August 16 is a big day for roller coaster aficionados. It’s National Roller Coaster Day, which celebrates the king of the thrill rides. August 16 has been celebrated as National Roller Coaster Day since 1986, commemorating the date in 1878 that Richard Knudsen and J.G. Taylor received a U.S. patent for the first wooden roller coaster. The device consisted of two adjacent railway tracks that ran between two towers carrying four-passenger cars; the force of gravity would pull the cars down gently sloping hills. The cars were then hauled up by the elevators in the opposite tower for the return trip of the ride. Oddly enough, it is believed that neither Knudsen nor Taylor ever moved forward and constructed their designed rides. The best way to celebrate National Roller Coaster is by visiting Kings Island and enjoying rides on some of your favorite roller coasters, like The Beast, Orion, Banshee, Diamondback, Mystic Timbers, Flight of Fear and Adventure Express. How do you plan to celebrate National Roller Coaster Day? #KingsIsland