Girlhood memories of summering in a Coney Island bungalow in the 1950s
On her first day back to Coney Island since 1959, Kathy Duke O'Melia shares memories of joyful summers spent with her family at a bungalow colony in Coney Island. Located on West 31st Street near Coney Island Creek, the bungalows provided an...
Content type: Oral History Item
Demolished Steeplechase Pavilion
Demolished Steeplechase Pavilion in the Coney Island History Project exhibit "The 50th Anniversary of Fred Trump's Demolition of the Steeplechase Pavilion." Photo by James Onorato.
Content type: Collection Item
Collection type: Documentary photograph
Astroland seeks to buy Tilyou's
Newspaper clipping in the Coney Island History Project exhibit "The 50th Anniversary of Fred Trump's Demolition of the Steeplechase Pavilion."
Content type: Collection Item
Collection type: Newspaper
A look behind the scenes at Steeplechase Park
Frank Newlands worked at Steeplechase Park in its final years, maintaining the electrical infrastructure for attractions that included the Pavilion, Parachute Jump, Ferris Wheel, and roller coaster. His stories give a rare and humorous glimpse into...
Content type: Oral History Item
This illustration shows an aerial view of Coney Island's amusement parks
"The first Steeplechase Park is shown (top center) of this photograph (sic - it's an illustration) of the Coney Island Amusement area taken around the turn of the century. In 1907, this original Steeplechase Park burned down. The present structure,...
Content type: Collection Item
Collection type: Publicity photograph
Under the Redevelopment Plan
Photograph of the Pavilion of Fun and facade of Steeplechase Park
"Under the Redevelopment Plan Coney Island, N.Y. famed Steeplechase Park would be demolished to make way for housing to alleviate a very urgent need in the area. This view shows the beginning of the Steeplechase property at West 16th Street. It is...
Content type: Collection Item
Collection type: Publicity photograph
Co-founder of the Brownstone Revival Coalition
Everett Ortner, 87-year old former magazine editor and co-founder of the Brownstone Revival Coalition in New York City, shares his Coney Island experience as a little boy in 1925. Listen to Everett reminisce about trolley rides to Coney Island and...
Content type: Oral History Item
Avid weekender in Coney Island
Pat Lingenbach recalls her weekend visits to Coney Island as a child and teenager growing up in Riverdale, New York in the 1930's and 40's. Pat's mother was friends with Evelyn Mangels and according to Pat, Evelyn played matchmaker...
Content type: Oral History Item
First visit since 1961
Dennis brought his wife Carol for her first visit to Coney Island in the summer of 2009 when they recorded this interview. He recalls his one previous visit to Coney Island during the summer of 1961 when he was a boy. A friend's family brought...
Content type: Oral History Item
Son of Steeplechase Park's general manager, James Onorato
Michael Onorato is the son of James Onorato, who was the general manager of Steeplechase Park from 1928 to 1964 when it closed. Michael remembers the park in vivid detail and describes growing up there. He gives a start-to-finish account of going...
Content type: Oral History Item