Oral History Archive

Filtering by 1970 - 1979 back to all

Josephine Gargiulo Cassata

Daughter of Gargiulo's founder was born in an apartment above Coney Island's famous restaurant

Charles Berkman

Memories of growing up in Coney Island during the Great Depression and 55 years practicing law

Susan Hochtman Creatura

Memories of growing up in a Jewish household in Coney Island

Eliot Wofse

A Coney Island native's memories of running amusement games

Dionne Brown (D.L. Jordan)

Lifelong Coney Island resident and author of Living Life Like It's Golden

Gregory Bitetzakis

Co-owner and operator of Gregory & Paul's for more than 50 years

Steve Larkin

Memories of working at a Coney Island beach chair and umbrella rental company as a teen in the 1970s

Johanna Gargiulo Sherman

Artist and Coney Island resident recalls growing up on Mermaid Avenue above Carolina Restaurant

Shirley Aikens

Community activist and president of the Carey Gardens Tenants Association

Antoinette Balzano

Granddaughter of Anthony "Totonno" Pero tells the story of how he founded Totonno's Pizzeria in 1924

Gene Ritter

Founder of Cultural Research Divers shares his knowledge of oceans, estuaries, and Coney Island Creek

Irina Roizin

Founder and director of Brighton Ballet Theater, now celebrating its 30th year

Marie Martorano

Bensonhurst native recalls riding Spook-A-Rama and playing Fascination in the 1970s

Santos Torres

Coney Island resident for 43 years, community gardener and musician

Commendatore Aldo Mancusi

Memories of Coney Island in the 1930s and '40s and growing up in Brooklyn in an Italian family

Anthony Martire

A family tradition of raising and racing homing pigeons in Coney Island

Georganna Deas

Coney Island resident Georganna Deas has spent forty years advocating for a better Coney Island

Louise Milano

Louise Milano's mother, Carolina, operated Carolina Restaurant on Mermaid Avenue for 60 years