Oral History Archive

Filtering by 1920 - 1929 back to all

Frank Gurrera

Machinist at MTA's Coney Island Overhaul and Repair Shop and oldest active TWU Local 100 member

Edith Storch

Memories of growing up on West 36th Street in Coney Island's West End

Van Milana

Grandson of sword swallower Joseph "Ajax" Milana and DeWise Purdin "The Handless Sharpshooter"

Ida Rosenblum Gambrell

Memories of Coney Island in the 1920s and '30s

Charles Berkman

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

Joel Zika

The founder of the Dark Ride Project on documenting Spook-A-Rama and other historic dark rides

Charles Robert Feltman

Charles Robert Feltman, great-grandson of Feltmans Restaurant founder and hot dog inventor Charles Feltman

Antoinette Balzano

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

Louise Milano

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

Judge Steve Arniotes

The story behind the Boardwalk Lido Restaurant and the family who operated it from 1927 until 1960

Jose Beth Smolensky

Juilliard trained musician whose family owned Washington Baths

Ed Radonic

Organist and grandson of B&B Carousell organ doctor

Joseph Albanese

87-year-old remembers the Nickel Empire

Chris Davies

Great-grandson of strongman The Great Sandow

Jack Ward

Grandson of Coney Island Developer William J. Ward

Everett Ortner

Co-founder of the Brownstone Revival Coalition

Freda Aron

Radio broadcaster and Coney Island native

Goldie Durlester

Depression-era resident and survivor of the 1932 fire