The origins of the roller coaster trace back to the "Russian Mountains" of the 17th century, which were massive, 70-foot-high ice slides built of wood and enjoyed by thrill-seekers (including Catherine the Great) in St. Petersburg. The first "true" roller coaster with wheels on a track was the Promenades Aériennes, which opened in Paris in 1817; it featured wheeled cars that locked into the track for safety. In the United States, the first gravity-driven thrill ride was the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway in Pennsylvania, which was originally a coal-mining train converted into a tourist attraction in 1870. However, the first purpose-built amusement park roller coaster was LaMarcus Thompson's Switchback Railway, which debuted at Coney Island in 1884. It traveled at a gentle 6 mph and cost a nickel to ride, but it was so successful it paid for itself in just three weeks and sparked the global amusement park industry we know today.
The very first roller coaster in the world is widely considered to be the “Promenades-Aériennes” (also known as the “Russian Mountains”), which opened in Paris, France, in 1812. Designed by the French entrepreneur La Marcus Adna Thompson, this early roller coaster featured a wooden track with sleds that riders descended on. It was inspired by the ice slides that were popular in Russia during the winter, where people would slide down hills on sleds or carts.
However, the modern roller coaster as we know it today began with the Switchback Railway, which opened at Coney Island, New York, in 1884. Designed by La Marcus Adna Thompson, this ride featured a gravity-powered track with cars that traveled along a wooden structure, marking the birth of the amusement park roller coaster.