coney island

Photo: America goes topsy-turvy

On this day 127 years ago, the first American roller coaster appeared at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. Built by LaMarcus Thompson, the Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway featured a gentle, wavy hill and traveled at an “invigorating” 6 miles per hour.

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Need to Know is a production of Creative News Group (CNG) in association with WNET. Marc Rosenwasser is Executive Producer. Need to Know is made possible by Bernard and Irene Schwartz, Mutual of America, Citi Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Foundation, Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS.

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