LaMarcus Adna Thompson (March 8, 1848 – May 8, 1919) was an American inventor and businessman most famous for developing a variety of gravity rides and roller coasters.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011)
Thompson was born in Jersey, Licking County, Ohio on March 8, 1848. His parents were Adna Thompson (father), and Nancy D Thompson (mother). He had a brother named Olvid. In his adolescence he became a skilled carpenter. In 1873 he began operating a grocery store in Elkhart, Indiana. There he began designing a device to manufacture seamless hosiery. He made a fortune in that business, but failing health forced him to quit it.[1]
Father of the gravity ride and the roller coasteredit
Thompson's Switchback Railway 1884
Thompson is best known for his early work developing roller coasters and for inventing the scenic railway genre of rides. He is known as the "Father of the American Roller Coaster"[2] and is often also called the "Father of the Gravity Ride". Over his lifetime, Thompson accumulated nearly thirty patents related to roller coaster technologies. An example is the patent granted December 22, 1884 for the Gravity Switch-back Railway.[3] Thompson's work built upon an earlier patent for an "Inclined Plane Railway", filed in 1878 by Richard Knudson.[4]
Thompson's breakthrough ride was the "Gravity Switchback Railway", which opened at Coney Island in 1884. A (6 mph) ride cost 5 cents. In 1887, along with designer James A. Griffiths, he opened the Scenic Railway on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J. Thompson's scenic railway concept initially was intended to give riders a scenic view of the surrounding landscape; later, Thompson created elaborate painted backgrounds and scenes so that riders would feel like they were touring the Swiss Alps or other foreign landscapes.[2]
Thompson was managing director of the L. A. Thompson Scenic Railway Company, 220 West 42nd St., incorporated in 1895. Thompson's scenic railways were immensely popular during the first and second decade of the 1900s, and his company operated six major scenic railways at Coney Island alone during that time.[2] Dozens of scenic railways operated throughout the U.S. and in Europe. Eventually, the scenic railway was eclipsed by faster and more thrilling roller coaster rides made possible by improvements in roller coaster safety technology.[2]
Thompson died at his home, Thompson Park, Glen Cove, Long Island, on May 8, 1919, at age 71.
Referencesedit
^"L. A. Thompson Dead. Inventor of Scenic Railway Dies at His Home, Thompson Park". The New York Times. March 9, 1919. p. 20.
^ abcdDavid A. Sullivan. "LaMarcus Adna Thompson's Scenic Railways at Coney Island". heartofconeyisland.com. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
^"Google patents, US patent# 332762, GRAVITY SWITCH-BACK RAILWAY". Retrieved February 13, 2013.
^Frato, John (July 5, 2022). "Opening Day: First Roller Coaster in the USA June 16, 1884". Western Reserve Historical Society. from the original on May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
External linksedit
Coney Island History: Roller Coasters, Shows and Attractions (c. 1905) at Heart of Coney Island
– quotes multiple obits
UltimateRollerCoaster.com, Roller Coaster History
January 01, 1970
lamarcus, adna, thompson, march, 1848, 1919, american, inventor, businessman, most, famous, developing, variety, gravity, rides, roller, coasters, lamarcus, thompson, contents, early, years, father, gravity, ride, roller, coaster, references, external, linksea. LaMarcus Adna Thompson March 8 1848 May 8 1919 was an American inventor and businessman most famous for developing a variety of gravity rides and roller coasters LaMarcus Thompson Contents 1 Early years 2 Father of the gravity ride and the roller coaster 3 References 4 External linksEarly years editThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it January 2011 Thompson was born in Jersey Licking County Ohio on March 8 1848 His parents were Adna Thompson father and Nancy D Thompson mother He had a brother named Olvid In his adolescence he became a skilled carpenter In 1873 he began operating a grocery store in Elkhart Indiana There he began designing a device to manufacture seamless hosiery He made a fortune in that business but failing health forced him to quit it 1 Father of the gravity ride and the roller coaster edit nbsp Thompson s Switchback Railway 1884 Thompson is best known for his early work developing roller coasters and for inventing the scenic railway genre of rides He is known as the Father of the American Roller Coaster 2 and is often also called the Father of the Gravity Ride Over his lifetime Thompson accumulated nearly thirty patents related to roller coaster technologies An example is the patent granted December 22 1884 for the Gravity Switch back Railway 3 Thompson s work built upon an earlier patent for an Inclined Plane Railway filed in 1878 by Richard Knudson 4 Thompson s breakthrough ride was the Gravity Switchback Railway which opened at Coney Island in 1884 A 6 mph ride cost 5 cents In 1887 along with designer James A Griffiths he opened the Scenic Railway on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City N J Thompson s scenic railway concept initially was intended to give riders a scenic view of the surrounding landscape later Thompson created elaborate painted backgrounds and scenes so that riders would feel like they were touring the Swiss Alps or other foreign landscapes 2 Thompson was managing director of the L A Thompson Scenic Railway Company 220 West 42nd St incorporated in 1895 Thompson s scenic railways were immensely popular during the first and second decade of the 1900s and his company operated six major scenic railways at Coney Island alone during that time 2 Dozens of scenic railways operated throughout the U S and in Europe Eventually the scenic railway was eclipsed by faster and more thrilling roller coaster rides made possible by improvements in roller coaster safety technology 2 Thompson died at his home Thompson Park Glen Cove Long Island on May 8 1919 at age 71 References edit L A Thompson Dead Inventor of Scenic Railway Dies at His Home Thompson Park The New York Times March 9 1919 p 20 a b c d David A Sullivan LaMarcus Adna Thompson s Scenic Railways at Coney Island heartofconeyisland com Retrieved November 19 2016 Google patents US patent 332762 GRAVITY SWITCH BACK RAILWAY Retrieved February 13 2013 Frato John July 5 2022 Opening Day First Roller Coaster in the USA June 16 1884 Western Reserve Historical Society Archived from the original on May 10 2023 Retrieved May 10 2023 External links editConey Island History Roller Coasters Shows and Attractions c 1905 at Heart of Coney Island Stories About the Invention of the Roller Coaster quotes multiple obits UltimateRollerCoaster com Roller Coaster History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title LaMarcus Adna Thompson amp oldid 1200343943, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
