History
The Virginia Reel was designed by Henry Elmer Riehl, who named the ride after his daughter, Luna Virginia Riehl. The first Virginia Reel was built in 1908 at Luna Park, Coney Island, where Henry Riehl was superintendent.
The last full-sized Virginia Reel was located at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in England until it closed in 1982. The modern equivalent is the Spinning Wild Mouse roller coaster.
A similar ride around the same time, the Tickler, consisted of curved rails and posts forming a zig-zag route down an incline surface. Wheeled circular tubs freely rolled and spun down the incline, guided by the rails and bounced about by the posts.
Read more about this topic: Virginia Reel Roller Coaster
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