Oral History Archive

Filtering by amusement rides back to all
Roy Omori
Growing up Japanese American in Coney Island in the 1950s and '60s
Ralph Avella
Memories of working on the Coney Island Parachute Jump's operation crew at age 16
Alonzo Kittrels
Memories of bus trips to Coney Island with the Good Will Family Club from the 1940's through 1961
Jim Lucarelli
Memories of operating Steeplechase Park's Sports Car ride in 1963-1964 and fighting the Ravenhall fire
Marie Navarro
A lifelong resident's memories of growing up in Coney Island's Gravesend Houses and Kaiser Park
Judith Densky
Memories of growing up in Coney Island and Sea Gate in the late 1940s and 1950s
Alicia Angello
Teen memories of Coney Island's Polar Express and Breakdance in the 2000s
Eric Schwelke
Memories of living in Luna Park Houses in the 1960s and again in the late 1970s
Frieda Schwelke
Memories of growing up in Coney Island in the 1930s and '40s and moving to Luna Park Houses in 1962
Amparo Garcia
Lifelong Brighton Beach resident shares stories of Brighton Beach then and now
Sharon Tera
Sharon Tera's family operated Ethel's Restaurant on the Boardwalk in the 1940s and '50s
Laura Numeroff
Children's book author's memories of Steeplechase, the Animal Nursery, and Brighton Beach Baths
Reverend Cliff Herring
The Roller Coaster Reverend shares stories of Cyclone weddings
Robert Levrini
Memories of growing up on West 5th Street and grandfather's shoe repair shop on Ocean Parkway
Stanley Fox, Part 2
Retired arcade operator's memories of when Coney Island's amusements were open in the wintertime
Marian Carbone and Anna Jackson
Memories of riding the Parachute Jump and Steeplechase horse race ride in the 1950s
Irene Karas
Sea Gate resident on her girlhood memories of Coney Island and passing them on to her daughter
Rebecca Diamond
A five-year-old describes her visit to Coney Island