Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue
The last stop on the Q train at Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue is 14 miles away from its other endpoint back at 96th Street on the Upper East Side. The terminal is also the endpoint for the D, F, and N lines that the Q shares a track with on certain segments of its route. The station itself was designed around 1920 to accommodate the large swaths of people anticipated to visit Coney Island every summer. The number of platforms and lines terminating at the station was put in place to make sure that the resort area was as accessible as possible.
The neighborhood of Coney Island is mostly known for its beach and amusement parks that have been open since the 19th century. Much of the land on the peninsula was filled in to establish a much broader connection with the mainland of Long Island. The name “Coney Island” translates to “rabbit island” in Dutch, which comes from the large population of rabbits that lived on the peninsula during its earliest settlement period. In 1829, the Coney Island Bridge and Road Company constructed the Coney Island Hotel, which came to be the first actual beach resort structure in the area. Over the next several decades, developers continued to promote and invest in new projects until it became the largest amusement park in the United States in the late 1800s. It was a time and place of innovation and collective joy for New Yorkers looking to get away from city life.
The amusement parks were divided into three separate ones: Luna Park (formerly Astroland), Steeplechase Park, and Dreamland. Because much of the technology was fairly new, a lot of the electronic components on the rides and attractions would spark fires and cause significant damage to the structures there. Officials would have to constantly renovate and rebuild in order to avoid further destruction and to reduce the danger to their customers. Major rides at the three parks are the Cyclone, the Wonder Wheel, the Thunderbolt, and the B&B Carousel.
The area is also a popular site for social gatherings, sporting events, and comedy shows. Seasonal congregations such as Noisefest and the Congress of Curious Peoples take place at theaters and other venues along the Coney Island boardwalk. The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, an AVP Volleyball tournament, the Coney Island Film Festival, and the Freakshow are other examples of events held here. KeySpan Park, home of the minor league baseball team called the Brooklyn Cyclones, plays here as well.
Now, read about the secrets of Coney Island and the Upper East Side!
