Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

How West Seattle Built "The Coney Island Of The West," And How Seattle Ruined It

HistoryLink.org
Postcards like this one advertised the fun to be had at Luna Park. This one shows the boardwalk and pavilion.

At the turn of the 20th century, when West Seattle was a city all its own, the community had a problem: They wanted to attract development, but they also wanted to keep out big-city vice, such as alcohol and gambling.

Their solution? An amusement park on a boardwalk, with roller coasters, side shows, and other kinds of wholesome family fun. As HistoryLink.org's Alan Stein tells Gabriel Spitzer, the decision had some unintended consequences.

Gabriel Spitzer is a former KNKX reporter, producer and host who covered science and health and worked on the show Sound Effect.