"Watch Her Dance to the End of Love," Benny's storefront on West 12th Street. Photo by Charles Denson.
By Charles Denson
A phone call from Benny always began with a private joke: “Charlie, tell me what’s new in the World’s Playground.” A bit...
Content type: News Article
Ralph Perfetto
Ralph Perfetto was a towering figure in Coney Island. Community-minded, kind, funny, and caring, Ralph was instrumental in saving the Italian residential section of the neighborhood from urban renewal destruction in the 1960s. His...
Content type: News Article
Allan Yussim celebrating his birthday aboard Dennis Vourderis's fishing boat, 2019.
We were sad to learn that our friend Allan Yussim passed away last week at the age of 77. Allan was a really funny guy and an important member of the Deno's...
Content type: News Article
We're sad to learn that our friend Gene Ritter, a Coney Island native, environmental advocate, commercial diver, and educator, passed away on November 19 at the age of 59. Gene battled his illness for so long and with such a vengeance that it's...
Content type: News Article
Gregory Bitetzakis in 2001. Photo © Charles Denson
Over the weekend, we were saddened to learn of the death of our friend Gregory Bitetzakis, who passed away unexpectedly on January 17 at the age of 81. Until his retirement in 2009, Gregory co-...
Content type: News Article
When Jimmy McCullough visited the History Project to sit for an interview a few years back, I felt that I was in the presence of Coney royalty. He was a man of few words, quiet and hardworking and, like most of the Coney old-timers, someone who...
Content type: News Article
In 2004 Carol Hill Albert and Jerry Albert founded
the Coney Island History Project in memory of Dewey Albert.
Jerry Albert was a passionate believer in Coney Island. You had to be a believer to accomplish what he did. It began when Jerry’s...
Content type: News Article
Yesterday we were saddened to learn of the death of Rabbi Abraham Abraham, who died on May 18. He was the leader of the Ice Breakers Winter Ocean Swimmers of Brighton Beach, a group that broke away from the Polar Bear Club in the 1990s. "The Rabbi...
Content type: News Article
CIHP Flickr photo of Jack & Marybeth Ward
Over the weekend, we were saddened to learn of the death of our friend Jack Ward, who died September 3 at the age of 66. Jack was an advisory board member of the Coney Island History Project and was...
Content type: News Article
CIHP director, Charles Denson with Joe Rollino, 2008.
On Monday, we were saddened to read in the Daily News that 104-year-young Coney Island strongman and boxer Joe Rollino (aka 'Kid Dundee') had been hit by a van and killed while out for his...
Content type: News Article