ACE Roller Coaster Landmark, The Cyclone

ACE ROLLER COASTER

LANDMARK

 

The American Coaster Enthusiasts recognize Cyclone as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark, a designation reserved for rides of historic significance.

With a demand for new rides at Coney Island, businessmen Jack & Irving Rosenthal hired designer Vernon Keenan and builder Harry C. Baker to construct a dynamic new roller coaster near the former site of America's first coaster, the 1884 L.A. Thompson Switchback Railway. Opened on June 26, 1927, the 2,640-foot long, 85-foot high Cyclone was later described by Charles Lindbergh as more thrilling than flying.

Remodeled in 1937 by Christopher Feucht, the wood and steel twister was saved from demolition in 1974 by Astroland's founder, Dewey Albert. It has since been duplicated across the globe and has served as the backdrop for motion pictures, weddings, and world-record riding marathons. While it has weathered storms, rival competition, and the Great Depression, the Brooklyn Institution stands today as one of the last Golden Age roller coasters Designated a New York City Landmark in 1988 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, the Cyclone is acclaimed internationally and celebrated as one of the most famous roller coasters in the world.

Presented by the
American Coaster Enthusiasts

June 2002