Oral History Archive

Martine Emile

Longtime Coney Island resident and cinematographer for a series of indie films shot here

Aisuluu Sartbaeva

Journalist and PTA President of I.S. 303 moved to Coney Island from Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia

Patricia Sener

Sea Gate resident and co-founder of CIBBOWS - Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers

Craig Boyton Dudley

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

Federico Ausbury and Maira Vergara

Husband-and-wife music duo Federico Ausbury and Maira Vergara of A Flying Dodo Society

Georganna Deas

Coney Island resident Georganna Deas has spent forty years advocating for a better Coney Island

Louise Milano

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

Taty and Ralph Alicea

Mother and son remember the Laughing Lady at Coney's Magic Carpet Fun House

David Head

David Head tells the story of African-American inventor Granville T. Woods and his electric roller coaster

Richard Gangemi

Richard Gangemi is a colorful figure on the Boardwalk

Gabriel Valencia

Twenty years as part of the family at Gregory & Paul's and Paul's Daughter on the Coney Island Boardwalk

Marina Rubin

Ukrainian emigre writer and author of Stealing Cherries, a collection of flash fiction

Misha Mokretsov

Founder and head coach at New York Fencing Academy in Coney Island

Happy New Year 2016!

New Year's Day greetings and Coney Island memories recorded at Deno's Wonder Wheel

Abiodun Bello

A Coney Island Polar Bear talks about the health benefits and natural high of winter swimming

Cynthia Tyson

A Coney Island resident describes her Steeplechase memories

Basil Jones

Jamaican-born chef at Footprints Caribbean Cafe in Coney Island and originator of Rasta Pasta

Theresa Giovinni

Coney Island resident who moved here as a high school student talks about her neighborhood