New Cincinnati's Coney Island historical book

I had been tipped off over a year ago by a good friend in the industry that Charles Jacques Jr., the terrific historical park fan that completed books on Kennywood and Hersheypark, was working on a new slew of books that would be of great interest to me.

This first, now released, details Cincinnati's Coney Island. This book is, without a doubt, the BEST amusement park/rollercoaster book I have seen to date. When I bought the Kennywood memories book a few years back, I fell in love with it. I could only dream that Cincinnati's Coney and eventually Kings Island would get the same treatment.

Well now it has! "Cincinnati's Coney Island" by Charles Jaques Jr. is a wonderful 234 page, soft back tribute chock full of historical photos and info of the long lost days of the park. Included are such wonderful gems ranging from a pic of the actual check Walt Disney gave the park (a cool $.79 for when he visited the immensely popular park to gain ideas for his then conceptual Disneyland) to a photo of the flooded park that was responsible, in part, for the conception of Kings Island.

For so long I have been absolutely fascinated by the incredible amusement park history of the Cincinnati area. I envision hours of lost sleep in the future as I read and re-read this book.

But the best is yet to come. To quote MR. Jacque's preface...

"Coney Island is the first in a three-book series on Cincinnati's amusement parks. The second will be on Kings Island, also known as Paramount's Kings Island, which will include a section on Coney Island emphasizing how Kings Island grew out of Coney. There will be approximately 75 photographs of Coney in the Kings Island book that do not appear in this book. The final book will be on Middletown's Americana Park, (formerly LeSourdesville Lake Park,) and Fantasy Farm. "

The book retails for around $36.95, but in my opinion is worth much more. So Ohio park fans....run, don't walk to your bookstore and get it.

Shaggy

*** This post was edited by Shaggy on 10/5/2002. ***

Charles J. Jaques Jr. is the best author of amusment parks. He has a young kid inside of him which lets him write about the parks with such enthusiasm. Its amazing how he never rode a roller coaster until he was 30 years old. I have both of the kennywood books, goodbye west view park, and hershey park books. I think he has a cedar point book out to, im planning on buying it the next time i go there.

I also hoghly recoomend the Jacques book on Cincinnati's Coney Island. It is an excellent read, with lots of great photos. I look forward to the other two books in the set.

BTW: I like how they said in 1971 "Coney would never be used as an amusement park again", and then the book shows how slowly but surely they have build themselves a nice little park. Its the Energizer Bunny, its the park that refused to be bulldozed over and forgotten about.

David "Able to get autographed copy" Bowers

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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville

A little off topic, does anyone know if Amusement Park Books is still in buisiness? They made the two Euclid Beach books, the one on Luna Park in Cleveland, and Conneaut Lake Park.

Thanks!

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My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com
The World of Thrills

I plan on getting all three. When will the other volumes be available? Has he done or been involved in any video documentaries? Is there a chance there might be ones done on the Cincinnati parks?

Mr Jacques was involved with the Pittsburgh special on Kennywood, but hasn't done any other shows or specials to my knowledge.

The Coney book has just come out. Usually there is a pretty sizable gap of time between books because one book's proceeds often covers the subsequent cost of follow-ups. I would not expect the KI book for another year or two.

If you are interested in Coney shows, look for the Coney Island video sold at the park as well as shown on PBS from time to time. It is narrated by Nick Clooney, George's Dad.

Shaggy

Actually there are TWO videos on Cincinnati's Coney Island available, there is the more common "Goodbye Coney Island" which is available at the park gift shop and the Cincinnati Museum Center, there is also a PBS special that runs every now and then "Relive The Magic"

Both do an excellent job.

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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville

Charles was involved with the Hershey Park special done by the PBS station in the Hershey area. They used his book as a guide line for the production, although he personelly wasn't featured in the video.

I am all for books on Lesourdsville and Coney Island, but PKI doesn't deserve to be treated as an historic park like Lesourdsville, Kennywood, Hersheypark and Coney. Maybe in 50 years, PKI will deserve such a book. I would much rather see a book on the lesser know Cincinnati area parks like Ludlow Lagoon and Chester Park. There could even be a chapter about Strickers Grove-the neatest park in Americay!

The problem is, those books would be about 2 pages long.

Shaggy

Did anybody read the book "Goodbye, Coney Island"? It seemed more like a children's book to me. Neat pics though.

I picked up a copy of "Goodbye" at a used book store. Dissapointed by the lack of text but I suppose it is a neat "arty" tribute to the old park. The pictures were interesting.

Myra: Does it matter if the park is historic or not? Anyway Kings Island's history is intertwined with Coney Island so a book on KI makes a fine follow-up to the Coney book.

While we're on the subject of books. There is a book out that focuses on parks in the Toledo Area. I belive the title is "Remembering Toledo's Amusement Parks" by John Hayek. has anybody seen it?

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I started out with nothing and still have most of it left.

Don`t go to Coney Island soon looking to find a copy of any documentary tape on Coney. This past weekend was the last weekend the rides and park was open Today I turned in my uniform and they were moving all the stuff out of the gift shop. They already had taken all the bumper boats out and all the cars off of the Ferris Wheel.

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Coney Island (Cincinnati) ride operator