ful ▁and ▁instead ▁opened ▁up ▁a ▁pleasure ▁ride ▁of ▁flying ▁carri ages ▁that ▁revol ved ▁around ▁a ▁central ▁p yl on . ▁Other ▁r ides ▁included ▁the ▁' G rot to ' ▁( a ▁fant asy ▁ride ), ▁' R iver ▁C aves ' ▁( a ▁scen ic ▁railway ), ▁water ▁ch utes ▁and ▁a ▁to b og anning ▁tower . ▁ ▁Fire ▁was ▁a ▁constant ▁threat ▁in ▁those ▁days , ▁as ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁construction ▁within ▁the ▁am usement ▁par ks ▁of ▁the ▁era ▁was ▁wooden . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁Dream land ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁C oney ▁Island ▁am usement ▁park ▁to ▁completely ▁burn ▁down ; ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁L una ▁Park ▁also ▁burn ed ▁to ▁the ▁ground . ▁Most ▁of ▁In gers oll ' s ▁L una ▁Park s ▁were ▁similarly ▁destroyed , ▁usually ▁by ▁ar son , ▁before ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁Golden ▁Age ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁G ild ed ▁Age , ▁many ▁Americans ▁began ▁working ▁fewer ▁hours ▁and ▁had ▁more ▁dispos able ▁income . ▁With ▁new - found ▁money ▁and ▁time ▁to ▁spend ▁on ▁le is ure ▁activities , ▁Americans ▁sought ▁new ▁ven ues ▁for ▁entertain ment . ▁Am usement ▁par ks , ▁set ▁up ▁outside ▁major ▁cities ▁and ▁in ▁rural ▁areas , ▁emer ged ▁to ▁meet ▁this ▁new ▁economic ▁opportunity . ▁These ▁par ks ▁served ▁as ▁source ▁of ▁fant asy ▁and ▁escape ▁from ▁real ▁life . ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 0