Coney Island History Project

A Look Back at the "Caponey Island" of Al Capone, Abe Reles & Others

The Coney Island History Project is pleased to welcome author and archivist Arthur Nash on Saturday, September 4, during exhibition center hours (1-6 pm). Mr Nash will record an interview with Charles Denson for our Oral History Archive and sign copies of his new book "New York City Gangland."

Stop by the History Project to meet the author and look at never-before-seen photos of famed New York City gangsters with Coney Island connections. Among them are Al Capone, who got his nickname "Scarface" when he worked in Coney Island; Abe "Kid Twist" Reles, a hit man for Murder Inc who fell to his death from the window of Coney Island's Half Moon Hotel; and Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria, head of the largest Mafia group in New York until he was gunned down in 1931. Many of the previously unpublished photos in the book come from the families of mobsters and law enforcement sources.

"New York City Gangland," which is published by Arcadia in their Images of America Series, also features behind the scenes stories.such as this one: "Among the most stunning episodes of the Castellammarese War was the killing of Al Capone's close ally, Giuseppe 'Joe the Boss' Masseria which occurred in Coney Island at the Villa Tammaro on West 15th Street -- once an Italian restaurant owned by Gerardo Scarpato. A fact not widely known, however, is that at the time of Masseria's death, Scarpato himself was busy extorting money from a small businessman who he summoned to his location on April 15, 1931. 'As soon as I reached the place,' this frightened entrepreneur later wrote to the Brooklyn District Attorney, 'Scarpato ran over to my car and asked me what I was doing there. (He) told me to leave right away and not mention to anyone I had been there that day. I left. Late that night I read that Joe Masseria had been killed at the Villa Tammaro. This was my first taste of what these men were capable of.'"

Al Capone family photo.
Courtesy of Arthur Nash.

Arthur Nash is a freelance archivist and a major contributor of historical objects to the National Museum of Crime and Punishment in Washington, D.C., as well as the Las Vegas Museum of Law Enforcement and Organized Crime, also known as the MOB Museum. In 2006, he introduced "MADE In America," the first public exhibition addressing gangland's enduring impact on our nation's pop culture. Mr Nash is a former resident of Seagate whose grandfather rode the Cyclone roller coaster with Marilyn Monroe.

(Posted on Sep 02, 2010)

Coney Island Voices: A Record of Visitors and Their Stories

Louis Beard

During the summer and throughout the year, residents and visitors are invited to record their Coney Island memories for the History Project's oral history archive. Selected interviews are available on our website as part of our Coney Island Voices exhibit, a record of visitors and their stories. Notable additions to our archive include interviews with Coney Island resident Abe Feinstein, who has been photographing his neighborhood for 48 years, and Louis Beard, who maintains Coney Island's arcade games and enjoys coming here on his days off. We have also recorded interviews with contestants in the Sand Sculpting Contest, Mr Cyclone Contest and the Coney Island Talent Show.

Sydney Cozby

Our youngest interviewee was 6-year-old Sydney Cozby, who visited the History Project with her mother before they went to the circus. Among her favorite things in Coney Island are watching fireworks from the beach at night, eating funnel cake (though it makes her teeth hurt a little) and going on the Dragon coaster. The archive is rich with stories of people who live, work or play in Coney Island. You can find and listen to their stories via our searchable online database, which is organized by theme, place, period and name.

If you have a story to share, stop by during exhibition center hours or make an appointment by emailing info@coneyislandhistory.org. Interviews are conducted throughout the year, both in Coney Island and off-site. The Coney Island History Project's exhibition center is located under the Cyclone Roller Coaster at 824 Surf Avenue just east of West 10th Street. We're open weekends from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day.Hours are 1 to 6 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.Also open on Labor Day, FREE ADMISSION for One and ALL!

(Posted on Aug 23, 2010)

Share Your Memories & Photos Of Romantic Coney Island, Thrills & Chills, Under the Boardwalk & On the Beach...

Did you grow up here? Do you remember going for your first spin on the B & B Carousell? Did you meet your true love in Coney Island? We want to hear your Coney Island stories and see your photos!

The Coney Island History Project announces a series of themed history weekends to pique your interest and jog your memory--from "Childhood Days" and "Romantic Coney Island" to "Thrills & Chills!" and "Under the Boardwalk & On the Beach." Check the schedule below and stop by for an interview with historian Charles Denson or History Project staff.

Natalie Milbrodt Interviews Ron Rossi in CIHP recording studio
under the Cyclone roller coaster on the Cyclone's 83rd birthday

Throughout the summer, visitors are invited to record their Coney Island memories for the History Project's oral history archive. Selected interviews will be made available on our website as part of our Coney Island Voices exhibit, a record of visitors and their stories during the 2010 season. The CIHP's History Archive is rich with stories of people who lived, worked or played in Coney Island. Some of them still do: Williams Candy owner Peter Agrapides, game operator Caesar, and Luna Park visitor Mi Won Kim. You can find and listen to their stories via our searchable online database, which is organized by theme, place, period and interviewee.

Visitors are also encouraged to bring photos and memorabilia we can scan for the CIHP's online collection documenting Coney Island's past. Whoever brings in the best photo in each category will receive a set of historic postcards, vintage tickets, and a signed copy of Charles Denson's Wild Ride! A Coney Island Roller Coaster Family.

Interviews are available at the History Project's free public exhibition center on Surf Avenue under the Cyclone.The center is open on Saturday and Sunday, 1- 6pm, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, as well as by appointment. You may schedule an interview in advance by emailing info@coneyislandhistory.org.

Themed History Weekends at the Coney Island History Project

July 10 & 11, Romantic Coney Island!... Did you meet your true love in Coney Island, go on your first date or fall in love here? We predict this is going to be a popular theme, so we'll reprise it on July 24 and 25!

July 17 & 18, Childhood Days... Carousel and kiddie ride memories, being tall enough to ride the Cyclone or Parachute Jump for the first time, your very first memory of Coney Island.

July 24 & 25, Romantic Coney Island! Did you meet your true love in Coney Island, go on your first date or fall in love here?

July 31 & Aug 1, Thrills & Chills!... Coney Island's rides, funhouses, games and arcades are world famous, but which ones are your personal favorites?

Aug 7 & 8, Neighborhood Coney Island... Did you grow up here? Have a summer job in the amusement district or work year round in the neighborhood?

Aug 14 & 15, The Taste of Coney Island... Are you a fan of Nathan's hot dogs, Mrs. Stahl's Knishes, Philip's salt water taffy? How about Ruby's Bar & Grille, Totonno's Pizza or Williams Candy?

Aug 21 & 22, Historic Coney Island... Memories, stories or photos of Coney's four NYC landmarks -- the Wonder Wheel, Cyclone, Parachute Jump, and Childs Restaurant on the Boardwalk--as well as vanished attraction like Steeplechase Park, the Thunderbolt and Stauch's Baths.

Aug 28 & 29, Under the Boardwalk and On the Beach... Favorite memories, Outings with family & friends, first trip to Coney Island--even if it's today--because memories are in the making.

(Posted on Jul 09, 2010)

Sing Happy 83rd Birthday to Coney Island's World-Famous Roller Coaster!

On Saturday, June 26, the Coney Island History Project will celebrate the Cyclone Roller Coaster's 83nd birthday with a surprise birthday get-together. SSHHH! Don't tell the Cyclone, but we've invited friends and fans of the legendary roller coaster to join us from 1- 6pm at the Coney Island History Project's free public exhibition center under the Cyclone on Surf Avenue.

At 2 pm, we'll sing Happy Birthday to the Cyclone, blow out the candles, and cut the cake. Throughout the day, visitors are invited to share their Cyclone memories and photos with historian Charles Densonfor the CIHP's History Archive. The Cyclone was "born" on June 26, 1927 and is an official New York City landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

(Posted on Jun 23, 2010)

"Luna Park Revisited": New Exhibition Opens May 29th at the Coney Island History Project

Join us on Memorial Day Weekend at the Coney Island History Project for the opening of our 2010 season and our featured exhibit "Luna Park Revisited." The History Project's FREE public exhibition center under the Cyclone Roller Coaster will be open from 1-6 pm on Saturday, May 29 through Monday, May 31, and subsequent weekends through Labor Day.

According to History Project Director Charles Denson, "The original Luna Park was a visual delight, a 'grotesquely delightful' storybook fantasyland filled with hundreds of towers, domes, spires, and minarets, all decorated with thousands of electric lights. It was known as the 'Electric Eden,' a city 'sketched in flame.' Our exhibit details the park's history, from opening day in 1903 to the dramatic fire that destroyed it forty years later." Rare archival photos, family snapshots, souvenir postcards and fun ephemera from Luna Park will be on display. A touch screen monitor will provide access to dozens more images.

The Coney Island History Project's exhibition center is located under the Cyclone Roller Coaster at 824 Surf Avenue just east of West 10th Street. We're open weekends from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day. Hours are 1 to 6 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays. Also open on Memorial Day and Labor Day, FREE ADMISSION for One and ALL!

(Posted on May 19, 2010)

May 22 Open House: Try Out the "Cyclone Lounger" Made from Boardwalk Wood!

The Coney Island History Project will host an Open House on Saturday, May 22nd from 10 am to 5 pm to welcome Brooklyn Half Marathon participants and their family and friends to Coney Island. Everyone is invited to stop by to view historic artifacts, photographs, maps, ephemera and films of Coney Island's colorful past. Among the treasures on display are a Steeplechase horse and Coney Island's oldest existing artifact, an 1823 Toll House sign from the days when the toll for a horse and rider to "the Island" was 9 cents. Free Admission for One and All!

On May 22nd only! Visitors are invited to try out the "Cyclone Lounger," a chair inspired by the Cyclone Roller Coaster and made from recycled Boardwalk ipe wood by Uhuru furniture designers of Brooklyn. After reading about the Cyclone chair in New York Magazine, NY Post and Daily News last week, we arranged to have the award-winning chaise lounge on display for Brooklyn Half Marathon Day in our exhibition center under the Cyclone. Designers Jason Horvath and Bill Hilgendorf will be on hand to talk about their "Coney Island Line" of furniture, sustainability and local craftsmanship. Charles Denson, Director of the Coney Island History Project, told the Brooklyn Paper: "This wood is not only part of the historic Boardwalk, but it's really good, straight-grain hardwood that should be repurposed. It's important that anything that can be recycled should be recycled."

(Posted on May 17, 2010)