Search

The series consists of photographic material that was collected by Frederick Fried that depicts the rich public life and popular culture of Coney Island from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century, illustrating amusement rides; buildings and structures; parades, contests, and performances; the boardwalk; transportation; and people, both visitors to and employees of Coney Island's various attractions, amusements, and spectacles. Visual material is especially strong in chronicling the heyday of Coney Island's three main amusement parks—Dreamland, Luna Park, and Steeplechase Park—from 1903 to 1911, but also includes earlier views as well as many crowd and beach photographs of the "Nickel Empire" era, circa 1920-1933. In addition, there are also six photographs of scale models of designs for amusements by William F. Mangels and other photographs of his installations at the American Museum of Public Recreation. Photographic material is mostly gelatin silver and albumen prints, both mounted and unmounted, some with a photographer's credit, some dated, and most identified. The series is divided into three subseries and arranged by subject.