The history of the Brooklyn resort: racetrack,
aquarium, and railway at Brighton Beach
The history of Coney Island's development as a resort is inextricably
connected to William A. Engeman. It was he and his company who
developed this Brooklyn neighborhood, which has become a world-
renowned holiday destination. Learn more about the history of Coney
Island and Brighton Beach at brooklyn-name.com.
The first hotel in Brighton Beach
William A. Engeman was born in 1840 in New York City. As a teenager, he
left his parents' home in search of a better life and new opportunities.
Throughout his independent life, the young man did everything he could to
make a living. He worked as a carpenter and was not afraid to perform any
job. It is known that the future businessman spent some time as a driver,
driving a team of mules. Besides, it was this job that helped him become a
millionaire. Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Engeman bought a
number of mules and horses from farmers with whom he did business and
sold them to the Union Army.
Here, Engeman became interested in land in the Eastern Coney Island
area, today known as Brighton Beach. Despite the difficulties, he bought
these lands as well as some property directly on the coast. It was Engeman
who named the neighborhood Brighton Beach.
In June 1870, the upcoming businessman started his first project
constructing a two-story building on Brighton Beach. He named his first
hotel the Ocean Hotel. This structure served more than just as a tourist
hotel. It was also used as Engeman's business office. The first step has
been taken. The next step for the businessman was the construction of a
pier. The work began at the end of June 1872. It was the first pier in Coney
Island. Interestingly, the pier was built just in time for the July 4th
celebration. They built it very quickly. Some claim that the pier was not very
grand, therefore it was not even advertised in the newspapers at the time,
unlike the hotel.
Outdoor aquarium
The next step was the opening of an aquarium, which was supposed to
draw visitors and outdo Manhattan Beach, with which, by the way, there
was an unofficial competition for vacationers. Well, it wasn't really an
aquarium. Engemann took a rather straightforward approach. He built a
wooden fence next to the pier, a few meters from the coast, which served
as an aquarium. Later, an observation deck appeared above the aquarium,
and voila... For a nominal charge, anybody could access this deck and
observe from above the underwater activities of marine life, particularly,
ocean life. To make things more exciting, up to a dozen sea lions and three
large sea turtles were released into the enclosure. A pair of sea lions soon
had cubs, attracting more visitors to the improvised aquarium.
To expand the prosperous business, Engeman planned to construct
another hotel, a swimming pool, and a racetrack. But he didn't have the
money to carry out his plans, so he accepted an offer from the Brighton
Beach Railroad Company, which intended to make money by transporting
passengers to Brighton Beach. A railway was to be built here specifically
for this reason. Furthermore, the Brighton Beach Railroad Company was
eager to establish its own hotel here. Enegman authorized a railway line to
be constructed on his land and set aside space for the construction of a
hotel. In return, he acquired a portion of the company's shares as well as a
sum of money he needed to put his plans into action. As a result, he
constructed a swimming pavilion that was even larger than planned as,
following the opening of the railway connection to Brighton Beach, masses
of visitors were expected here.
As promised, the Brighton Beach Railroad Company erected a magnificent
hotel next to the Ocean Hotel. It became known as the Brighton Beach
Hotel. It was located on the western side of Coney Island Avenue. It
became a popular vacation destination for upper- and middle-class
Brooklynites and their families. Interesting fact: in 1880, the price of a hotel
room without meals varied between $2 and $5 per night. Hotel staff made
an average of one dollar a day. A multi-course dinner with wine in a
restaurant, for example, cost approximately $1.50 per person.
The Brighton Beach Fair Grounds, or Engeman’s Race Course
One of the features worth mentioning is the summer stage. A half-shell-
shaped grandstand was constructed near the hotel, directly in front of the
entrance. There were spectator seats in front of it. It was the first summer
stage in this area. Various artists have performed here, including world-
renowned cornetist Jules Levy and other musicians. This "shell" even
hosted the performance of Neuendorff's fifty-piece symphony orchestra.
In 1879, Engeman finally got his hands on another of his dreams, a race
track. The businessman gave it the name Brighton Beach Fair Grounds,
but most people referred to it as Engeman's Race Course. Everything in
Brighton Beach centered around the hotel of the same name, and the
racetrack was no exception. The track was built behind it. Its length was
one mile. During the racing season, the Engeman track was open every
day except for Sunday. By the end of 1883, the businessman possessed
considerable assets.
Bill Engeman died from Bright's disease on January 11, 1884. At the time
of his death, he was 45 years old. Bill's half-brother, George, took over the
management, as his son was still underage.
