The Abandoned Ruins and the Comeback of Connecticut’s Pleasure Beach

From 1892 until 1958, a famous amusement park and beach rested on a tract of land straddling Bridgeport and Stratford. From 1904 until 1919, it was called "Steeplechase Island." The amusement park was accessible primarily by ferry service and a wooden swing bridge built in 1927 to carry automobiles and pedestrians.

After a portion of the bridge caught fire in 1996, Pleasure Beach was cut off and became accessible only by a long walk along the shoreline or a small private boat. The rest of Pleasure Island's tragic history is included inside the following photo gallery.