Original vintage magazine article titled, NICKEL EMPIRE  by C.M. Black. Photos by Ifor Thomas.  Sensational article about Coney Island in 1940. A nickle went a long way on Surf Avenue!  Coney Island, Brooklyn was the noisiest, biggest and gaudiest amusement park in the world.  The boardwalk ran all the way from Sea Gate to Brighton Beach, a distance of 3 1/2 miles.  Between the boardwalk and the Bowery is the Wonder Wheel - the largest ferris wheel at that time.  Then you could go to Steeplechase, where a visitor could buy a 50 cent combination ticket for each member of his family, enter the gate and emerge 8 hours later without having to spend another cent.  Steeplechase is owned by the first family of Coney Island, the Tilyous.  It was build in 1898 by George C. Tilyou whose father, a French Huguenot, was one of the Islands earliest pioneers.  Luna Park, Coney Island's other big amusement center also fronts on Surf Avenue.  Color photographs of the boardwalk & beach at Coney Island, the giant Wonder Wheel, and roller coasters. Old 1940 Coney Island New York magazine article.  2 pages

Approximate size 10  x 13 inches.