Ocean Parkway Coney Island History Project Collection

Photo: Ocean Parkway, 1920s. Coney Island History Project Collection.

Today, January 28, in 1975, Brooklyn's Ocean Parkway, the first road of its kind in the U.S., was designated a NYC Scenic Landmark by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux , who coined the word 'parkway,' Ocean Parkway goes from Prospect Park to Coney Island and established a new concept in road building. "It evolved from an idea expressed by Olmsted and Vaux in their 1866 preliminary report to the Park Commissioners of Brooklyn on their plans for Prospect Park. Under the section titled 'Suburban Connections,' they suggested that the shaded 'pleasure' drive on the western side of Prospect Park be extended from the park to the ocean. The road should be 'of a picturesque character...neither very straight nor very level, and should be bordered by a small belt of trees and shrubbery'" (from the LPC's designation report).

posted Jan 28th, 2019 in History and tagged with Today in History, OTDH, Coney Island,...

GONE FOREVER: Beautiful nautical-themed details of the old theater were lost to neglect and vandalism.

Three months ago I was contacted by Eduard Yadgarov of Pye Properties, new owners of the old Shore Theater building, regarding the company's plans for the structure and a possible collaboration with the Coney Island History Project. During our meeting at the sleek new company offices on West 8th Street, I was shown plans for the renovations and new attractions that include a hotel and rooftop restaurant.

We discussed historic preservation of the ornate interior details that I documented a decade ago. I was then told the bad news: Almost all of the beautiful plaster decorations, the mermaids and ships that had once embellished the mezzanine and other areas, had been destroyed by vandalism and water leaks during the time that the building had been occupied by squatters prior to Pye's purchase of the building. Horace Bullard's heirs had let the building rot, and the roof had been leaking for years.

On October 5 Yadgarov and his father gave me a tour of the theater's interior. After donning hard hats, we used flashlights to work our way through the ruins of the once elegant theater. The damage was extensive. In the years following Horace Bullard's death, the vacant building had been stripped of its window frames and almost anything else of value. Water damage had destabilized the theater's decorative interior and exterior brick walls to a point that seemed beyond repair. Only a few historic items remained, and Yadgarov assured me that those relics will be preserved and included in the new construction.

In 2010 I testified in favor of landmarking the building and also gave a presentation at the Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing that showed the building's interior, hoping that it could be saved. I had always imagined that the theater could somehow be preserved much as the old Harvey Theater at BAM had been renovated and restored while leaving most of the original details.  But after the tour, which was extremely hazardous as plaster was still collapsing around us, I realized that this was a hopeless situation. The ceiling of the mezzanine with its mermaids and ships and ocean motifs was gone, leaving only piles of damp debris. No trace of the artwork remains.

The only surviving remnants are the beautiful marble columns, ornate railings, and the mosaic water fountain, which Pye Properties has promised to retain, restore and place in the new hotel's lobby. The theater's ceiling and enormous dome, which I had once seen re-wired and lit up by former caretaker Andy Badalementi 10 years ago, has suffered serious water damage. I doubt that it can be salvaged. This was a sad tour, but afterwards I complimented Yadgarov on the company's ambitious efforts to renovate and repurpose the landmark structure. Not many developers would take on such a seemingly impossible and expensive task. Although a restored theater would have been a great project, it no longer seems feasible. It will be wonderful to have the landmarked building open to the public once again, filled with new amenities and attractions for Coney Island.

– Charles Denson

SAVED: The mosaic fountain on the theater's mezzanine will be preserved and restored.

SAVED: The ornate railings on the balcony steps will be salvaged and repurposed.

2006: The theater's marble columns have survived and will be restored and placed in the hotel's lobby but the plaster ceiling artwork is gone forever.

The lobby ceiling, decorated with nautical creatures and sporting unusual lighting fixtures, is intact and will be restored by Pye Properties.

posted Jan 22nd, 2019 in By Charles Denson and tagged with Shore Theater, Coney Island, Landmark,...

Coney Island History Project

Happy New Year to our members, funders, and friends and many thanks for your continued interest and support! Looking back on highlights of 2018 at the Coney Island History Project as we welcome 2019, our 15th anniversary season, our year-round activities include walking tours, oral history interviews, and cultural enrichment programs at schools and senior centers in the community. We can't wait to see everyone again when the History Project's free exhibit center re-opens April 14, 2019, for Coney Island's Opening Day. 

The Coney Island History Project was founded in 2004 by Carol Hill Albert and Jerome Albert in honor of Dewey Albert, creator of Astroland Park. Our mission is to record, archive and share oral history interviews; provide access to historical artifacts and documentary material through educational exhibits, events and a website; and honor community leaders and amusement pioneers through our Coney Island Hall of Fame. Emphasizing community involvement, the History Project teaches young people about local history and develops programs in conjunction with local schools, museums, senior centers, and other organizations. 

We are grateful to the Albert family for their ongoing support, and to the Vourderis family, operators of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, for providing us a space and for their interest in preserving Coney Island's heritage. The Coney Island Project is supported, in part, by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, New York City Councilman Mark Treyger, and our members and contributors. Printed materials made possible with funds from the Destination: Brooklyn Program, funded by the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and NYC & Company Foundation, administered by Brooklyn Arts Council.

posted Jan 1st, 2019 in News and tagged with Happy New Year, New Year, Coney Island History Project,...

Coney Island History Project

May your days be merry and bright... 

Happy holidays from the Coney Island History Project, celebrating our 15th anniversary in 2019!

posted Dec 24th, 2018 in News and tagged with Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year,...

Gene Ritter

We're sad to learn that our friend Gene Ritter, a Coney Island native, environmental advocate, commercial diver, and educator, passed away on November 19 at the age of 59. Gene battled his illness for so long and with such a vengeance that it's hard to believe that he's left us. He fought bravely, and it didn't seem possible that he could ever lose the battle.

My last phone conversation with Gene took place a few days before he died. We were trying to work out an issue concerning Coney Island Creek. Both of us had strong differences of opinion but were seeking the same goal. After a while I changed the subject and told him that I'd just seen the documentary about the successful Thailand cave rescue of the trapped students, and I asked him, as an experienced professional diver, what he thought about how the rescuers were able to put aside their differences and pull off the most unbelievable rescue in history. He told me that his kind of diving was different but he'd faced similar conditions.

I was using the story as a metaphor for how we could cooperate, but Gene shot right past it and got to the point. "If you panic, you die," he said. Bottom line. He said that when you're facing hopeless conditions, disorientated, with zero visibility, you can still find your way out as long as you don't panic. Gene never panicked. He was always focused on achieving his mission, no matter who or what stood in the way.

In 2016, I recorded a wide-ranging conversation with Gene for the Coney Island History Project Oral History Archive. He talked about growing up in Coney Island and night diving as a teen, Mark V diving in Kaiser Park, and the thrill of finding historic artifacts including the Dreamland Bell, the pilings of Dreamland Pier and live shells from World War II in Gravesend Bay. You can listen to the interview in our online archive.

Gene didn't have a lot of time to waste. He accomplished so much in his life and achieved great success as an environmental advocate and educator. Everyone who crossed his path was impressed with his passion and his drive for what he believed in. Those who participated in Gene's Coney Island Creek events became enlightened and encouraged. His work with Cultural Research Divers, NYSMEA, Making Waves, and STEM programs brought a new awareness to thousands of students and community members. I am honored to have worked with him on so many projects over the years. He will be missed. 

—  Charles Denson

A wake will be held on November 23 from 2:00-4:00PM and 7:00-9:30PM at McCourt & Trudden Funeral Home, 385 Main Street, Farmingdale, NY. The funeral Mass will be on Saturday, November 24 at 10:45AM, at St. Kilian Roman Catholic Church, 485 Conklin Street, Farmingdale. 

Gene Ritter

Gene Ritter

Gene Ritter

 

posted Nov 21st, 2018 in By Charles Denson and tagged with Gene Ritter, In Memoriam, obituary,...

The Surf Avenue Gate in the 1890s.

Coney Island recently lost one of its most historic landmarks when the Surf Avenue entrance to Sea Gate, with its gracefully sweeping wooden archway, was unceremoniously demolished to make way for a new streamlined gateway.

The eclectic wood-shingled Victorian, with its exquisite arches and domed towers, was built in 1897 as the grand entrance to a new community that sprang up at Norton's Point at the western tip of Coney Island. In 2012 the storm surge from Hurricane Sandy caused irreparable damage to the structure, forcing the relocation of the offices of the Sea Gate Association and the Sea Gate Police Department, which had occupied the building for more than a century.

Over the decades, the gateway suffered unfortunate alterations that resulted in the loss of the towers, wooden shingles, and other distinguishing features of the original design. The archway, however, remained intact until September 2018 when it was brought to the ground and crushed by an excavator.

When I was growing up in Coney Island Houses, my bedroom window faced the old gateway down at the end of Surf Avenue, and I remember the illuminated archway and Coney Island lighthouse behind it serving as reassuring nightlights against the black sky and the ocean beyond. In 1999 I was permitted to climb inside the arch (then used by the Sea Gate Association for storage, and accessible through a small trapdoor) to view the intricate maze of wooden trusses that supported the span. It's a shame that the building could not be saved and restored as this kind of architecture will never again be seen in Coney Island.

—  Charles Denson

The Gate circa 1900.  © Charles Denson Archive

The  altered Gate, 2002 Photo by Charles Denson

The Gate is now a fence, October 1, 2018 Photo by Charles Denson

The Gate suffered severe damage in Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Charles Denson, Oct 2012

The new streamlined gate will include historic references to the old structure. Photo by Charles Denson

 

posted Nov 13th, 2018 in By Charles Denson and tagged with

Mathylde Frontus

The Coney Island History Project congratulates Mathylde Frontus on her remarkable victory in the New York State Assembly race! We have worked with Mathylde on projects in the past, including a presentation about Coney Island’s African-American History, and on Coney Island Anti-Violence measures.  For our Oral History Archive, we interviewed Mathylde in July last year about growing up in Coney Island as the eldest child of Haitian immigrant parents who instilled a love of learning and community service. The interview can be listened to online here.

posted Nov 8th, 2018 in News and tagged with Mathylde Frontus, New York State Assembly, Election,...

Astroland Remembered Photo Contest

In September, we asked you to share your favorite photos of yourself, family, friends or fans at Astroland taken anytime from 1962 through 2008 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Astroland Park’s closing. Thanks to all who took the time to look through their albums and enter the Astroland Remembered Photo Contest and for voting for your favorites! Photos ranged from childhood snapshots on kiddie rides to professional quality photographs of the park’s memorable attractions and poignant last day. We’re pleased to announce the winning photos, which will be exhibited at the Coney Island History Project next season on Coney Island's Opening Day – April 14, 2019. Congratulations! The People’s Choice and Jury’s Choice winners will receive a signed copy of Charles Denson’s book Coney Island and Astroland and tickets for the Coney Island History Project Walking Tour.

Astroland Remembered Photo Contest

People’s Choice Winner: Emmy Chindemi, “Early 70’s Kiddie Park”

“I was born in Brooklyn and yes, that is me and my sister sitting on the bear, I’m the one in the front my sister Joann is behind me. I believe I was 7 years old. My parents would always take us to Coney Island, I have a lot of favorite rides I loved, but the one thing I remember was the giant astronaut, in fact I might have a picture of me and my sisters sitting on his boot.”

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Astroland Remembered Photo Contest

Jury’s Choice Winner: Lou Dembrow, “Astroman”

“The closing of Astroland was an event that moved me deeply. I made a movie about Jimmy Prince and me experiencing it. 'Astroman' embodies Coney Island’s democratic spirit of FREE TO BE ME! I began seriously photographing Coney Island in 2007. Harvey Stein, my teacher at the International Center of Photography, took us there in the 90's.”

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Astroland Remembered Photo Contest

Honorable Mention: Bruce Sherman, “Photo taken in the mid to late 60's, Kiddie Park area”

“My mother reminded me that I was three months old when we moved to Coney Island. My father took this photo of me at Astroland in the mid to late ‘60s. My brother Perry used to work in Astroland operating the Skyride. My mother was so scared of the ride she used to squeeze my hand while we were riding.”

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Astroland Remembered Photo Contest

Honorable Mention: Omar Robau, “Shooting Gallery”

"Walking through Astroland was always a novelty for me. No matter how many times, and there were so many, I would always feel that sense of nostalgia in the present. Coney Island, as a whole, felt like that to me. As if the past was in constant connection with the present and the future. This photo represents the variety of people with the variety of reasons for them enjoying Astroland on a variety of levels. For me, it ran deep for some unknown reason. An unknown but strong kind of love. Walking through there today still gives me that nostalgic feeling because the presence of Astroland, can still be felt there."

posted Oct 24th, 2018 in News and tagged with Astroland, Astroland Park, 10th Anniversary,...

Coney Island History Project Multilingual Brochure

The Coney Island History Project is seeking part-time interviewers to conduct audio interviews for an oral history project in the Southern Brooklyn neighborhoods of Coney Island, Bensonhurst and Gravesend.

Interviewers must have professional or academic training and experience in oral history, interviewing or radio reporting. They will conduct, record and edit audio interviews in English or another language for which we require interviewers such as Russian, Chinese, and Spanish. Interviewers are paid by the hour for the interview and editing. Additional work transcribing and translating the interview is also available. This project is ongoing and scheduling is flexible. Interviews along with transcripts are posted on our online oral history archive at https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history-archive. For info on our oral history program, see the article in the Fall 2018 issue of the U.K. Oral History Journal [PDF - page 25].

Desired skills:

- Fully proficient in English and at least one other language such as Russian, Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin), and Spanish, or another language for which we may require interviewers

-Training and experience in oral history, interviewing or radio reporting

-Provide samples of previous interviews or audio recordings

-Experience with recording equipment and digital editing

-Ability to work independently

-Excellent written and communication skills

HOW TO APPLY

Please send cover letter, resume, links to previous interviews or audio recordings to coneyislandhistory[AT]gmail[DOT]com

posted Oct 21st, 2018 in News and tagged with oral history, bilingual, interviewers,...

Coney Island History Project Walking Tour

Coney Island History Project director Charles Denson leading a workshop and walking tour for teachers as part of the Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Connections, a professional learning program for educators

Stroll through Coney past, present and future with the Coney Island History Project Walking Tour! This year, visitors from near (New York City, Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey), far (California, Florida, Louisiana and Oregon) and around the world (Costa Rica, England, Germany and Spain) joined our weekend tours. Among the groups for whom we conducted special tours this season were the Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Connections, a professional learning program for educators; the Historic Districts Council’s Six to Celebrate, a preservation advocacy initiative; and Transition Network, a national organization for women over 50. School groups, company outings, and private groups celebrating reunions and birthdays also joined us for special tours.

Offered year-round, our 1-1/2 hour, wheelchair accessible tour includes a private visit to the Coney Island History Project's exhibit center. Tours are based on History Project director Charles Denson's award-winning book Coney Island: Lost and Found, the interviews from our Oral History Archive, and other primary sources. Visit our online reservation site to see the walking tour schedule and purchase advance tickets online. Tickets are $25 and help support the free programming of the Coney Island History Project, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization.

All Coney Island History Project Walking Tours are weather permitting. If a tour is cancelled due to the weather forecast, ticket orders will be refunded. If you have a question or you would like to schedule a private tour or group visit, please email events [AT] coneyislandhistory [DOT] org.

posted Oct 21st, 2018 in Events and tagged with Tours, Walking Tour, Coney Island,...