Russian roller coasters are made of wood with icy ramps on which people slid down, often hurting themselves in the process.
In Russia, the early roller coasters were such a hit that wheels are added to the carts so people could continue to ride during the summer as well as during the winter.
From the early teens to right before the Great Depression, roller coasters rise in popularity featuring innovations like the world’s first looping coaster.
Between the harsh, economic realities of the Great Depression and WWII when metals and land were critical for the war effort, roller coaster popularity wanes.
Walt Disney's visionary Matterhorn roller coaster debuts four years after the Southern California park opens.
