The Parachute Jump: The Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn
Why is it significant?
Tilt your head all the way back and gaze up at the colossal red steel lattice structure rising two hundred and fifty feet into the ocean sky: the historic Parachute Jump, affectionately christened the Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn.
Key Facts
| Place | The Parachute Jump: The Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn |
|---|---|
| Address | Riegelmann Boardwalk & W 19th St, Brooklyn, NY 11224, USA |
| Geo Coordinates | 40.57300, -73.98440 |
| Part of Walk | New York: Coney Island Boardwalk and Vintage Amusements |
| Generated | Generated |
Tilt your head all the way back and gaze up at the colossal red steel lattice structure rising two hundred and fifty feet into the ocean sky: the historic Parachute Jump, affectionately christened the Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn. Originally built for the 1939 New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadows by the Life Savers candy company, this monumental thrill ride was relocated to Coney Island's Steeplechase Park in 1941, instantly becoming the visual symbol of the American amusement park.
The ride was an engineering marvel adapted from military parachute training systems. Twelve cantilevered steel arms radiate outward from the top of the hexagonal tower, from which two-person canvas parachutes were suspended by steel guide cables. Courageous riders were strapped into simple tandem harness seats, hoisted two hundred and fifty feet into the air, and dropped into a thrilling freefall before shock-absorbing wire cables and air brakes gently deposited them back onto the wooden landing platform. The monumental red tower stands as a proud sentinel over the Atlantic beaches, evoking fond nostalgic memories of heart-stopping seaside romance and the audacious engineering triumphs of twentieth-century American amusements.
The ride operated until 1964, providing unforgettable romantic thrills for millions of couples. During World War II, the tower was painted in camouflage to prevent it from serving as a navigation marker for German U-boats prowling off the Atlantic coast. Today, although the ride mechanism is decommissioned, eight thousand computerized LED lights illuminate the steel framework each evening, casting dazzling animations across the beach.
Stand directly beneath the hexagonal base and listen to the Atlantic wind whistling through the red girders, an eternal seaside music heard for over eight decades.
Walk south onto the wide wooden planks of Steeplechase Pier, extending a thousand feet into the rolling Atlantic surf.