Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Saturday, April 1
    Trending
    • This Day in History on April 1st
    • This Day in History on March 31st
    • Animated Map of the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine (through March 30th, 2023)
    • This Day in History on March 30th
    • Heroic Police Officers Neutralize Mentally Ill Woman Attacking Children
    • This Day in History on March 29th
    • Who Has Declared Their Candidacy for US President in 2024 So Far?
    • This Day in History on March 28th
    History and Headlines
    • Arts & Entertainment
      • Cinema & TV
      • Games
      • Literature
      • Music
      • Sports
      • Video Games
    • Bizarre Bulletin
      • Misconceptions
      • The Bizarre
      • The Paranormal
      • The Unexplained
    • Lifestyle
      • Animals/Pets
      • Fashion
      • Food
      • Health/Medicine
      • Home Improvement
      • Horoscopes
      • Travel
    • Science & Tech
      • Inventions
      • Nature
      • Vehicles
    • Society
      • Business and Economics
      • Crime
      • Military
      • Politics
      • Religion
      • Society
    • About
      • Welcome to Our Site!
      • This Day in History
      • Table of Contents: A History of the World
      • Online History Textbooks
      • A Guide to Some of Our Favorite Scholars and Educators
      • Advance Screenings and Movie Reviews Archive
      • Schedule of Video Adaptations of Our Articles
    • Friends
      • Armchair History TV
      • Fact Fiend
      • RealClearHistory
      • Simply Charly
      • TopTenz
      • ​Unique Interpretations
    History and Headlines
    You are at:Home»January»January 20»January 20, 1885: Scream! Roller Coaster Patented!
    January 20

    January 20, 1885: Scream! Roller Coaster Patented!

    Major DanBy Major DanJanuary 20, 2014Updated:January 18, 202053 Comments4 Mins Read
    Email Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit Telegram Tumblr Twitter VKontakte WhatsApp
    LaMarcus A. Thompson

    A Brief History

    On January 20, 1885, LaMarcus A. Thompson patented his version of the modern roller coaster, the Switchback Railway, which became the first roller coaster at Coney Island in New York!

    Digging Deeper

    Digging deeper, we find that versions of the roller coaster had existed earlier, but this patent was the big step toward what has been the premier attraction at amusement parks for well over 100 years now.

    Thompson’s Switchback Railway 1884

    Obviously, starting long ago, people got thrills going downhill quickly.  Sleds on winter slopes and wheeled vehicles racing down a road courtesy of gravity were not purpose-built thrills but more of an accidental joyride sometimes repeated for the enjoyment received.

    When wheeled carts riding on tracks began to be used, especially in mining with the purpose of moving dirt, coal or ore, the rush of quickly rolling downhill began to attract riders for the thrill, which in turn evolved into tracks being laid on hills or on trestles made for the specific purpose of amusement.

    The Promenades-Aeriennes in Paris (1817).

    Starting perhaps 250 years ago, the Russians created artificially-enhanced hills, sometimes on trestles (artificial hills of wood framework) covered in snow and ice, something we would know as toboggan chutes.  These so-called “Russian Mountains,” allegedly called “American Mountains” in Russia, were replicated in other parts of Europe as well.

    Thompson took things a step further and created the modern roller coaster layout consisting of a series of cars completing an entire circuit, ending up back where they started.  As this thrill ride became widespread, improvements were made, especially by adding tunnels and painted scenery.

    LaMarcus Adna Thompson

    Today we have an enormous variety of “coasters,” some on wooden trestles, some with metal framework, some with loops (very thrilling!) and some with no “cars” at all, but rather with arrangements where thrill seekers are suspended in rigid harnesses or in individually suspended seats.  The “Wild Mouse” type of coaster puts riders in single cars rather than in a “train” and features terrifying hairpin turns.

    The competition between amusement parks to have the tallest, longest, fastest, scariest roller coasters has resulted in continual increases in all the criteria that go into each new design as each park “one ups” the other.

    Millennium Force at Cedar Point, the first roller coaster to exceed 300 feet (91 m) in height and the first to use an elevator cable lift.

    Despite continuous improvement, coaster accidents still sometimes cost lives, which only adds to the attraction and the feeling of having cheated death.  The gruesome stories of decapitations, torn-off limbs, long falls from great height, etc. are part of the mystique!  Fortunately, such incidents have lead to lawsuits and public demand on legislators to pass stricter rules and regulations governing the design and operation of roller coasters, making them fairly safe!

    Question for students (and subscribers): If you have one, what and where is your favorite roller coaster?  Please let us know in the comment section below this article and please remember to keep those hands and feet inside the car and do not stand up!

    The Bowtie element on Dragon Mountain at Marineland of Canada near Niagara Falls, Ontario, in Canada.  Photograph by Hey310.

    If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!

    Your readership is much appreciated!

    Historical Evidence

    For more information on the history of roller coasters, please see…

    Bennett, David.  Roller Coaster: Wooden and Steel Coasters, Twisters and Corkscrews.  Chartwell Books, 1998.

    Francis, David W. and Diane Demali Francis.  Golden Age of Roller Coasters in Vintage Postcards, The (Postcard History).  Arcadia Publishing, 2003.

    You may also enjoy the following documentary:

    History – Modern Marvels: Roller Coasters: Search For Ultimate Thrill.  A&E Television Networks, 2009.  DVD.

    And you know you secretly wish the following were real…

    The featured image in this article, LaMarcus Thompson’s Switchback Railway (1884), is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70 years or less.

    You can also watch a video version of this article on YouTube:

    Share. Email Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit Telegram Twitter Tumblr
    Previous ArticleJanuary 19, 1913: Haunted Hotel Burns! January 19, 1978: Haunted Hotel Burns Again!
    Next Article January 21, 1977: Jimmy Carter Pardons Draft Dodgers!
    Major Dan

    Major Dan is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.

    Related Posts

    This Day in History on January 20th

    January 20, 2023

    History Short: Who Was the Greatest Baseball Hitter of All Time?

    January 20, 2023

    Happy Halloween: A Brief Look at Halloween Over the Years

    October 31, 2020
    Follow Us!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Patreon
    Sign Up For Our Newsletter!
    Most Recent

    This Day in History on April 1st

    April 1, 2023

    This Day in History on March 31st

    March 31, 2023

    Animated Map of the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine (through March 30th, 2023)

    March 30, 2023

    This Day in History on March 30th

    March 30, 2023

    Heroic Police Officers Neutralize Mentally Ill Woman Attacking Children

    March 30, 2023
    This Day in History Video

    Advertisements




    Amazon Affiliate Disclosure Statement

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases via links in the “Historical Evidence” sections of articles.

    About HistoryAndHeadlines.com

    Thanks for visiting History and Headlines!  This site exists primarily for educational purposes and is intended as a resource for Dr. Zar’s students.  Articles are mostly written by either Dr. Zar or his dad (Major Dan).  To any guest readers, please keep that in mind when commenting on articles.   Thank you!

    We try to present our students with historical topics that are both diverse and a bit out of the ordinary.  Our motto is “We try until we succeed!”

    Contact us at admin@historyandheadlines.com

    Guidelines and Policies for Images used on This Site, as well as for Guest and Sponsored Articles, and Other Terms of Use

    Privacy Statement

    © 2023 History and Headlines

    All-Time Most Commented

    July 28, 1866: 18 Year Old Girl Wins Commission to Sculpt Statue of Lincoln (A Truly Great American Woman)

    July 28, 2014

    December 24, 1865: Birth of the Ku Klux Klan

    December 24, 2015

    December 25, 1868: President Johnson Pardons all Confederate Veterans

    December 25, 2015

    February 5, 1909: First Plastic Invented was called Bakelite!

    February 5, 2014

    November 23, 1876: “Boss” Tweed Turned Over to Authorities

    November 23, 2013
    Recommended Book
    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

    You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

    History and Headlines
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.