Steeplechase Park

Steeplechase Park is a public park on the Coney Island Boardwalk between West 16th and West 19th Streets, built on the site of the legendary Steeplechase Park amusement park that operated from 1897 to 1964. The name Steeplechase referred to the park's signature ride, a mechanical horse race that thrilled visitors for nearly seven decades.

George C. Tilyou opened the original Steeplechase Park in 1897, and it became one of the three great amusement parks (alongside Luna Park and Dreamland) that made Coney Island the entertainment capital of the world. The park's motto, 'The Funny Place,' and its grinning face logo became iconic symbols of American popular culture.

After the amusement park closed in 1964, developer Fred Trump (father of Donald Trump) purchased the site and controversially demolished the remaining structures. The site remained undeveloped for decades before being converted into public parkland.

Today Steeplechase Park features a playground, open lawns, beach access, and boardwalk frontage. The park provides public recreation space in the heart of Coney Island's amusement zone, complementing the modern Luna Park and the beach with green space for quieter activities.

Steeplechase Park preserves the name of one of America's great lost amusement parks, connecting modern visitors to the golden age of Coney Island when a day at Steeplechase was the quintessential New York summer experience.