At the foot of Brooklyn lies a tiny spit of land that at the turn of the century became the most extravagant place in the country. This spit of land is known as Coney Island. Coney Island was unlike anything one had ever seen in variety, inventiveness and in size. In 1904, one man said, "Coney is the most bewilderingly up to date place of amusement in the world." This extraordinary amusement empire astonished, delighted and shocked the nation. There is no definitive derivation of the name Coney Island. Some trace the origin back to the surname of early Dutch settlers in the areas. " An 1816 treatise ascribes the name "Conyn", a Dutch surname. Another claim is that the Dutch named the area "Konijn", Dutch for "rabbit", because of a large population of wild rabbits in the area. The name "Konijn" was later corrupted by English settlers to "Coney". A 1924 manuscript ascribes the name to an Indian tribe called the "Konoh" or the Bear tribe. The "Konoh" once inhabited the area until killed."
             Coney Island was a spit of land that no one really went to. Until 1828, it was used still by Indian tribes and wildlife. In 1829, Coney Island House's opened and this marked the beginning of Coney Island's status as a seaside resort. Then in 1845, Samuel Colt erected a telegraph tower. This helped Coney Island become more inhabited because now people were able to get in touch with others. Since Coney Island
             was seen as a seaside resort many wealth and corrupted people went there. By corrupted I mean that in the 1860s, Mike "Thunderbolt" Norton opened a hotel at
             Norton's point, on the eastern end of Coney Island. This hotel was known as a haven for corrupt and rich clientele to go and do business. Drugs, prostitution and gambling were among the long list of things that went on there. On the site today lays the aba...