It must have been a very slow news week! A few days ago the historic Cyclone Roller Coaster encountered a problem, as amusement rides sometimes do. There were no injuries. There was a successful evacuation of everyone on board. The safety mechanism...
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The beautifully restored motor yacht Nellie Bly operated by the Coney Island Steamboat Company is ready to give nautical tours.
Coney Island native Gerard Thornton has returned to his roots and launched the Coney Island Steamboat Company, based...
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Coney Island History Project director Charles Denson was recently invited to participate in a fascinating new exhibit at the New-York Historical Society titled Lost New York. The exhibition “explores the landmarks, vistas, pastimes, environments,...
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"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...
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Coney Island has lost one of its most creative and beloved souls. Our good friend and neighbor, Benny Harrison, passed away on the morning of March 11 at the age of 83. For more than 60 years Benny Harrison brought fun and smiles to visitors who...
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Last year, Cynthia Nuara of Queens, New York, sent a query to the Coney Island History Project asking if we had photos or information about her great-grandfather John Polise’s bait and tackle store. John's Bait & Tackle operated from the 1940s...
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Photo: Jimmy Prince, Charles Denson and John Dorman at Ruby's on the Coney Island Boardwalk in 2011.
We're sad to hear that our friend John Dorman, 93, has passed away. John Dorman and Philips Candy were Coney Island landmarks. His smiling face...
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As we near the end of 2023, the Coney Island History Project pays tribute to five Brooklynites that we lost this year who recorded their stories for our oral history archive: Eliot Wofse, Michael Onorato, Ralph Perfetto, Santos Torres, and Sofya...
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The fun place to be on New Year’s Day is Coney Island and the best way to welcome 2024 is with a dip in the Atlantic! Join the Coney Island Polar Bear Club for their 121st Annual New Year’s Day Plunge on January 1st from 11 AM until 2 PM. The...
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The Coney Island History Project will celebrate Coney Island’s 200th birthday on October 28th by displaying and honoring Coney Island’s oldest surviving artifact: the 200-year-old Coney Island Toll House sign that dates to 1823. Please join us! Our...
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