This Day in History: , First Roller Coaster in America Opens.
June 16, 1884.
The "switchback railway" opened at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York.
For the price of a nickel, patrons could experience the six-mile-an-hour ride.
The roller coaster at Coney Island was designed by LaMarcus Thompson.
It was an instant success.
By the turn of the 20th century, it had inspired hundreds of other roller coasters, all across the country.
Such forms of entertainment declined during the Great Depression.
But they saw a major resurgence after World War II.
Today, the fastest roller coaster in the world is the 150mph Formula Rossa in the United Arab Emirates