Coney Island History Project

News clipping from August 15, 1975 has the headline State's Michael Boodley New Roller-Coaster King. Fifty years ago this month, on August 14, 1975, seventeen-year-old Mike Boodley set a Guinness world record for consecutive roller coaster rides by riding the Coney Island Cyclone 1,001 times over 45 hours. The black & white photo shows him sitting in the first car, which says Cyclone, after the 1001st ride, and people around him congratulating him.

Happy #NationalRollerCoasterDay! I recorded an oral history for @coneyislandhistory.bsky.social with roller coaster designer Mike Boodley. Fifty years ago, he broke a world record riding the Coney Island Cyclone 1,001X in 45 hrs 🎢 www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history... @ridewithace.bsky.social

Photo inside Coney Island History Project's exhibit center shows a woman in a rainbow colored sun dress and a pink baseball cap cuddling up to and pointing at the Spook-A-Rama Cyclops. It is a giant size head sculpted from celastic in the 1950s that has one eye, a horn growing out of its head, and a toothy grin. It was originally on the roof of the Spook-A-Rama ride which is still in operation at Deno's.

Take a souvenir photo with the Spook-A-Rama Cyclops at the Coney Island History Project! Open free of charge on weekends from 1-7 PM. Hosted by Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, we're on W 12 St next to the Wheel. Then head over to Deno's for a spin on Spook-A-Rama, Coney's last classic dark ride 😱

Photos from NY Post article that says "Proposed Coney Island casino will create year-round 'traffic hell.' One photo shows the casino developer's glitzy rendering of the casino across the street from Nathan's and a sign saying Welcome to Coney Island. The second photo shows bumper to bumper traffic.

Coney Island CM @justinbrannan.bsky.social, Boro Pres @bkbpreynoso.bsky.social &
NYS Senator Scarcella Spanton appointed themselves to a Community Advisory Cmte to vote on The Coney casino. We need 3 no votes to stop the casino and traffic hell. Send your comments to TheConeyPublicComment@nystec.com

Top of first post of Charles Denson's Substack says "Coney Casino Derangement: How a casino developer is targeting a vulnerable community, Charles Denson, July 29, 2025" and show a photo of children wearing "The Coney" casino t-shirts. They have basketballs under the their arms. Their faces are cropped off in this photo but in the original photo their faces are shown.

Charles Denson, director of the Coney Island History Project, has a NEW Substack about Coney Island!
➡️ Read his first post & subscribe for free: coneyologist.substack.com
Denson is the author of the prizewinning Coney Island: Lost and Found and three other books about Coney Island.

Photo of Coney Island History Project shows open air front with posters, display case, and banner. People are walking on the sidewalk in the foreground of the picture. Behind the History Project, the Wonder Wheel with its red, blue and white cars, the red and yellow track of the Phoenix roller coaster, and the neon sign for the Wheel can be seen.

Stop by the Coney Island History Project's free exhibit center when you visit Coney Island Beach and Boardwalk! Open weekends and holidays from 1-7 PM, we're on W 12th St next to Deno's Wonder Wheel Park's Phoenix Roller Coaster and Wonder Wheel 🎡 www.coneyislandhistory.org/exhibition-c...

NEW in our oral history archive: Randy Profeta, great grandson of Coney Island sign painter Harry Wildman (1875-1930), who created the logo for Nathan's when it opened in 1916. Recorded for the Coney Island History Project by @triciavita.bsky.social. www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history...

Early photo of Nathan's in Coney Island shows a row of several workers behind the counter and two of them are holding children. There's a variety of signage at the top of the building. It says "This is the original Nathan's," and below that "Famous Frankfurters & Soft Drink Stand." The prices are Frankfurter, Roast Beef, and Hamburger 5¢, Root Beer 5¢, Potato Chips 10¢, Malted Milk Shake 6¢, Ice Cream Soda 10¢. We've circled the artist's credit, Wildman Co., in red.

Happy National Hot Dog Day! In this early photo of Nathan's you can see the store's logo created by Coney Island sign painter Harry Wildman. We circled his credit in red. You can listen to our oral history with Wildman's great grandson Randy Profeta here: www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history...

Photo of man in sunglasses and black sleeveless tee who has the logo of Steeplechase, the grinning 'Funny Face,' tattooed on his left arm along with the words Coney Island and Brooklyn. He is posing for a souvenir photo with the Cyclops, a sculpted head that was once atop the roof of the Spook-A-Rama dark ride, which is still operating in neighboring Deno's Wonder Wheel Park.

On Saturday, we welcomed a visitor from Vancouver, Canada, who loves Coney Island so much he has the Steeplechase Funny Face tattooed on his arm! Our exhibit center is open weekends & holidays 1-7 PM. Take a souvenir photo with the Spook-A-Rama Cyclops and view historic artifacts and photos. #FREE

Photo of two people, an older woman in a red shirt and flowered pants and a young girl wearing a tee and jeans They are standing in front of a black horse from Steeplechase Park's horse race ride, which closed in 1964. Behind them are photos of Steeplechase showing a couple riding the horse race ride at the park, a portrait of park founder George C Tilyou, the Pavilion of Fun, and different versions of the famous "Funny Face."

Visit the Coney Island History Project and take a souvenir photo with an original Steeplechase horse from the legendary ride that gave Steeplechase Park its name! Our exhibit center is open Saturdays, Sundays & holidays from 1-7 PM. #FREE www.coneyislandhistory.org/exhibition-c...

Logo of Coney Island History Project and vintage postcard showing Resinweber's Casino, which was actually a restaurant. Text says: The Coney Island casino developers need a history lesson. Reisenwebers Restaurant was not a gambling casino! The Coney Island casino developers are making the false claim that gambling casinos were once a traditional business in Coney Island. Their claim is a major part of the PowerPoint presentation they show at public hearings and to elected officials. The presentation shows an old postcard of a building with a roof sign that says “Reisenweber’s Casino.” That’s the extent of their proof. The problem is that their claim is absolutely FALSE. There were never gambling casinos in Coney Island. In the past it was common for dance halls, cabarets, bungalow colonies, restaurants, and bathhouses to call themselves “casinos.” The word “casino” had absolutely nothing to do with gambling. Read more at coneyislandhistory.org/blog

This is a text block that says: This is a truth can easily be fact-checked. There are no photographs, tax records, licenses, newspaper stories, advertisements, or recorded memories of a gambling casino ever operating in Coney Island. “The Coney” casino developers sold their claim based on one postcard image, and the New York City Planning Commission bought the lie. This type of fraud creates serious problems when used to influence public policy. This is exactly what happened when the @nycplanning Commission approved the zoning for the casino on May 7, 2025. Here is a direct quote from page 14 of the Planning Commission’s approval of the rezoning of Coney Island for the casino: “Casinos were once a popular and established use in Coney Island and a gaming facility returning to Coney will not only reinforce the area as an amusement district but also establish a new, year-round destination for residents and tourists, aligned with the goals of the Special Coney Island District.”

The Coney casino developers are falsely claiming that gambling casinos were once a traditional business in Coney Island & @nycplanning.bsky.social bought the lie. History lesson: www.coneyislandhistory.org/blog/coney-c...
@bkbpreynoso.bsky.social @justinbrannan.bsky.social @alexsommer.bsky.social

View multiple versions of Steeplechase Park's quirky trademark, the grinning 'Funny Face,' at the Coney Island History Project's free exhibition center. We have an original Steeplechase horse too! Located on W 12 St at the entrance to Deno's Wonder Wheel, we're open weekends and holidays, 1-7 PM.

Photo from a past 4th of July at the Coney Island History Project exhibit center shows a man dressed in red, white and blue from his headgear to his socks standing in front of the Spookarama Cyclops head. Red and white striped shirt. Oversized red, white and blue glittery bowtie. Even his sunglasses, hat, short and socks have a star spangled banner design!

Happy 4th of July Weekend! Visit the Coney Island History Project's free exhibition center in your red, white, and blue on Friday, Saturday or Sunday from 1-7 PM. Take a souvenir photo with the Spook-A-Rama Cyclops, Steeplechase horse, or our photo banner of Coney's crowded beach on July 4, 1935.

Rolling the dice: City Council approves Coney Island casino rezoning as state begins to consider gaming licenses • Brooklyn Paper The New York City Council on Monday approved a rezoning that would allow the proposed Coney Island casino to build a massive facility in the People’s

Unfortunately @council.nyc.gov passed Coney Island casino proposal to de-map public streets & acquire air rights for hotel 2x the height allowed by zoning. Vote was 36 - yes, including the vote of local CM @justinbrannan.bsky.social, 11 - no, and 4 abstentions. www.brooklynpaper.com/city-council...

The graphic says: UPDATE: On June 26, the New York City Council's Land Use and Zoning & Franchises Subcommittees voted unanimously to allow the Coney casino developer to de-map public streets and acquire air rights to build sky bridges and a hotel twice the height allowed by existing zoning. The full City Council will vote on Monday, June 30. If you don't want Coney Island to be replaced by a casino, we urge you to phone or email Coney Island Councilman Justin Brannan (718-748-5200, AskJB@council.nyc.gov) and your council member. Find your district: https://council.nyc.gov/districts/. Images include the developer's rendering of of the multi-block casino & hotel project and a warning symbol.

The NYC Council will vote on a casino developer's demapping proposal on Monday, June 30 ⚠️ If you don't want Coney Island to be replaced by a casino, we urge you to phone or email Coney Councilman @justinbrannan.bsky.social and your council member. Find your district: council.nyc.gov/districts/

Vintage linen postcard shows the Cyclone roller coaster amid colorful street scene with pennants strung across West 10th St., cars, and groups of people. in the 1930s-1940s. On the far left, a sign says Greeley Bus Depot. Linen postcards were popular from the early 1930s to the mid-1940s. Coney Island History Project Collection.

Happy 98th Birthday to The Cyclone Roller Coaster! Vintage postcard from the Coney Island History Project Collection.

Photo of red velvet cake with several white candles and white ribbon icing and a card made of sugar that says Happy Birthday Stan. It is stop a glass case with books inside that say Coney Island.

Happy 81st Birthday to our dear friend Stanley Fox from all of us at the Coney Island History Project! He and his family operated arcades in Coney for more than 30 years. You can listen to his oral history interview recorded by @triciavita.bsky.social here: www.coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history...

Photo from a movie shows six men gambling at a table game at a casino.

The Coney Casino and The Sopranos, new blog post by Charles Denson:
www.coneyislandhistory.org/blog/coney-c...
#coneyisland

The text says "Happy Father's Day!" Collage with four photos of fathers and their children visiting the Coney Island History Project and posing for souvenir photos with artifacts on display. The artifacts include a black horse from the ride that gave Steeplechase Park its name and the Cyclops head from the Spook-A-Rama dark ride.

Happy Father's Day from the Coney Island History Project! Visit our free exhibition center this season and take a souvenir photo with the Spook-A-Rama Cyclops or the Steeplechase horse. Open 1-7 PM on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays thru Labor Day. www.coneyislandhistory.org/exhibition-c...

The text on the photo, from the Time Out NY article, says "Coney Island Streets: 1965-1975. This new exhibit of street photography by Charles Denson reveals the neighborhood's resilience in the face of government discrimination." Photo by Charles Denson titled Kids on Mermaid Avenue (1974) shows three Black boys who appear to be preteens standing in front of a locked security gate. The wall behind it is painted yellow and has the numeral 3013 .One of the boys is looking through small binoculars. Another is looking into the camera while the third boy points to something off to the left. They are dressed in brown jackets and various colored pants.

Many thanks to Time Out New York for their article about our exhibit "Charles Denson: Coney Island Streets: 1965–1975" and including it in their best exhibitions guide 🙏 www.timeout.com/newyork/news...
Exhibition center hours are 1-7pm on Saturdays, Sundays & holidays thru Labor Day. Free admission!

Check out our blog post to read Charles Denson's comments on the casino, info on attending the hearing/submitting comments, and contacting Coney CM @justinbrannan.bsky.social, whose vote is extremely important because it’s customary for NYC Council members to vote with the local council member

Photo of banner that says NO CONEY CASINO. Don't replace Coney Island with a casino. Stop using children as casino billboards! Banner is hanging from a steel gate painted blue with the word ARCADE and paintings of tickets and clown faces. A man is standing in front of it with his arms folded.. He is Coney Island History Project director Charles Denson.

Help stop Coney Island from being replaced by a casino! June 12 NYC Council Land Use Committee hearing on Coney casino developer's proposal to demap public streets & acquire air rights to build sky bridges & a hotel 2X the height allowed by current zoning. www.coneyislandhistory.org/blog/june-12...

Graphic for two new exhibits at the Coney Island History Project shows our logo and says May 24-September 1, 2025, 3059 West 12th Street, next to the Wonder Wheel. Open on weekends and holidays, 1-7 pm. Introducing ou Wonder Gallery with these exhibits. https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/. It says Coney Island Streets: 1965-1975. Photographs by Charles Denson and shows his photos of two storefronts, Dan's Barber Shop and 7 Wisemen Community Center. Below it are two cyanotypes of plants and poetry. It says Brooklyn Wilds, Cyanotypes of Plants and Poems from Coney Island and Southern Brooklyn by Amanda Deutch.

The Coney Island History Project is open for the season with new exhibits by Charles Denson and Amanda Deutch. Coney Island Streets: 1965–1975 and Brooklyn Wilds combine street photography, cyanotypes, native plants, and poetry to explore the natural and urban sides of Coney Island.
conta.cc/4keG1dj

1973 photo by Charles Denson of Dan's Barber Shop shows a green storefront with large glass windows and paper signs that say OPEN and Ladies Hair Cutting. Dan Cafarelli ran it until he died in 1964, and his assistant, Joey Giordano, who is seen in the photo, took over until it closed in 1976. The Coney Island History Project exhibition center is open free of charge on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays thru Labor Day. Hours are 1:00 PM-7:00 PM. We're located on West 12th Street at the entrance to Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, just a few steps off the Boardwalk. Exhibits include Brooklyn Wilds: Cyanotypes and Poetry by Amanda Deutch, and historic artifacts, photographs, maps, ephemera and films of Coney Island's colorful past. .

Dan Cafarelli's Steeplechase barber shop is among the photos by Charles Denson in "Coney Island Streets: 1965–1975" at our free exhibition center. The small building filled with Steeplechase memorabilia was on W 16 St on property owned by the Tilyou family. www.coneyislandhistory.org/blog/coney-i...

Photograph of a plaque at the base of a flagpole at Hennessy Triangle located at Surf and Seabreeze Aves. in Brooklyn. It says: Dedicated to the memory of Private Wm. J. Hennessy, CO.A 4th Infantry 3d Division 1917. World War 1917 1918. Erected by Wm. J. Hennessy Post 1938. Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Today, on #MemorialDay, we remember and honor those who served and lost their lives defending our freedom. This plaque at Surf and Seabreeze Aves honors William J. Hennessy, a Coney Island resident who was killed in action over a century ago during World War I.

Cy the Cyclops 👁️ can't wait to see everyone again at the Coney Island History Project! Our free exhibition center opens Memorial Day Weekend with two new exhibits. Hours are 1:00 PM-7:00 PM, Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays thru Sept 1. www.coneyislandhistory.org

Thank you! Hope to see you in Coney Island this summer 🎡!

Coney Island History Project kicks off summer season with two new exhibits exploring urban change and streetscapes • Brooklyn Paper The Coney Island History Project is ringing in the summer season with two new art exhibits opening May 24, Memorial Day weekend.

The Coney Island History Project kicks off summer season with two new exhibits exploring urban change and streetscapes. Open Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 1-7 PM. Free admission for one and all!
www.brooklynpaper.com/coney-island...

The fabulously dressed Ms Colombia & her white poodle Carino and bird Rosita (perched atop her flowery hat) pose for a photo in front of historic photos at the Coney Island History Project. Ms Colombia (Oswaldo Gomez) was a performance artist who passed away in 2018. She was a frequent participant in the Mermaid Parade, the Easter Parade, and the Chinese New Year's Day Parade.

A brown chihuahua dressed in a blue colored feathery costume sits on the saddle of the Steeplechase horse, a historic ride figure on display at the Coney Island History Project.

Two brown and white chihuahuas sit inside the antique kiddie whip car on display at the Coney Island History Project. The pup in the front is wearing a tiara, a pearl necklace with a dog bone pendant and an embroidered black satin cape. The car has black upholstery and the outside is red and decorated with curlicues and the number 3.

It's #NationalPetWeek and we're celebrating the memory of the fabulous Ms. Colombia, who frequently brought her poodle Carino and bird Rosita to pose for souvenir photos, and the many pups who "rode" the kiddie whip car and Steeplechase horse at the Coney Island History Project!

Victorian postcard shows a painting of three rabbits, each in their own pastel-colored, flower-garlanded Easter egg canoe, rowing in the water! Text says "Easter Greeting."

Happy Easter from Coney Island! You knew Coney was named Conyne Eylandt --Rabbit Island-- by the Dutch, right? 🐇🐇🐇

A stilt walker dressed in a red, white and blue costume. Holding an iridescent cape, she spreads out her arms in front of Deno's Wonder Wheel in Coney Island. A little boy stands beside her, posing for a photo.

See you Sunday, April 13, at 10 AM for the Blessing of the Rides & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park! The first 105 guests ride the Wheel free. Read our blog post about how Palm Sunday became Coney Island’s traditional opening day in 1956: www.coneyislandhistory.org/blog/remembe...