One of our favorite structures in Brooklyn is the Parachute Jump in Coney Island, AKA Brooklyn’s Eiffel Tower. We still get a smile every time we’re on the F Train and we finally can see it in the distance. The Jump is a survivor, basically remaining in place because it would have been too costly to destroy, until its value was recognized and it was recognized. It was originally built for the 1939-40 New York Worlds Fair and, then, moved to Coney after the fair. In any case, amusement-parks.com, which is wonderful site, has a great page on the Parachute Jump’s illustrious history. While it’s doubtful it will ever be restored to a working ride, it should hava a place of honor in whatever Coney Island becomes in coming years, as befits anything with that sort of staying power in a place where so much has been destroyed.
3 responses so far ↓
1 louise crawford // Aug 16, 2007 at 1:28 pm
We flew over Coney Island on our way to California on Tuesday morning and could see the parachute jump very clearly from the plane. That was cool.
2 Mike // Aug 18, 2007 at 1:17 am
Thanks for the great info.
If you’d like, check out the night-time shot I got among my photos at the recent Daft Punk concert at Keyspan.
http://themusic.fm/2007.08.13/daft-punk-ed-banger-brooklyn-nyc
It looked so great with the hot pink lighting.
-Mike
3 Anonymous // Aug 27, 2007 at 11:46 am
The company who did the awesome “pink/red” LED lights on the jump incalled Phoster Industries. They do really cool LED Lighting!