Founder and head coach at New York Fencing Academy in Coney Island
Misha Mokretsov, 30, is head coach and owner of the New York Fencing Academy on West 12th Street in Coney Island. He first came to the U.S. in 2006, on an academic/athletic scholarship to St. John’s University, where he was captain of the fencing...
Content type: Oral History Item
New Year's Day greetings and Coney Island memories recorded at Deno's Wonder Wheel
On January 1st, 2016, the Vourderis family opened Deno's Wonder Wheel on New Year's Day for the first time in the landmark's 95 year history. The Coney Island History Project was on hand to record New Year's greetings from the Wonder Wheel for our...
Content type: Oral History Item
A Coney Island Polar Bear talks about the health benefits and natural high of winter swimming
"Trust me, try it one day, you're going to like it," says Abiodun "Abi" Bello, who has been swimming in cold water as a member of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club since 2010. A native of Lagos, Nigeria, he first came to the U.S to study accounting...
Content type: Oral History Item
Jamaican-born chef at Footprints Caribbean Cafe in Coney Island and originator of Rasta Pasta
Basil Jones is the chef at Footprints Cafe in Coney Island, which specializes in Caribbean cuisine, and is the originator of their famed Rasta Pasta. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in St. Ann's Bay, Jones first learned to cook as a boy...
Content type: Oral History Item
Coney Island resident who moved here as a high school student talks about her neighborhood
Coney Island resident Theresa Giovinni moved here from Williamsburg as a high school student. When a class assignment to research the history of her neighborhood came up, she chose Coney and learned about Luna Park, Dreamland, and Steeplechase Park...
Content type: Oral History Item
5D Cinema entrepreneur on Coney Island's Bowery
For the Coney Island History Project's first-ever "on-ride" oral history, interviewer Samira Tazari mixed recordings of her ride on the Bowery's 5D Cinema and an interview with the indie attraction's owner Terry Zheng. Known as "Tommy" to his...
Content type: Oral History Item
Coney Island sunset
A dramatic sunset in October 2012, shortly before Hurricane Sandy struck Coney Island.
Photograph © 2012 by Charles Denson
Content type: Collection Item
Luna Park pinwheel
Pinwheel about to be installed on the entrance to the new Luna Park, May, 2010.
Content type: Collection Item
Collection type: Documentary photograph
Mermaid Spa founder talks about bringing the Russian banya tradition to Coney Island
This interview was conducted and recorded in Russian. Read Mark Markov's transcript and translation below. Интервью было проведено и записано на русском языке. Читайте транскрипт и перевод Марка Маркова которые расположены ниже.
A native of Kyiv,...
Content type: Oral History Item
Coney Island homeowner recalls fleeing Vietnam with his family in 1981 and settling in New York City
This interview was conducted and recorded in Cantonese Chinese. Read Audrey Tam's transcript and translation below.
本采访以粤语进行并记录。阅读下面的Audrey Tam的笔录和翻译。
Among the more than 800,000 refugees who fled Vietnam in the years after the fall of Hanoi and...
Content type: Oral History Item