Oral History Archive

Filtering by seniors (older people) back to all

Josephine Gargiulo Cassata

Daughter of Gargiulo's founder was born in an apartment above Coney Island's famous restaurant

Ida Rosenblum Gambrell

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

Jeffrey Eisenmesser

Former teacher at Mark Twain Junior High School recalls his Coney Island memories

Charles Berkman

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

Charles Robert Feltman

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

Commendatore Aldo Mancusi

Memories of Coney Island in the 1930s and '40s and growing up in Brooklyn in an Italian family

Judge Steve Arniotes

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

Hector George Wallace

An immigrant sign painter recounts his journey from Jamaica and the UK to Coney Island.

Galina Mogurova

Surviving Hurricane Sandy in Coney Island's West End

Cornel Chan

"The Elvis of the East" and founder of Brooklyn Chinese-American Assn. Chorus

José Beth Smolensky

Juilliard trained musician whose family owned Washington Baths

Peter Agrapides

Owner of Williams Candy and past owner of Fascination Arcade

Jimmy Prince

Proprietor of Major Markets, Coney Island's oldest butcher shop

Vivian Palo

Loved growing up and raising children in Coney Island

Jimmy McCullough

Lifelong carousel owner and operator

Wally Roberts

The King of Jones Walk

Vivian and Ben Grisar

Holders of Coney Island History

Rose Patton

Lived next door to Luna Park