A trip to the Moon
It’s back to childhood at Coney Island Luna Park, an amusement park located on the small peninsula south of Brooklyn in New York City.
In 1901, at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, an attraction called “A trip to the moon” inspired by Jules Verne’s book “From the Earth to the Moon” was unveiled and was a mock spaceship headed for the moon. The attraction was created by Frederic Thompson and Elmer Dundy, who decided to name this spacecraft “Luna” (the Latin name for moon) inspired by the name of Dundy’s sister named Luna.
This attraction was later brought to Coney Island in the amusement park opened in 1903, which was given the very name of the attraction.
Hence the name “LUNA PARK” which has since become synonymous with amusement parks around the world over the years. Luna Park was operational until 1944 when, destroyed by fire, it was abandoned for two years and then demolished until 2010 when it was again reopened.
Coney island beach and its Luna Park attract thousands of visitors every year: there is a quiet atmosphere here compared to the albeit fascinating – but hectic – life of New York City!
