Oral History Archive

Filtering by amusement parks back to all

Ita Bullard

Horace and Ita Bullard's attempt to transform Coney Island

Michael Liff

Memories of working at the Tornado roller coaster and other Coney Island rides and games in the 1970s

Stanley Fox, Part 2

Retired arcade operator's memories of when Coney Island's amusements were open in the wintertime

Florian Freitag

Visiting scholar whose research interests include theme park studies

Eric K. Washington

Historian delves into the life of E.J. Perry, African-American silhouette artist at Luna Park

Jorge Gallegos

Working year-round at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park for 30 years

Craig Boyton Dudley

Craig Boyton Dudley, great-grandson of adventurer Paul Boyton, who built Coney Island's Sea Lion Park in 1895

Frank Newlands

A look behind the scenes at Steeplechase Park

Junaid Anwar

Pakistani immigrant and Lincoln High School graduate recounts living on West 15th St

Walter "Shorty" Arsenault

Long-time manager of Astroland's Kiddieland

Louis Ritter

Amusement Ride Operator

Joan DelSandra

Memories of the Bobsled, Caterpillar and Parachute Jump

Frank Pugliese

Maintained Astroland Park's Astrotower for 25 years

Susan Petersen Avitzour

Lived in Coney Island until age 11 and is back for the first time in 25 years

Neal Kavakos

Memories of Tunnels of Love ride operator John Kavakos