On this day in ...... 1884, the United States' 1st roller coaster (right) began to "hurtl[e] passengers down an undulating 600-foot-long track at speeds of up to a blistering 6 mph" at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. (image credit) "Known as a switchback railway, it was the brainchild of LaMarcus Thompson, ... cost a nickel to ride." Within decades hundreds of roller coasters could be found at amusement parks around the country.
(Prior June 16 posts are here, here, and here.)
