Oral History Archive

Filtering by Coney Island Beach back to all
Ida Rosenblum Gambrell
Memories of Coney Island in the 1920s and '30s
Alonzo Kittrels
Memories of bus trips to Coney Island with the Good Will Family Club from the 1940's through 1961
Melody Andorfer
"Hot Dog Queen" and Winner of the 1972 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest
Marie Navarro
A lifelong resident's memories of growing up in Coney Island's Gravesend Houses and Kaiser Park
Lois McLohon
Brooklynite who posed for a now iconic 1950's NY Daily News pin-up photo on Coney Island Beach
Dennis Thomas
President of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club for the past 12 years and a member since the 1980s
Connie Scacciaferro
Memories of going to Coney Island Beach as a child in the 1930's and a teenager in the '40s
Tina Mednicoff Smokler
Growing up in Coney Island and being elected to Leon Friend's Art Squad at Lincoln High School
Samantha Robles (Cake)
Tattoo artist who grew up in Coney Island's West End
Alicia Angello
Teen memories of Coney Island's Polar Express and Breakdance in the 2000s
Maria Schwab
Growing up in Gravesend and going to Coney Island in the 1960s and living there today
Esther Delgado
Growing up in Gravesend and going to Coney Island in the 1940s and living there today
Jen Kepler
Educator at New York Aquarium and passionate observer of Brooklyn wildlife
Ellen Abrams
Memories of growing up on West 29th Street and meeting her lifeguard husband on Coney Island Beach
Martin Abrams
Brooklynite who was a lifeguard in the 1950s and met his wife of 60 years on Coney Island Beach
Gina Femia
Brooklyn-born playwright on her plays set in Coney Island and a marriage proposal on the beach
Allen James
Coney Islander, musician/songwriter in alt-rock band Newborn, lifeguard
Crystal Isley
Memories of growing up in Coney Island Houses in the 1980s and '90s