Carousel, Monroe Park, Mobile, Alabama, circa 1905

Around 1905, entrepreneurs inspired by the success of Coney Island built amusement parks across the country. An enterprising Mobile, Alabama, railway manager opened Monroe Park at the end of a streetcar line, providing inexpensive weekend access for urban workers looking to spend both their new-found leisure time and disposable incomes. The bayside park featured a theater, zoo, baseball stadium, carousel, and other thrill rides.