Roller Coasters: 125 Years of Thrills

Posted by NG Kids in News Bites on June 26, 2009
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Photograph courtesy Garry Whipple

Roller coasters have gone through a lot of twists and turns over the past 125 years. In 1884, Coney Island’s roller coaster, the Switchback Railway, cost only a nickel to ride, but it was a huge attraction that made its designer, LaMarcus A. Thompson a very wealthy man. Thompson received the patent for his design in 1885 and inspired a coaster race that continues today.

The Corkscrew (pictured) was the first roller coaster with two loops and opened at California’s Knott’s Berry Farm in 1975, but has since been moved to Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho.

See pictures of roller coasters on National Geographic News.

Piece together Fair Rides puzzles.

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Categories: People

Comments

  1. jojothedodo
    June 27, 2009, 12:15 pm

    wow i do not know how people really ride roller coasters like that!!!!!!!!!
    how high does it go? what is the biggest drop?!!!!!!
    my mom and sister just rode super man a six flags and the biggest drop is 20 feet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    i can not belive they did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    jorydyn

  2. PurpleAnimalLUV
    September 22, 2009, 4:11 pm

    I LOVE rollercoaters but I can’t stand going upside down! When I went to Great Adventure NJ, I went on some crazy rides! Try Nitro and El Toro! Nitro’s got a 214 foot straight down drop! El Toro’s the fastest wooden roller coaster in the U.S., it was so fast my hair tie and clip flew out of my hair! Seriously though, anything that doesn’t go upside down, I’m in! (If you also want to go backwards you should go on Mt. Everest in WDW. I went on that too!)

  3. wildcat
    October 7, 2009, 4:19 pm

    Wildcat at Lake Compounce in CT is GREAT!!! It is great–I loved it! If you are afraid of heights, try kiddy coaster first. Then, try Wildcat, but it’s MUCH much steeper than kiddy coaster. Then, try the curving steep drop Boulderdash. Has anyone out there been to Lake Compounce? If you get a chance, eat at the Crockpot when you’re there–it is great, and so is the mac&cheese.

    –Wildcat

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