One of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world is riding roller coasters. Sometimes, people will wait for hours to experience an old classic or the newest thrilling ride.
People ride and enjoy roller coasters for a variety of reasons: they like the speed, the perceived danger, and, like a small child riding a wagon too quickly on a curved sidewalk, they enjoy being afraid.
Strangely enough, the roller coaster was invented primarily for none of these reasons. Immorality served as the driving force behind the creation of the roller coaster in the late 1800s.
LaMarcus Adna Thompson was searching for a past time that would attract Americans away from the taverns, gambling and dancing halls, and brothels that were growing more and more popular as the country grew more and more prosperous after the Civil War. She believed that America was both creating and rushing into a den of iniquity.
Thompson, who moved to Elkhart, Indiana, after being born in Ohio, invented a machine that makes seamless women’s stockings and other hosiery. Thompson became wealthy thanks to this company and his patent. Because of his poor health, he retired early and received money from his patent.
Like many other Americans of the era, Thompson was a devout religious man who worried that the nation’s emerging affluent and urban culture was unquestionably harmful. He desired to take action in this regard.
Thompson was inspired by something entirely unrelated to women’s underwear while on a leisurely trip through the tranquil Pennsylvanian hills.
Thompson saw individuals enjoying themselves on an abandoned mining railway in the peculiarly named town of Mauch Chunk in the state’s east.
The purpose of the Mauch Chunk railway was to move coal from the surrounding Lehigh River docks to Bethlehem’s steel mills.
As the area’s coal mines started to disappear, the railway was transformed into a vacation destination. Coal carts were pulled up nearby Mt. Pisgah by mules on the nine-mile railway in the early 1800s.
The railway was extended to about eighteen miles later in the 19th century, and a steam engine took the place of the mules. But the majority of the track was a gravity-assisted switchback.
Remember, these were the days before cars and airplanes, when nothing made by humans moved as quickly as the cars as they rolled down the track. At times, the cars’ speeds were much faster than those of a train or a running horse.
The railway was an exciting attraction for tourists who came to the hills around Mauch Chunk. There was a 600-plus foot “drop” at the end, more of a slope, but nothing like it at the time, which is why some people called it “harrowing.” By the time LaMarcus Thompson visited, tourists paid one dollar (not cheap for the time) for a ride on the railway, which took 80 minutes to complete.
Thompson got the idea from this. He sketched out designs for a scale model of the switchback railway he had witnessed.
The “train” cars themselves and a ratchet mechanism to stop the trains from rolling backward were two features he had observed in Pennsylvania. He created the well-known wooden frame structure and received a patent for it.
In the spring of 1884, Coney Island, New York, saw the construction of the first Thompson “roller coaster.” Originally developed as a resort in the early 1800s, Coney Island boasted theaters, a racetrack, restaurants, and, much to the chagrin of those who held differing opinions from Thompson, a large number of taverns and bordellos by the time the Civil War ended.
These “Houses of Pleasure” were illegal, but as long as everything was kept appropriately covert and organized, most people accepted them with a knowing wink.
It was for this reason that Thompson selected Coney Island.
He believed that his “Switchback Railway” would keep people out of the bars and brothels, into the open air, and with their families.
A nickel was the cost of a ticket. The maximum speed is a matter of some dispute, but it was not more than ten miles per hour. Ten miles an hour was fast, again, except in the case of a closed-in train and a horse, both of which very few people in Coney Island had ever ridden.
Bicycle ownership was not common at the time, and neither were cars or airplanes. Thompson’s original ride measured six hundred feet in length and fifty feet in elevation.
The cars began at the top and descended the whole length of the track, passing through a few small dips.
The riders reached the other end, where gravity propelled them up a second hill and back to the beginning. There would be two train cars running at the same time.
Thompson was earning about six hundred dollars a day in three weeks, which is fifteen thousand dollars a day today! Thompson quickly began to make advancements and patent them. Others soon began building their own switchback railroads.
They became well-liked since many of them accelerated the pace. Speed was progressively increased by Thompson’s amusements, which he started to construct across the nation, but he concentrated on adding novelty features like lights, tunnels, artificial mountains, “scenery” beside the track, etc.
Thompson’s original rides are directly related to Disney World’s well-known Space Mountain ride, which features flashing lights and dark tunnels.
In the late 1880s, a type of winter ride that featured a toboggan on rollers that was pulled to the top of a snowy hill, akin to Thompson’s railway, gave rise to the popular term “roller coaster.”
As a matter of fact, Thompson did not create the roller coaster. Before Thompson’s ride, similar gravity rides had briefly been available in France, but they never really took off and quickly vanished.
Thompson accumulated significant wealth by the time of his death in 1919, at the age of 71. Though nearly everyone was having the time of their lives while riding his rides, Thompson’s rides never quite took the place of bars and bordellos.
Poto And Cabengo: The Secret Language Of Twins
Poto and Cabengo, as the two girls called each other, communicated in their own language. The twins were ignored by their parents and secluded from the outside world because their father felt they were developmentally retarded, and their unique language evolved as a result of that neglect.
What exactly was the US's 'Ghost Army' during WWII?
During WW2, there was a special unit of men dubbed the ‘Ghost Army’. The unit was made of artists, creative and engineers and their job was to create deception about the enemy. From inflatable tanks to phony convoys to scripted conversations in bars intended to spread disinformation, they used all possible tricks to fool the enemy.
The Bizarre (And Magical) Duel Between Chung Ling Soo And Ching Ling Foo
Ching Ling Foo and Chung Ling Soo were two magicians from the early 20th century who were bitter rivals. While Ching Ling Foo was genuinely Chinese, Chung Ling Soo was actually a New Yorker named William Robinson.
How a Total Lunar Eclipse Saved Christopher Columbus in 1504
In 1504, Christopher Columbus was stranded in Jamaica with natives who refused to give him food. But he knew the date and time of an upcoming lunar eclipse. So he told the natives that his gods were angry at their treatment of him, and would provide a clear sign. Once the eclipse started, the natives raced to give him food and begged for mercy.
The touching story of David Vetter (bubble boy), the 'boy who lived in a bubble
David Vetter lived his whole 12 years in sterile “bubble”. He was “outside” for 20 second after being removed from his mother’s womb. He never touched any human.
Mario Segale, Developer Who Inspired Nintendo to Name Super Mario
Super Mario is named after real-life businessman Mario Segale, who was renting out a warehouse to Nintendo. After Nintendo fell far behind on rent, Segale did not evict them but gave them a second chance to come up with the money. Nintendo succeeded and named their main character after him.
The true story of Josephine Myrtle Corbin, the lady born with four legs and two private parts
Josephine Myrtle Corbin, an American sideshow performer born in 1868, had a rare condition known as dipygus, which caused her to have four legs, each smaller inner leg paired with one of her outer legs. Corbin joined the sideshow circuit, captivating audiences as the "Four-Legged Girl from Texas."
Did Gil Pérez Really Teleport from Manila to Mexico Overnight? The 1593 Mystery
On October 24, 1593, while performing his guard duties at Manila's Governor's Palace in the Philippines, Gil Perez stopped to lean against a wall and sleep for a while. He opened his eyes to find himself in an unusual environment. Gil was in the Plaza Mayor in Mexico City. They imprisoned Perez, but the authorities in Mexico City decided to release him and return him home.
Martin Couney, Saved Thousands of Premature Babies Wasn’t a Doctor at All
Martin Couney never qualified as a medical doctor. However, in the 1900s, he saved thousands of premature babies by exhibiting them in incubators at his Coney Island sideshow. Over the course of his career, he is said to have saved about 6,500 babies that had previously been written off by mainstream medicine.
The 1814 London beer flood
In 1814, there was a beer flood in London when a tank containing more than 300,000 gallons ruptured in which 8 people drowned.
Archaeologists Uncover 2,000-Year-Old Amazonian Cities Using Lidar Technology
Deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, archaeologists have uncovered an ancient network of urban settlements once inhabited by the Upano people about 2,000 years ago. Using cutting-edge lidar technology, these discoveries reveal a highly organized society featuring sophisticated agricultural systems, drainage canals, and extensive road networks. This transformative find challenges long-held assumptions about ancient Amazonian societies and sheds light on a complex civilization thriving in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
Before Radar: How Giant Acoustic Mirrors Detected Enemy Aircraft in WWI and WWII
Long before radar revolutionized air defense, enormous acoustic mirrors and specialized sound locators stood as the first line of defense against enemy aircraft. Designed as giant “ears,” these structures amplified distant engine noises, allowing operators to detect incoming planes by sound alone. Dive into the intriguing world of these pioneering listening devices, their operation, limitations, and enduring legacy in military history.
Albert Einstein’s brain after it was stolen from his body
Albert Einstein's brain was taken by the opportunistic pathologist who performed his autopsy hours after he died and kept in two jars for 30 years. The stolen brain of Albert Einstein was preserved in a cookie jar for 30 years until being discovered by a journalist.
Hedy Lamarr, A Hollywood actress who also a mathematician and inventor
Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr was also a mathematician and the inventor of frequency hopping spread spectrum, a technology still used for bluetooth and wifi
From Flapper to Fashion Week: How 1920s Style Still Shapes Modern Trends
The roaring 1920s revolutionized fashion, introducing bold styles, daring cuts, and a spirit of freedom that still inspires today’s wardrobes. From flapper dresses to statement accessories, here’s how the Jazz Age lives on in modern fashion.
Louis Le Prince Invented the motion picture camera, and then he mysteriously disappeared
Louis Le Prince, the inventor of motion pictures, vanished without a trace in 1890. Thomas Edison quickly claimed the title of "first and sole inventor of cinema," even taking Le Prince's son to court to dispute it. A few years later, the son also dies under mysterious circumstances.
Medals of Friendship: The Enduring Olympic Story of 1936
At the 1936 Summer Olympics, two Japanese pole vaulters named Sueo Oe and Shuhei Nishida tied for second, but they declined to compete against each other. As a result, Nishida was awarded the silver medal and Oe won a bronze medal. Upon returning to Japan, the athletes had their medals cut in half and spliced together to create new "friendship medals," which were half silver and half bronze.
New London School Explosion, Deadliest school disaster which killed almost 300 children and teachers
In 1937, a gas leak in the basement at the local school in New London, Texas caused a massive explosion which killed almost 300 children and teachers, the deadliest school disaster in US history. Adolf Hitler even sent his condolences by telegram.
Ea-Nasir: world's oldest written customer complaint
This clay tablet, written in cuneiform, is the oldest known written customer complaint about the delivery of poor quality copper ingots. Originally from ancient Babylon, the tablet dates back to 1750 BCE, and it was written by a customer named Nanni to a merchant named Ea-Nasir. It is currently housed in the British Museum.
The History Behind the “No One Dies Alone” Program
In 1986, while doing a night shift at the hospital, Sandra Clarke, a registered nurse, was asked by an elderly patient to stay. She promised to be back after checking on her other patients, but by the time she returned, the gentleman had passed away. Clarke became one of the key figures in launching No One Dies Alone, a program that allows volunteers to sit with terminal patients who have no one else.
Nearest Green, America's first known Black master distiller
Nathan "Nearest" Green was an African-American head stiller who is now more frequently referred to as a master distiller. He was renowned for imparting his distilling knowledge to Jack Daniel, the creator of Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey distiller, after Jack Daniel was freed from slavery following the American Civil War.
1972 Andes Plane Crash Survivor recall the terrifying Struggles to Stay Alive
On October 13, 1972, a plane carrying a rugby team from Uruguay crashed in the Andes between Chile and Argentina. The survivors were in brutal conditions - high altitude, bitter cold, and the lack of food—and faced the most terrible choice—eating the frozen flesh of their dead friends or starving to death themselves.
The Baltic Way: the longest unbroken human chain in history
On August 23, 1989, about 2 million people from Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania formed a human chain that united all 3 countries to show the world their desire to escape the Soviet Union and the communism that brought only suffering and poverty. This power stretched 600 km.
Xin Zhui And The Story Of The Stunningly Intact Lady Dai Mummy
A 2,000-year-old mummy of a Chinese woman, Xin Zhui, also known as “Lady Dai,” was preserved in 21 gallons of an “unknown liquid.” With her original hair, organs, eyebrows, and eyelashes intact, the mummy still has blood in her veins. Her skin and ligaments are soft and as flexible as that of a living person.
story of the youngest mother in the world at age of five - Lina Medina
Lina Medina, a five-year-old Peruvian girl, became the youngest mother in history in 1939 when she gave birth to a boy.
