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The name Coney Island conjures images of salt-tainted warm summer breezes wafting across throngs of youngsters waiting on line for their turn on the Ferris wheel while nearby a hotdog vendor hawks this park’s famous concoction. Typically, this image is dated by years and the youngsters have long since aged and had children of their own. But in its heyday Coney Island was exactly that, a romantic amusement park that thrilled locals and visitors alike.

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Coney Island is actually a misnomer as the park is situated on a peninsula rather than an island but it is an island onto itself, creating a gulf between the work-a-day life of Brooklyn and the magic of the amusement park.

Since the early 1800’s the park has drawn the masses to its rides, concessions and the three-mile beachfront boardwalk. It garnered the nickname “Playground of the World” and shaped many fond memories of New Yorkers. In the 1880’s the town saw a boom and those looking to make a quick buck rushed to the area in search of their fortunes. The boom ceased but for many years the area experienced a smooth ride as the three famed parks, Luna Park, Dreamland, and Steeplechase Park each soared in popularity.

Unfortunately, the Great Depression hit Coney Island almost as hard as it hit nearby Wall Street. The great amusement parks gave way to the “Nickel Empire” where a pocketful of nickels could amuse and feed a child for a big part of the day. But even a slew of nickels was hard to come by during the Depression and the great amusement center in Brooklyn’s brilliant banners faded and the crowds thinned down to a trickle.

Today, visitors to Coney Island can also take an educational trip through the New York Aquarium, enjoy America’s favorite pastime at the Brooklyn Cyclones’ home, KeySpan Park, or listen to their favorite musical performer at Asser Levy Park and Amphitheater. As far as the amusement parks go, you can still hear the clank and roar of a roller coaster and the screams of children as they plunge down the rails but the din has turned into a whisper.

The bright spot on the Coney Island’s horizon is hope. For an area that has gone through its share of trouble and turmoil, the romantic memories simply won’t die. Even the imaginations of those who have yet to visit the thrill center of New York have been touched by the recollections of those whose lives have been shaped by their summer days and nights on the Island. It’s this collection of people that have formed numerous non-profit groups and turned their attention to reclaiming the nostalgic beauty of a long ago amusement park that left a deep impression on the heart of America