Steeplechase Park will always be remembered as The Funny
Place.
When the park opened in 1897 it was by far the grandest
amusement facility anyone had ever seen.
That's not to surprising considering that the amusement
industry was literally in it's infancy.
George C. Tilyou built Steeplechase two years after
Captain Paul Boyton opened his Sea Lion Park on Coney Island. Boytons park was considered by many as the first true amusement
park which used rides as it's main means to draw guests. Sea Lion Park had a Shoot The Chutes ride, Sea Lion shows, a
Circus and one of the first ever looping roller coasters called The Flip Flap.
Tilyou knew he could do better and so he set out and
created Steeplechase.
His park had rides, attractions, lush gardens and did
not serve alcohol.
Steeplechase had a reputation of being fun and
it grew in popularity beyond anyones imagination. The rides reflected the mood of the people and the people came to Steeplechase
Park.
Soon Sea Lion Park could not keep up and it closed in 1900. Steeplechase would out last Sea Lion Park by 64 years.
The reputation of George Tilyou and his "Funny
Place" sparked other ambitious men to give it a go at Coney Island. In 1902 Fred Thompson and Skip Dundy opened Luna
Park on the site of the now defunct Sea Lion Park. Across the street from Luna Park, in 1904, Dreamland, owned by Willam
Reynolds, opened it's gates. These two new parks tried to get one up on each other with everything from attractions to
lights, rides to special events.
In 1907 Steeplechase Park burned to the ground. Not one
to let a little fire stop him, Tilyou put up a sign by the rubble which was the parks gates. The sign read, "I have troubles
today that I had not yesterday. I had troubles yesterday that I have not today. On this site will be erected, soon, a bigger
and better Steeplechase Park. Admission to the burning ruins..... 10 cents."
Steeplechase was rebuilt bigger and better and was open
in time for the 1908 season.
As a centerpiece to his park Tilyou erected a building
called The Pavillion O' Fun. This weatherproof building insured that Steeplechase would not have to close during rain or other
bad weather. The Pavillion housed numerous rides and attractions. Tilyou even rebuilt the Steeplechase Horse Race ride which
now encircled the Pavillion O' Fun.
In 1911 Dreamland burned in a fire that destroyed the
entire park and parts of adjoining properties. Dreamland was under-insured and was never rebuilt.
The owners of Luna Park
suffered through some small fires only to go bankrupt. They sold the park to some new investors in 1940. Their luck was no
better as Luna Park burned down in 1944. It too was never rebuilt.
In 1940 Tilyou purchased the Parachute Jump from the 1939 New York World's Fair.
When it was rebuilt on the Steeplechase property near the boardwalk it was instantly recognized. Standing 250 feet tall the
Parachute Jump became known as The Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn.
The ride closed with the park in 1964 and was named a National Landmark in 1977.
It is the only surviving piece of Steeplechase Park.
Steeplechase carried on, even after the death of founder
George C. Tilyou in 1914. The Tilyou family along with park manager Jimmy Onorato kept the park alive and well until 1964
when it was sold to developer Fred Trump. The father of Donald Trump had the park demolished in 1967.
