel to Coney Island. This created tensions between longtime New York City residents and more recent immigrants who liked to patronize Coney Island. One of

24645-407: Was part of a larger national trend toward trolley park development. In 1868, William A. Engeman built a resort in the area. The resort was given the name " Brighton Beach " in 1878 by Henry C. Murphy and a group of businessmen, who chose the name as an allusion to the English resort city of Brighton . With the help of Gravesend's surveyor William Stillwell , Engeman acquired all 39 lots for

24804-548: Was rendered moot in 1664 when the British fleet appeared in the harbor and the Dutch capitulated. The area was then renamed Clason Point after Isaac Clason, a Scottish merchant and a major land owner. Development in the 19th century soon attracted resort seekers, and the area became known for its amusements and entertainment. From 1883 to 1927, it was the site of the Clason Point Military Academy . By

24963-571: Was the Seaside Aquarium, which operated from 1877 to 1887 and included aquatic exhibits, aviaries, zoo attractions, and various sideshows. The earliest rides, including Looff's first carousel and the Seaside Aquarium, were located at the Centennial Observatory's site. The first sideshows and fireworks displays came to Coney Island in 1883, and combined with constant musical performances, brought increased excitement to

25122-406: Was the first highway to utilize a median strip to separate the opposing lanes, the first highway constructed through a park, and the first highway where intersecting streets crossed over bridges. The Westchester section of the Bronx River Parkway first opened to traffic in 1922 and was completed in 1925. A new roadway in the New York City borough of the Bronx including an extension south of

25281-484: Was transferred to the English in 1664, and four years later, the English Governor created a new charter for Gravesend that excluded Coney Island. Subsequently, Guisbert's Island was divided into plots meted out to several dozen settlers. However, in 1685, the island became part of Gravesend again as a result of a new charter with the Native Americans. At the time of European settlement, the land that makes up

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