May your days be merry and bright... 

Happy holidays from the Coney Island History Project, celebrating our 15th anniversary in 2019!

The Surf Avenue Gate in the 1890s.

Coney Island recently lost one of its most historic landmarks when the Surf Avenue entrance to Sea Gate, with its gracefully sweeping wooden archway, was unceremoniously demolished to make way for a new streamlined gateway.

The eclectic wood-shingled Victorian, with its exquisite arches and domed towers, was built in 1897 as the grand entrance to a new community that sprang up at Norton's Point at the western tip of Coney Island. In 2012 the storm surge from Hurricane Sandy caused irreparable damage to the structure, forcing the relocation of the offices of the Sea Gate Association and the Sea Gate Police Department, which had occupied the building for more than a century.

Over the decades, the gateway suffered unfortunate alterations that resulted in the loss of the towers, wooden shingles, and other distinguishing features of the original design. The archway, however, remained intact until September 2018 when it was brought to the ground and crushed by an excavator.

When I was growing up in Coney Island Houses, my bedroom window faced the old gateway down at the end of Surf Avenue, and I remember the illuminated archway and Coney Island lighthouse behind it serving as reassuring nightlights against the black sky and the ocean beyond. In 1999 I was permitted to climb inside the arch (then used by the Sea Gate Association for storage, and accessible through a small trapdoor) to view the intricate maze of wooden trusses that supported the span. It's a shame that the building could not be saved and restored as this kind of architecture will never again be seen in Coney Island.

—  Charles Denson

The Gate circa 1900.  © Charles Denson Archive

The  altered Gate, 2002 Photo by Charles Denson

The Gate is now a fence, October 1, 2018 Photo by Charles Denson

The Gate suffered severe damage in Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Charles Denson, Oct 2012

The new streamlined gate will include historic references to the old structure. Photo by Charles Denson

In September, we asked you to share your favorite photos of yourself, family, friends or fans at Astroland taken anytime from 1962 through 2008 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Astroland Park’s closing. Thanks to all who took the time to look through their albums and enter the Astroland Remembered Photo Contest and for voting for your favorites! Photos ranged from childhood snapshots on kiddie rides to professional quality photographs of the park’s memorable attractions and poignant last day. We’re pleased to announce the winning photos, which will be exhibited at the Coney Island History Project next season on Coney Island's Opening Day – April 14, 2019. Congratulations! The People’s Choice and Jury’s Choice winners will receive a signed copy of Charles Denson’s book Coney Island and Astroland and tickets for the Coney Island History Project Walking Tour.

People’s Choice Winner: Emmy Chindemi, “Early 70’s Kiddie Park”

“I was born in Brooklyn and yes, that is me and my sister sitting on the bear, I’m the one in the front my sister Joann is behind me. I believe I was 7 years old. My parents would always take us to Coney Island, I have a lot of favorite rides I loved, but the one thing I remember was the giant astronaut, in fact I might have a picture of me and my sisters sitting on his boot.”

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Jury’s Choice Winner: Lou Dembrow, “Astroman”

“The closing of Astroland was an event that moved me deeply. I made a movie about Jimmy Prince and me experiencing it. 'Astroman' embodies Coney Island’s democratic spirit of FREE TO BE ME! I began seriously photographing Coney Island in 2007. Harvey Stein, my teacher at the International Center of Photography, took us there in the 90's.”

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Honorable Mention: Bruce Sherman, “Photo taken in the mid to late 60's, Kiddie Park area”

“My mother reminded me that I was three months old when we moved to Coney Island. My father took this photo of me at Astroland in the mid to late ‘60s. My brother Perry used to work in Astroland operating the Skyride. My mother was so scared of the ride she used to squeeze my hand while we were riding.”

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Honorable Mention: Omar Robau, “Shooting Gallery”

"Walking through Astroland was always a novelty for me. No matter how many times, and there were so many, I would always feel that sense of nostalgia in the present. Coney Island, as a whole, felt like that to me. As if the past was in constant connection with the present and the future. This photo represents the variety of people with the variety of reasons for them enjoying Astroland on a variety of levels. For me, it ran deep for some unknown reason. An unknown but strong kind of love. Walking through there today still gives me that nostalgic feeling because the presence of Astroland, can still be felt there."

Coney Island History Project director Charles Denson leading a workshop and walking tour for teachers as part of the Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Connections, a professional learning program for educators

Stroll through Coney past, present and future with the Coney Island History Project Walking Tour! This year, visitors from near (New York City, Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey), far (California, Florida, Louisiana and Oregon) and around the world (Costa Rica, England, Germany and Spain) joined our weekend tours. Among the groups for whom we conducted special tours this season were the Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Connections, a professional learning program for educators; the Historic Districts Council’s Six to Celebrate, a preservation advocacy initiative; and Transition Network, a national organization for women over 50. School groups, company outings, and private groups celebrating reunions and birthdays also joined us for special tours.

Offered year-round, our 1-1/2 hour, wheelchair accessible tour includes a private visit to the Coney Island History Project's exhibit center. Tours are based on History Project director Charles Denson's award-winning book Coney Island: Lost and Found, the interviews from our Oral History Archive, and other primary sources. Visit our online reservation site to see the walking tour schedule and purchase advance tickets online. Tickets are $25 and help support the free programming of the Coney Island History Project, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization.

All Coney Island History Project Walking Tours are weather permitting. If a tour is cancelled due to the weather forecast, ticket orders will be refunded. If you have a question or you would like to schedule a private tour or group visit, please email events [AT] coneyislandhistory [DOT] org.