Oral History Archive

Filtering by Steeplechase Park 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

Nancy Gabriel

Memories of visiting Uncle Pete, who ran a food concession at Steeplechase Pool in the 1930s-50s

Greg Birbil

Greg Birbil's father, Paul, was a candy maker who owned the Paradise Ice Cream Parlor on Surf Avenue

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

Richard Glazer-Danay

Artist who grew up in Coney Island and whose artwork celebrates his Mohawk iron worker ancestry

Anne Green

Memories of growing up in Coney Island in the 1930s and '40s

Rob Weissbard

Milton Berger's nephew describes adventures at Steeplechase Park with Coney's great showman

Alan Kirschenbaum

Memories of growing up in Coney Island Houses in the 1950s and early '60s

Sharon Tera

Sharon Tera's family operated Ethel's Restaurant on the Boardwalk in the 1940s and '50s

Carol Barry

Memories of living in the newly opened Luna Park Houses in the 1960s

Jane McNeive Ennis

Memories of Ocean Tide Baths and Coney Island

Laura Numeroff

Children's book author's memories of Steeplechase, the Animal Nursery, and Brighton Beach Baths

Stanley Shapiro

Memories of growing up in Coney Island in the 1940s and going back four times a year

Joyce Chopra

Groundbreaking filmmaker grew up in Sea Gate and on Mermaid Avenue

Ellen Abrams

Memories of growing up on West 29th Street and meeting her lifeguard husband on Coney Island Beach

Natalie Johnson

Memories of having a season locker at Ravenhall and Washington Baths Annex in the 1950s and '60s