The Annual Trip to Coney Island

In 1906, the Raritan Fire Department ran it’s 17th annual excursion to “The Coney Island Amusement Park”. All local residents were invited. Round trip train fare was $1.50 for adults and $1.00 for kids under 12. In 1906, Coney Island was the king of all amusements parks in the country.

It was located on Long Island, 9 miles from Manhattan. It drew hundreds of thousands of visitors daily during the summer months. It contained three large amusement areas, hotels, restaurants, and public swimming areas. At night the park was lit up by more than a million light bulbs, this was a spectacular site in an era were electricity was new.

Due to it’s affordability, the Park attracted all classes of people. The rides were affordable – especially one special of 25 rides for 25 cents. This annual trip was one of the highlights of the year for the residents of Raritan.