Research Project - Circuses and Amusement Parks

Topic- The uprising of circuses and amusement parks durning an important urbanization period in America

As leisure time was immensely growing in the rapid urbanizing environment in America from 1870-1920, people could spend more time doing activities that were enjoyable and entertaining. Circuses and amusement parks were tremendous innovations in the idea of outdoor amusement and entertainment. With them, there was always the connection to the urban city and establishments located there as amusement parks gained popularity. Coney Island became a big hit in New York in the 1870's as a whole new idea for fun that was so interesting to all people. This unique form of entertainment and fun that arose in the entertainment industry during an important time of urbanization for the United States had a large role in how people began to spend their time and dream bigger dreams by showcasing one's talents and new technological advancements that drew attention from all over the world.

Coney Island Amusement Park, one of America's earliest and huge for the development of the amusement park industry

    Amusement parks were originally what broke this barrier of intense and active fun to have with leisure time outdoors. Outdoor amusement is defined as "public activities held in open spaces for recreation and entertainment" (Credo Reference), which is exactly what this new idea aimed to reinvent. This idea first began with public parks such as Central Park in New York, then later with carnivals, traveling circuses, seaside resorts musical concerts, and even dramatic plays were all on the rise of satisfying the idea and desire of the American population. In the late nineteenth century, Coney Island was founded as one of America's earliest and most successful amusement parks. this later spread across the country and became an extremely popular weekend attraction. Most of the clients that attended were middle-class and were searching for something just like this to quench their hunger for fun and cheaper entertainment. Coney Island's success and improved reputation helped amusement parks spread very fast in the first two decades of the twentieth century, every shorefront from Maine to California had something like it. The peak of this industry was in the 1920's as economic growth was very strong and was even referred to as "the roaring twenties". However, after this point, there was a dramatic decrease. Many amusement parks closed simply due to lack of space for car parking. Another reason for decline was in the late 1940's with the innovation of television. Then rose the new era of "theme parks" with Disneyland in 1955.

Disneyland as a new type of amusement park on the rise in the 1900's, one of the first "theme parks"

    Specifically Coney Island in New York had a tremendous role in the success and uprising of amusement parks. Coney Island had all sorts of fun activities and attracted everyone from entertainers, gamblers, and vacationers. At the start of this establishment, horse races were a very popular aspect of the entertainment there. The first horse racing tracks at Coney Island were opened in 1879. Later, new ideas and crazy technological advances allowed for even more new attractions and brought forth a whole new crowd of thrill-seeking customers. The world's first ever roller coaster, The Switchback Railway, debuted at Coney Island in 1884. The first day, this single invention itself attracted 10,000 patrons. Coney Island was constantly reaching more people at lower prices with the introduction of various mechanical devices and an enormous profit potential even at five to two cent rides. Between this time of incredible and never-before-seen technological innovations for amusement and the early twentieth century, Coney Island was the largest American amusement area attracting several million each year.

The world's first roller coaster at Coney Island in New York, The Switchback Railway

    Roller coasters and amusement parks were taking the world by storm and everyone wanted a taste of the action: "The mere craving to cut loose for a wild rush down hill is the basic metal from which the coaster min had coined its fortunes... Here is the climax that is a climax... your head is being torn off and your heart is being pulled out by its roots. You will be fonder of life than you ever have before." (New-York Tribune Newspaper September 11, 1910). This explains the rush one gets from experiencing the amazing feeling of riding a metal car traveling up and down a winding track at immense speeds. In the early 1900's this was still shocking to the world as such a cool industry arising that no one had ever seen anything like before. Because of the popularity it was gaining, even other places around the world were getting interested and wanted a part of it as well. As Coney Island was so big in New York, which is a large part of America with a constant flow of immigrants, people from all over the world got to experience these fun activities for amusement and spread the word. Other places in the world soon began to attract the same business like the roller coasters being set up in Para, Brazil with New York design and origin. This was now becoming a worldwide industry.

A "Yankee" Roller Coaster from New York design and origin actually set up in Brazil after such success in America

    Circuses were a whole other realm of possibilities and extravagant originality brought into America through some incredibly smart and business oriented individuals. Originating in Europe, circuses were brought to America in the 1790’s. The idea was to showcase the special talents of unique individuals by providing visual pleasure and entertainment. They were always advertised with large, bright and colorful banners and flyers scattered across towns. The circus was first revolutionized in America by Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum who introduced the "freak show". He began his interesting journey with the circus and "The Greatest Show" in 1835 in Connecticut. He then took a giant leap forward for the sake of his business by moving his family with him and buying a place on Broadway and Ann Street in New York City in 1841, becoming Scudder's American Museum. He later renamed this Barnum's American Museum and had all sorts of exotic people to exhibit and showcase for the sake of his show throughout the late 1800’s. He took a shot and brought it to the big city. He changed the game by taking this rural phenomenon to the urban world. He attracted all kinds of crowds and continued to try and find new acts to display to attend to every audience. He left an incredible legacy and changed the the whole industry of circuses and entertainment itself. There was even a movie about his story and himself that came out in 2017, The Greatest Showman, which was very successful and excellently produced.

Early American circus poster showcasing bright colors and remarkable aspects of the show catching the eyes of pedestrians who caught it at a glance

    After researching and intensely digesting this entirely unique and incredible industry, it's obvious how big an impact this idea of outdoor amusement had on the urbanization of America. Both amusement parks and circuses had great impacts to set the stage for new ways to take advantage of one's leisure time. Both had different and unique ways that connected them to urban culture and were marketed to people everywhere. This specific time from 1870-1920 was huge especially at the peak of these industries catching the interest of all of the American population. New York was the center of all business and innovation and has been for a while which continues to show how the success of the circus industry was almost inevitable with the timing and great advertisement. The people in America and the world itself continue to look for ways to entertain themselves every day and one way or another they will, innovating and creating on every level possible.

Poster for The Greatest Showman movie about P.T. Barnum's life and story of his role in the circus business and popularity

Works Cited

History textbook. Chapter 18. “Redefining Leisure.” https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4XgUdtfFRaUfktDYkZSTmZGTURqODh0ekowUDJvX1FNcU9oZTRwWnlkc0RLY09aLUkyckk.

Davis, Janet, and JANET DAVIS. "Circuses." Encyclopedia of the United States in the Nineteenth Century, edited by Paul Finkelman, Gale, 1st edition, 2000. Credo Reference, https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/galeus/circuses/0.

“The Coney Truth.” Creativetime.org, Creative Time, 2018, creativetime.org/programs/archive/2005/dreamland/links.php.

Weinstein, Raymond M. "Amusement Parks." Encyclopedia of Urban America: The Cities and Suburbs, edited by Neil L. Shumsky, ABC-CLIO, 1st edition, 1998. Credo Reference, https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/abcurban/amusement_parks/0.

Mohun, Arwen P. “Amusement Parks for the World: The Export of American Technology and Know-How, 1900—1939.” Icon, vol. 19, 2013, pp. 100–112. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23788122.

Mohun, Arwen P. “Designed for Thrills and Safety: Amusement Parks and the Commodification of Risk, 1880-1929.” Journal of Design History, vol. 14, no. 4, 2001, pp. 291–306. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3527258.

Shaw, Douglas V. “MAKING LEISURE PAY: STREET RAILWAY OWNED AMUSEMENT PARKS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1900-1925.” Journal of Cultural Economics, vol. 10, no. 2, 1986, pp. 67–79. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41811105.

New-York tribune. (New York [N.Y.]), 11 Sept. 1910. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1910-09-11/ed-1/seq-20/>