Coney Island History Project

From the Coney Island History Project #OralHistory #Archive: Jewel Hough has worked at Coney Island's Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park since 2000. We can't wait to see her again at the Sweet Shoppe when the park re-opens this spring! Interview recorded by Kaara Baptiste. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history/jewel-hough

Born #OTD in 1846, #BuffaloBill Cody. His brand-new Wild West Show played Brighton Beach on Coney Island in the summer of 1883-- two performances daily, admission 50 cents. "The papers say I am the coming Barnum," Cody wrote home to his sister.

From the Coney Island History Project #OralHistory #Archive: Jim Lucarelli shares memories of operating the Sports Car ride at Steeplechase Park and fighting the Ravenhall fire as a teen https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-histo/jim-lucarelli #ThrowbackThursday

"Mermaid Avenue that’s the street where all colors of goodfolks meet," wrote Woody Guthrie, who lived there from 1943-1952. Join Charles Denson of the Coney Island History Project on Zoom for 'Mermaid Avenue, Then and Now,' a virtual tour. February 23 at 7 PM, #FREE. Registration is required via Eventbrite and closes at 3PM on Tuesday: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mermaid-avenue-then-and-now-wi

We're delighted to find out about and celebrate International Mother Language Day today! The Coney Island History Project has a multilingual #oralhistory #archive - record your story in your mother language or give a listen here: www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history-archive #InternationalMotherLanguageDay #IMLD

From the Coney Island History Project #OralHistory #Archive: Sea Gate resident Sam Moses is one of Coney's finest sign painters. He shares memories of his boyhood apprenticeship at a sign shop and his dreams of painting in Coney Island. "We not only did a sign to get paid, we did a sign because we liked the way it looked," says Moses, whose masterpieces included the front of Denny's Ice Cream on Surf Avenue. He recalls an era when the art of hand lettering with two outlines and drop shadows was in high demand. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history-a/sam-moses #BlackHistoryMonth

#OralHistory #HolocaustRemembranceDay Khonya Epstein, author and leader of the Holocaust Survivors Group at the Marks JCH of Bensonhurst. Recorded in Russian w/English translation by Julia Kanin for the Coney Island History Project. A native of Mogilev, Belarus, he tells the harrowing story of how he escaped the Nazi massacre of the Jewish ghetto and at age 13 joined a partisan brigade as a sniper. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-hist/khonya-epstein

Jennifer Lopez's beautiful rendition of Coney Island troubadour Woody Guthrie's 'This Land Is Your Land' at the inauguration ceremonies. A NYT reporter live blogging the event wondered if it was a first. Guthrie wrote the song in 1940 after traveling across the country and arriving in NYC. It was first released in 1951, when he and his family were living in Coney Island, where they resided from 1943-1952. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEAtsgMsWmo

Online events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's legacy you can join today include Assemblymember Mathylde Frontus's virtual conversation with two activists who marched with Dr. King in 1963 (2PM) and WNYC and the Apollo Theater's 15th annual King celebration, livestreamed at 3PM #MLKDay https://thegreenespace.org//wnyc-and-apollo-theater-prese/

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at the Coney Island History Project

#ThrowbackThursday: Coney Island History Project #OralHistory #Archive: High Striker Queen Monica Ghee is a Coney Island native who has operated games in the amusement district on and off for more than 50 years. Recorded by Kaara Baptiste in 2019. Listen online: https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history/monica-ghee

NEW in the Coney Island History Project #OralHistory #Archive: Juanhua Zhao, Tai chi teacher at Coney Island Seaside Innovative Senior Center, shares her life story. Recorded in Cantonese with English translation by Keenan Chen. Many thanks to NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and Council Member Mark Treyger for supporting our multilingual programming. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-histor/juanhua-zhao

We're sad to learn that our friend Michael Goldstein, known as "Looch," passed away yesterday in North Carolina after heart surgery. A longtime game operator on Coney Island's Bowery, he started out in 1954 as a 12-year-old, earning 75 cents an hour, and by his fourth year was a partner in the game. "It was a different era, a different culture," he says in this oral history recorded in 2017 by Charles Denson for the Coney Island History Project: https://www.coneyislandhistory.org//michael-goldstein-looch

Via Curbed: "'It’s a beautiful place, a nursery of the sea, and it deserves to be restored,' said Charles Denson, the director of the Coney Island History Project, who is working on both a book and a film about the history of the creek." https://www.curbed.com//coney-island-creek-baptisms-superf #ConeyIslandCreek

NEW in the Coney Island History Project #oralhistory #archive: Listen online to Gabriel Valencia, who lives in Coney Island, where he has worked at Gregory & Paul's Boardwalk eatery, now called Paul's Daughter, for 25 years. Recorded in Spanish by Mónica Cordero Sancho with transcript and English translation by Mary Conlon. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org//gabriel-valencia-spani

The family of Ms. Alfreida "Alfie" Davis (1944-2020), longtime Coney Island resident and community board member, is holding a wake at Coney Island Memorial Chapel, Going Away Ceremony at Our Lady of Solace Church, and Reception at Sea Rise Community Center, where Alfie was the leader of the tenant association. The Coney Island History Project was honored to have recorded her life story for our oral history archive. Our deepest condolences go out to her family.

The annual light display goes from Stillwell Avenue to W. 33rd Street. Councilman Mark Treyger, who funded the display, said he hopes the lights will signal a happier 2021. While this year’s celebrations will be different, the decorative lights in Coney Island will offer holiday cheer and promise for a brighter new year, he said in a statement. https://www.brooklynpaper.com/holiday-light-display-mermai/

Happy Birthday, Lois! Audiogram featuring excerpt from Lois McLohon's oral history interview with the Coney Island History Project. Interview recorded by Ali Lemer. Audiogram by Neter Antoine. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-histor/lois-mclohon

NEW in the Coney Island History Project Oral History Archive: Nancy Gabriel, 94, shares memories of visiting her great uncle, Peter Lazaris, who ran a food concession at Steeplechase Pool from the 1930s through the 1950s, and riding the Steeplechase horses and the Chanticleer carousel. Thanks to Shavon Meyers for recording Nancy's story. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-histo/nancy-gabriel

Happy #NationalCandyDay from #ConeyIsland! Treat yourself to a candy apple from William's Candy Shop on Surf Ave. It's open year round. Listen to our #OralHistory with owner Peter Agrapides. "I came to Coney Island in 1949, I was 13 yrs old..." https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-his/peter-agrapides

Today is #ElectionDay #Vote2020! #Throwback to Labor Day 1960 hotdog photo-op of GOP candidate for VP Henry Cabot Lodge, NY Gov Rockefeller on the campaign trail at Nathan's Famous in Coney Island. Nathan & Ida Handwerker in pic too! Nixon/Lodge defeated by Kennedy/Johnson in November

We were deeply saddened to hear that long time Coney Island resident and advocate Alfie Davis had passed away. She was a stylish, determined woman who cared deeply about her community and the environment, especially Coney Island Creek. Her passing is a heavy loss for Coney Island. I’m glad she was able to share her fascinating life story with the Coney Island History Project Oral History Archive. Photo: Charles Denson. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history/alfie-davis

Happy Halloween from the Coney Island History Project! Throwback photo from ten years ago today, of Halloween 2010 trick or treaters at the History Project's exhibition center.

NEW in the Coney Island History Project #OralHistory #Archive: Michael Liff, who grew up across the street from the amusement area, shares memories of working at the Tornado roller coaster and other rides and games in the 1970s. His interview was recorded for the History Project by Ali Lemer. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-histor/michael-liff

Eight years ago today #HurricaneSandy devastates #SeaGate and #ConeyIsland. Filmed on October 29, 2012 by Charles Denson for the Coney Island History Project. https://youtu.be/VKFJp56lqq0 #SuperstormSandy #TodayInHistory

Weekend listening from the Coney Island History Project's #OralHistory #Archive: The Dark Ride Project's Joel Zika on documenting #Spookarama and other historic dark rides. Recorded in October 2016, when Zika visited Coney Island's Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park. Only about dozen dark rides created up to the third quarter of the 20th century have survived in the United States, Zika says. https://https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history-a/joel-zika

A birthday message and wish from Commissioner Mostofi of NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs for the last days of the #2020Census. Tomorrow, October 15th is the last day for census count after Supreme Court derails original deadline #GetCountedNYC

#ThrowbackThursday Thanks to Lois McLohon for sending us this 1954 photo that appeared in the Brooklyn Eagle though it looks like a Vogue photo shoot. Lois is in the center, wearing the swimsuit she wore in the iconic photo that was published in the NY Daily News, also in '54. Listen to her oral history in the Coney Island History Project's Oral History Archive: https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-histor/lois-mclohon

TODAY in Coney Island till 2pm: FREE FLU SHOTS at West 37th St & Surf Ave, sponsored Councilman Mark Treyger in partnership with Coney Island Hospital and the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI).

Nothing says "Spring" like the red, white and blue cars going up on Deno's Wonder Wheel and the end of the season is marked by the cars coming down for the winter. We're sad to see the cars come down today, a month early, as seen in this photo taken by Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park's Steve Vourderis. Due to Coney Island's amusements losing the entire 2020 season - spring, summer and fall - the landmark 1920 Wheel was not able to open and celebrate its 100th anniversary. Join the Coney Island History Project in this virtual sing-a-long celebration of Deno's Wonder Wheel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1BPGrJMFsI.

Dance With Me. Photograph by AJ Bernstein Photos. Visit Miss Coney Island, our neighbor on West 12th between the Coney Island Boardwalk and Bowery. Still 25 cents a dance

Happy #InternationalPodcastDay! Listen to the Coney Island History Project's new #oralhistory #podcast. The first episodes feature immigrant stories from our archive. https://coneyislandhistory.org/podcast NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Mark Treyger