Coney Island businessman and neighborhood activist
Lou Powsner, a former Coney Island businessman and neighborhood activist remembers his fond and not so fond memories of working in Coney Island. Jennifer Snow, his grand-daughter, talks about the future of Coney Island and having a grandfather who...
Content type: Oral History Item
The King of Jones Walk
Wally Roberts has been operating amusements in Coney Island since the 1940’s. He rented space in the Feltman’s Building for storage and for a candy shop that sold salt water taffy, popcorn, and jelly apples. He remembers Feltman’s hotdogs, the first...
Content type: Oral History Item
Family of former Coney game and ride owner Jack Merr
Linda Merr, wife of former game and ride owner Jack Merr recalls the one and only time she acted in a sideshow alongside Iron Jaw Joe. Michael Merr, son of Jack and Linda, expresses his opinion about the future of Coney Island.
Content type: Oral History Item
Began his career as a sign painter in Coney Island
John Rea is currently an advertising professional and adjunct professor at the School of Visual Arts in New York, but he began his career as a young teenager working for his father, also John Rea, in the Peluso Machine and Iron Works shop in Coney...
Content type: Oral History Item
Lived next door to Luna Park
Rose Patton, nee Schwartz, lived in Coney Island in 1938 in a house her mother and aunt inherited from their father. Rose's family of four and her aunt's family of three shared the house for about a year before moving back to Brighton...
Content type: Oral History Item
Visiting Coney Island his whole life
Allen Ashby started coming to Coney Island as a boy in the late 1950's. In the 60's, he came with high school friends and spent most of his time trying to meet girls. Later, he brought his daughters for visits as they grew up in the 70...
Content type: Oral History Item
High school sweethearts from Coney Island
Sherri and Harold Kaufman grew up together in Coney Island and were sweethearts at Lincoln High School. They have been married for forty years now and live in Massachusetts, but they still return occasionally to visit their old home. Harold worked...
Content type: Oral History Item
Devoted Cyclone Rider
At the time of this interview, Howie was in Coney Island on opening day to ride the Cyclone for the 50th year in a row. He was accompanied by his family, who have also been riding the Cyclone for years. Howie brought his wife to Coney Island shortly...
Content type: Oral History Item
Grew up in Luna Park Houses in the 1970's and worked at Nathan's
Maria and Gwen grew up in Luna Park Houses and recount with great joy and pride what it was like to live in Coney Island during the 70's. Maria tells in extraordinary detail her job selling food at Nathan's. Saying that she was among the...
Content type: Oral History Item
Author and key figure in the counterculture of the 1960's shares his Coney Island memories
Legendary Paul Krassner reads an excerpt from his autobiography, "Confessions of a Raving, Unconfined Nut: Misadventures in the Counter-Culture" about his experience at Steeplechase Park.
Paul Krassner passed away on July 21, 2019 at the...
Content type: Oral History Item