Roller coasters—those gravity-defying scream machines—didn’t start with steel tracks and looping corkscrews. Their origins go back centuries, and the first versions were far more dangerous than today’s amusement park rides.

The Russian Ice Slides: The Original Thrill Ride

Before roller coasters had wheels, they had…ice. In 17th-century Russia, thrill-seekers in St. Petersburg flocked to giant, ice-covered wooden ramps called “Russian Mountains.” These 50- to 80-foot-tall slides sent people flying down on wooden sleds coated in grease or wax for extra speed. No seatbelts, no brakes, just icy chaos.

Catherine the Great was reportedly a fan, and these slides became so popular that engineers in France started replicating them—but with wheels instead of ice.

The First True Roller Coaster (That Went Nowhere)

Fast-forward to 1784, and a Frenchman named Nicolas Beaujon built what is considered the first roller coaster, called Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville ("The Russian Mountains of Belleville"). This ride featured wheeled cars on tracks, and unlike its Russian predecessor, it could operate year-round—no snow required.

America Gets on Board (Literally)

The first roller coaster in the U.S. was a happy accident. In 1827, a mining company in Pennsylvania built the Mauch Chunk Gravity Railroad, a coal transport track that workers soon realized was way more fun as a joyride. People started paying to ride the 9-mile wooden track—with speeds hitting 50 mph—and the roller coaster industry was born.

Coney Island and the Coaster Boom

The real roller coaster craze began in 1884, thanks to LaMarcus Adna Thompson, who built the Switchback Railway at Coney Island, New York.

✔ It was gravity-powered and cost only 5 cents per ride
✔ Riders traveled at a thrilling 6 mph (not exactly today’s speeds)
✔ They had to get out at the end and walk back to the start (no looping tracks yet!)

Thompson patented his ride and went on to build coasters across America, ushering in the golden age of amusement parks.

Steel, Loops, and Insanity

The 20th century saw major coaster innovations:

1927: The Cyclone at Coney Island sets the gold standard for wooden coasters.

1959: Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds becomes the first tubular steel coaster—changing everything.

1975: The first modern looping coaster, The Revolution, opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Today: Coasters now reach ridiculous heights and speeds—like Kingda Ka (456 feet tall, 128 mph).

From Ice to Adrenaline

Roller coasters have gone from icy Russian death slides to high-tech, physics-defying thrill machines. And whether you’re screaming your head off or holding on for dear life, one thing remains the same: humans have always loved the rush of the ride.