As the Coney Island History Project enters its ninth successful year of operation I'd like to thank the contributors, members, and volunteers who've helped us achieve success in documenting Coney Island's history and culture. We look forward to another season of working within the community and greeting visitors from all over the world!
One year ago we moved the History Project exhibit center from one Coney landmark to another, leaving the Cyclone and settling into our new location at Deno's Wonder Wheel. We are now expanding our exhibit space and doubling it for the 2012 season. We need your support more than ever to continue our policy of "free admission for one and all." The History Project would like to give a special thanks to CIHP co-founder Carol Albert for her continued support and encouragement and the Vourderis family of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park for providing us a space to continue our mission.
In 2011 we had our share of excitement, beginning with months of roller coaster construction in our "front yard," and ending as we remained open during a freak October snowstorm. As hurricane Irene approached in August, everything in our exhibit center had to be moved to higher ground in anticipation of flooding that, luckily, never occurred. Our Dreamland Fire exhibit was a huge success that resulted in the History Project being featured on the Travel Channel's series "Mysteries at the Museum."
In 2011 our ecology program focused on Coney Island Creek. My creek presentations included slide shows at Kingsborough College for the New York State Marine Education Association. I gave another presentation at the New York Aquarium for the staff and scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society. The Aquarium event drew the largest turnout ever for their monthly staff meeting. The History Project also provided a historical perspective for the Travel Channel's show "Off Limits," where I guided host Don Wildman to the wreck of the Yellow Submarine on Coney Island Creek.
The History Project has been awarded a grant from the Partnership for Parks to create signage and a brochure for a "CreekWalk" tour along Coney Island Creek in Kaiser Park. The first phase was a photo exhibit at the Coney Island Library showing forty years of my documentation of the creek. The show opened last September and runs through February. We will have an event at the new park house in Kaiser Park. I'll lead a winter tour along the creek and give a slideshow. The date will be announced soon.
What began as a project of our oral history program ended up as a feature length documentary about reformed gang members helping at-risk youth in Coney Island. "The Last Immortal" premiered at the Coney Island Film Festival and won the award for best documentary. A free screening of the film was held at Liberation High School in November, and several more screenings will be announced for the upcoming season, including more showings of our award-winning 2009 documentary about Jimmy Prince and his customers, "The Prince of Mermaid Avenue." <... (read more)
Tour group looking up at Wonder Wheel
Special thanks go out to everyone who joined the History Project's first season of Coney Island Walking Tours. "We had a team of architects on their annual trip, school children from Bensonhurst, visitors from Virginia, Ohio, California and of course Brooklyn," said Amanda Deutch, History Project tour guide and teaching artist and poet. "It was great fun to share Coney Island with people who had never been to Coney Island or were returning for their first time in 20 years." Here's a slide show featuring highlights from some of our tours and school visits.
Sunday Walking Tours are scheduled during Coney Island's season, which runs from April through October. Throughout the year, individuals and groups interested in scheduling a private tour and visit to our exhibition center may email events@coneyislandhistory.org.
Charles Denson and Keith Suber at 2011 Coney Island Film Festival. Photo © Norman Blake
The Coney Island History Project presents a free screening of Charles Denson's documentary starring Keith Suber on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 7:00 pm. "The Last Immortal" premiered at the 2011 Coney Island Film Festival in September and was awarded Best Documentary Feature. After the movie, which runs 90 minutes, there will be a Q & A with Mr. Denson and Mr. Suber.
Location of Free Movie Screening: Liberation High School Auditorium 2865 West 19th Street at Mermaid Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11224 D, F, N or Q train to Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island
Keith Suber is a forty-five year old reformed Coney Island gang leader, an original Rollin' 60's Crip who's been shot four times and served ten years in a federal penitentiary. He's returned to his Coney Island roots and founded an organization whose mission is to stop the gun violence that is plaguing the community.
Keith's brothers "Blue" and the "Colonel" ran one of the 1970's Coney gangs that the movie "The Warriors" was based on. This film, shot on the streets of Coney Island, shows the reality of gang violence, its influence on the Coney Island community, and Suber's efforts at saving lives through youth mentorship, job training, and intervention.
Charles Denson, a Coney Island native, grew up in Coney Island Houses in the neighborhood's west end where part of the documentary was filmed. Mr. Denson is executive director of the Coney Island History Project and author of the award-winning book "Coney Island: Lost and Found" His previous films include "The Prince of Mermaid Avenue" about Major Market's Jimmy Prince (Best Documentary Feature, Coney Island Film Festival, 2009) and the short "Coney Island: Secrets of the Universe" (2010).
This program is part of the History Project's ongoing series of free movie screenings in the Coney Island Community. It is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.
An exhibit of Charles Denson's photos of Coney Island Creek is currently on view in vitrines in the lobby and on the 2nd floor of the Coney Island branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Click here for hours and directions.
The exhibit is in conjunction with Partnerships for Parks, Catalyst Program at Kaiser Park. A slide talk and on-site project TBA. For info sign up for our mailing list.
Charles Denson, a Coney Island native, began photographing Coney Island Creek in the 1960s and 1970s when the waterway was at a low point, surrounded by industry and suffering from neglect and pollution. Since then, portions of the creek have been reclaimed, drawing both wildlife and residents to its shores. The photographs in Secrets of Coney Island Creek document those early decades and offer a fascinating and comprehensive portrait of the creek today and its relationship to the Coney Island community, from the people of diverse cultures who visit the creek and its new parks to the environmental challenges that lie ahead.
The Last Immortal
A Documentary Feature by Charles Denson
Coney Island Film Festival Opening Night Film
September 23rd, Friday, 7:30 pm
Keith Suber is a forty-five year old reformed Coney Island gang leader, an original Rollin' 60's Crip who's been shot six times and served ten years in a federal penitentiary. He's returned to his Coney Island roots and founded an organization whose mission is to stop the gun violence that is plaguing the community.
Keith's brothers, "Blue," "Molock," and the "Colonel" ran the 1970's Coney gangs that the movie The Warriors was based on. This film, shot on the streets of Coney Island and at juvenile detention centers, shows the reality of gang violence, its influence on the Coney Island community, and Suber's efforts at saving lives through youth mentorship, job training, and intervention.
Charles Denson, a Coney Island native, grew up in Coney Island Houses in the neighborhood's west end where part of the documentary was filmed. Mr. Denson is executive director of the Coney Island History Project and author of the award-winning book "Coney Island: Lost and Found" His previous films include "The Prince of Mermaid Avenue" about Major Market's Jimmy Prince (Best Documentary Feature, Coney Island Film Festival, 2009) and the short "Coney Island: Secrets of the Universe" (2010).
Event Info: Coney Island Film Festival, September 23, Friday, 7:30 pm
Tickets for the "The Last Immortal" screening only, $6.
Screening venue is the Coney Island Museum, 1208 Surf Ave, 2nd floor.
Please note this venue is not wheelchair accessible.
Opening Night Party 9:30pm - 12:30am at The Freak Bar and Sideshows By The Seashore, 1208 Surf Ave. 1st Floor. Tickets are $25. Party with open bar and burlesque show, 21 and over to drink.
Advance ticket purchase and info at www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com
Charles Denson with Cyclops from Wonder Wheel Park
Spook-A-Rama's Cyclops, a Coney Island legend that hasn't been seen in decades, came out of retirement on September 3rd to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Coney Island History Project. Lula Vourderis accepted the plaque on behalf of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park and the Vourderis Family.
The two previously announced honorees were Lady Deborah Moody (1586-1659?), the first woman to found a colony in North America, and the recently landmarked Shore Theater. Charles Denson, director of the Coney Island History Project, presented the 2011 Coney Island Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at CIHP's exhibit center on West 12th Street.
Carol Hill Albert
"Deborah Moody recognized the importance of Coney Island back in the 1600s when she founded the colony of Gravesend in 1645," said Denson. "Moody proved to be a visionary when she declared Coney Island to be the Common Lands of Gravesend, public land available for the use of all villagers."
Accepting the plaque for Lady Deborah Moody was Carol Hill Albert, owner and operator of the former Astroland Park and co-founder of the Coney Island History Project with husband Jerry Albert.
John Badalamenti
John Badalamenti accepted the award for the Shore Theater, formerly the Loews, on behalf of his late brother Andy Badalamenti, the longtime caretaker of the theater. "He had a new roof installed and stopped the leaks. He sealed up the building to stop looting and scavenging," Denson said of his friend, who always dreamed of restoring the Shore to its former glory.
Said Denson, "This 2,500 seat theater is key to Coney Island's future as a year round destination. It's been sealed up like a time capsule for several decades and recently received landmark status."
Lula Vourderis with sons Steve and Dennis Vourderis
In his speech honoring the Cyclops, Denson said: "Last year I was hired as a consultant for an upcoming university art exhibition about Coney Island. While researching artwork for the exhibit we realized that the Cyclops head was an iconic and recurring image in dozens of modern artworks. The curator and I wondered if it still existed and if it could be included in the exhibition. I asked Steve Vourderis if the Cyclops had survived. He had a surprise for me. It was in storage right behind the History Project.
Spook-A-Rama's Cyclops at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park
"After being excavated and stabilized it became the centerpiece of our induction ceremony. The Cyclops represents the creativity of Coney Island's artisans and visionaries. In the past, anyone with a vision could create a fantasy, and you didn't need formal artistic training to create a work of art. And you didn't need an engineering degree to build a ride. Spook-A-Rama opened in the 1950s at a time when monster movies and Cinerama were popular. It's a one of kind work of art, a cultural artifact handmade from ordinary bandages and plaster of Paris. When Denos Vourderis bought Wonder Wheel Park in the 1980s, the Cyclops had deteriorated and was removed for a future restoration. Next year it will once again be on exhibit at the ride for an admiring public."
