Moonlite Gardens Coney Island

Cincinnati's Coney Island dates back to 1867 when James Parker purchased a tract of land along the Ohio River in Anderson Township. He had hoped to plant an apple orchard, but soon realized a more profitable use of the land could be had renting it out as a picnic grove. He called it Parker's Grove and eventually added a dance hall and rides.

In 1886 he sold it to two steamboat captain's who renamed it Parker's Grove, The Coney Island of the West. For over 100 years folks game to play at Coney, many arriving by paddle-wheel boat from downtown and later automobiles. 

In 1925, Sunlite pool was added. It remains the largest recirculating pool in North America, and the 12th-lragest pool in the world. The same year Sunlite Pool opened, Moonlite Gardens dance hall debuted on the property.

In the late '60s, Taft Communications, who then owned the park, decided to move the whole operation north and create Kings Island which opened in 1972. In 1973, Coney Island re-opened albeit with only a handful of rides.