Boyhood memories of Ocean Tide Baths and the B&B Carousell's Lincoln horse
"Anyone who knows me fairly well has been to Coney Island with me," says Arthur Nintzel, who grew up in Brooklyn on East 37th Street at Nostrand and Flatbush Avenues. On a visit back to Coney Island with his daughter, Arthur Nintzel shared boyhood...
Content type: Oral History Item
Memories of riding the Parachute Jump and Steeplechase horse race ride in the 1950s
Marian Carbone and Anna Jackson, twin sisters who grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, share their memories of 1950's Coney Island. "It didn't cost much. It was a nice day out. What was it? 15 cents on the train," says Marian. "Coney Island was our...
Content type: Oral History Item
Memories of growing up in a Jewish household in Coney Island
Born in Coney Island, Susan Hochtman Creatura lived in Coney Island Houses when it was new and she was a little girl who enjoyed the novelty of riding the elevators. Her parents marveled that this New York City housing complex for working class...
Content type: Oral History Item
Photograph by © Charles Denson
Jimmy McCullough, former owner of the B&B Carousell, poses with his wife and daughters in front of the historic ride. Built in 1919 at the Coney Island factory of William Mangels, the B&B Carousell was the...
Content type: Collection Item
Collection type: Documentary photograph
Brooklyn & Queens Transit trolley 2543 on Sea Gate line, traveling west. Luna Park entrance and the B&B Carousell can be seen in the background right. The Boston's Hotel building (built 1907) is behind the trolley. By this time it had ceased...
Content type: Collection Item
Collection type: Documentary photograph
Lifelong carousel owner and operator
Jimmy McCullough learned the carousel business from his father, James McCullough, who began his career working on the Steeplechase and Stubbman carousels. Working in Coney Island is a family business going back generations for Jimmy who is a...
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
Memories of her grandfather's frosted food business and a renegade ride on the Thunderbolt
Meg Feeley was born in Brooklyn. Her grandfather owned Ben Kallman's Frosted Foods, which introduced frozen corn on the cob to Coney Island as a snack food. Among her memories are a renegade ride on the Thunderbolt on a February night in the...
Content type: Oral History Item
Lived in Luna Park Housing in the 1960's
Michele moved to Coney Island in 1961 when Luna Park Houses were first built. She had an aunt who lived in Sea Gate and often rode her bike over to hang out there on her favorite beach. It was quiet there and very different from the boisterous Luna...
Content type: Oral History Item
New York Aquarium volunteer
Debra moved to Coney Island at the age of 7 and recalls some of her fondest memories, including the animal nursery, volunteering at the New York Aquarium, Bread and Puppet Theater and the B&B Carousell. She also compares Coney Island to other...
Content type: Oral History Item