Hello again Juan. There aren't that many people who remember the roller coaster at Steeplechase Park. In fact, there are fewer and fewer people who remember the park itself. Too bad. It was a great place, and a lot of fun.
I believe the Parachute Jump has been declared a National Landmark so they can't tear it down even though it doesn't work anymore.
BTW, I never rode it. I was terrified. I would wait at the bottom while my best friend Danny rode it...always waving his arms to show he wasn't holding on.
We had lockers at nearby Washington Baths. Do you remember that one?
I'm glad that you like it. Thanks for sharing, and taking the time in my neighborhood. I feel pretty nostaligic about the Brooklyn I grew up in, so I'm labeling a series "My Brooklyn" to differentiate it from other pictures of Brooklyn I've taken and posted.
When taking the train as a kid from Lower Manhattan to either Coney or Brighton, the parachute jump appearing on the horizon was always the sign that we were almost there - sort of. At the risk of dating myself :0, I remember it when it was still in use although I can't say that I ever had an interest in trying it out! (Even my father, who had a collection of his own urban legends about growing up on the LES - swimming in the East River was one - never claimed to have ridden the thing.)
Hi LuciaM. As a kid, my friend Danny and I swam at a beach club called Washington Baths, about two blocks further west than Steeplechase Park where the Parachute Jump was lcoated.
It was the only ride in Steeplechase Park that you could enter without park admission (meaning you could enter and pay for the Parachute Jump without having paid admission to the park).
Danny loved the ride, and I can still see him waving his arms as he was slowly pulled skyward.
I admit to waiting at the bottom for him to return. No desire whatsoever to join him.
My dad (who has passed) has the most beautiful motion picture of the this parachute jump. Its absolutely beautiful. He has it in slow motion and in all its glory,
I also spent many a day at Washington Baths. My grandfather owned the hot dog stand that was on the beach right next to Washington baths. His name was also Nathan. But he wasn't the famous Nathans. I'm talking the 50's
Greetings belinda, aren't we all talking the fifties. When you say "on the beach next to Washington Baths," do you mean on the boardwalk or literally on the beach. I can't say I remember a hot dog stand on the beach itself, and it certainly wasn't under the boardwalk where you exited the baths with your little ultraviolet stamp to swim in the ocean...
i mean on the beach itself. yes i mean the fifties. it was next to washington baths. because you could enter to washington baths from my grandfathers stand. I believe it was on 20th street but on the beach itself. I remember having to walk down a steep walkway to get to my grandfathers stand and we could see the pool from the street.
That's wild. I remember the pool, and I remember walk straight back (probably down and back) to a dark passageway the led out under the boardwalk. Before your feet hit the sand, however, you had to get the ultraviolet stamp...now that I think of it, it was something they wrote on your shoulder with a crayon.
From what you're saying there must have been two exits to the beach.
i believe we're talking the same thing not a different entrance. I remember the turnstile and a dark passageway with the ultraviolet stamp.... I'm now 55. I was young when I lived there. Did you go to Lincoln High school? MY mom and all her sisters and brothers went there.
i remember the lockers and all these fat old naked ladies. they would take all there clothes and shower. I was young and thought it was all so horrible. ha ha ha
Comments
Hank Waxman, on April 7, 2008, said:
Hello again Juan. There aren't that many people who remember the roller coaster at Steeplechase Park. In fact, there are fewer and fewer people who remember the park itself. Too bad. It was a great place, and a lot of fun.
I believe the Parachute Jump has been declared a National Landmark so they can't tear it down even though it doesn't work anymore.
BTW, I never rode it. I was terrified. I would wait at the bottom while my best friend Danny rode it...always waving his arms to show he wasn't holding on.
We had lockers at nearby Washington Baths. Do you remember that one?
Hank
Hank Waxman, on April 8, 2008, said:
I'm glad that you like it. Thanks for sharing, and taking the time in my neighborhood. I feel pretty nostaligic about the Brooklyn I grew up in, so I'm labeling a series "My Brooklyn" to differentiate it from other pictures of Brooklyn I've taken and posted.
Best regards,
Hank
Hank Waxman, on April 9, 2008, said:
Thanks Juan, I'll try not to disappoint. It will be a while though as I am recovering from a broken bone in my foot.
I'll be back.
Hank
LuciaM, on October 22, 2008, said:
When taking the train as a kid from Lower Manhattan to either Coney or Brighton, the parachute jump appearing on the horizon was always the sign that we were almost there - sort of. At the risk of dating myself :0, I remember it when it was still in use although I can't say that I ever had an interest in trying it out! (Even my father, who had a collection of his own urban legends about growing up on the LES - swimming in the East River was one - never claimed to have ridden the thing.)
Hank Waxman, on October 23, 2008, said:
Hi LuciaM. As a kid, my friend Danny and I swam at a beach club called Washington Baths, about two blocks further west than Steeplechase Park where the Parachute Jump was lcoated.
It was the only ride in Steeplechase Park that you could enter without park admission (meaning you could enter and pay for the Parachute Jump without having paid admission to the park).
Danny loved the ride, and I can still see him waving his arms as he was slowly pulled skyward.
I admit to waiting at the bottom for him to return. No desire whatsoever to join him.
Hank
belinda becerra, on April 28, 2009, said:
My dad (who has passed) has the most beautiful motion picture of the this parachute jump. Its absolutely beautiful. He has it in slow motion and in all its glory,
belinda becerra, on April 28, 2009, said:
Hi Hank,
I also spent many a day at Washington Baths. My grandfather owned the hot dog stand that was on the beach right next to Washington baths. His name was also Nathan. But he wasn't the famous Nathans. I'm talking the 50's
Hank Waxman, on April 29, 2009, said:
Greetings belinda, aren't we all talking the fifties. When you say "on the beach next to Washington Baths," do you mean on the boardwalk or literally on the beach. I can't say I remember a hot dog stand on the beach itself, and it certainly wasn't under the boardwalk where you exited the baths with your little ultraviolet stamp to swim in the ocean...
Best regards,
Hank
belinda becerra, on April 30, 2009, said:
i mean on the beach itself. yes i mean the fifties. it was next to washington baths. because you could enter to washington baths from my grandfathers stand. I believe it was on 20th street but on the beach itself. I remember having to walk down a steep walkway to get to my grandfathers stand and we could see the pool from the street.
Hank Waxman, on April 30, 2009, said:
That's wild. I remember the pool, and I remember walk straight back (probably down and back) to a dark passageway the led out under the boardwalk. Before your feet hit the sand, however, you had to get the ultraviolet stamp...now that I think of it, it was something they wrote on your shoulder with a crayon.
From what you're saying there must have been two exits to the beach.
belinda becerra, on April 30, 2009, said:
i believe we're talking the same thing not a different entrance. I remember the turnstile and a dark passageway with the ultraviolet stamp.... I'm now 55. I was young when I lived there. Did you go to Lincoln High school? MY mom and all her sisters and brothers went there.
belinda becerra, on April 30, 2009, said:
can i get your email address??? or something instead of this big online blog
belinda becerra, on April 30, 2009, said:
i remember the lockers and all these fat old naked ladies. they would take all there clothes and shower. I was young and thought it was all so horrible. ha ha ha
Hank Waxman, on May 1, 2009, said:
It was no different on the men's side...and the sun worshipers up on the solarium. Where am I pulling these memories from?
Cheers,
Hank
belinda becerra, on May 1, 2009, said:
oh yeah the sun worshippers.....yeah i remember that. oh my gosh. memories uh???? how funny.