An early attempt to bring a similar ride to the US in 1848 failed because of an accident during the trial run. It would fall to an American inventor named LaMarcus Thompson to revolutionize the amusement industry in the US, earning him the title of the father of the American roller coaster.

LaMarcus Adna Thompson is widely credited as the "Father of the American Roller Coaster" for building the Switchback Railway at Coney Island in 1884. This primitive ride traveled at a modest six miles per hour and required passengers to climb a tower to board a bench-like car that coasted down a 600-foot wooden track. While Thompson popularized the concept, the origins of the roller coaster can be traced back to the "Russian Mountains"—massive ice slides constructed in 15th-century Russia. In 2026, the industry has evolved into a multi-billion dollar sector with high-tech "giga-coasters," but Thompson's patent in 1885 for a track-based design remains the foundational blueprint for the modern amusement park experience. His vision shifted the focus from simple transportation to gravity-driven entertainment. Other pioneers, like Charles Alcoke and Phillip Hinkle, also made early contributions, but it was Thompson’s success at Coney Island that ignited the global obsession with white-knuckle thrill rides that continues to dominate theme parks today.