“…Rest assured, we’re not going to back down until the corrupt politicians and greedy developers finally understand that NO ONE in Coney Island wants their sleazy casino.”
“…[the casino] threatens to convert one of New York City’s most unique neighborhoods into another commonplace casino complex, losing the distinctive charm that draws tourists to the area. Coney Island should remain a playground for all ages, not solely a venue for adult gambling. It is the least suitable location for a licensed casino project.”
The Coney Island Museum is saddened to mark the passing of our dear friend, John Parascandola.
"...It is difficult to see why the strange new island which has all at once taken so considerable a place in the chart, should not permanently remain what it seems to be now — the greatest resort for a single day’s pleasure in the world."
“…the history of Coney Island is populated by extraordinary individuals whose stories are no less fascinating for being obscure.”
In the Spring of 1905, New York newspapers regaled readers with the summer’s upcoming spectacles and attractions to be hosted at the city’s amusement center, Coney Island. But one particular “exhibition” caught the attention of most New Yorkers. On May 9, 1905, The Standard Union reported: “A band of fifty-one Igorrotes from the Bontoc Province, Island of Luzon [Philippines] is coming across the continent, bound for Luna Park, where they will provide an attraction entirely different from anything ever seen in a Coney Island amusement resort.”
“The diaries of James Onorato are among the Coney Island Museum’s most significant holdings.This collection of hand-written volumes and supporting materials chronicle the tenure of James “Jimmy” Onorato, the longtime General Manager of Steeplechase Park.”
Learn about Weegee’s history with Coney Island. Throughout the 1940s, he captured the people that occupied the Coney Island beaches, which included everything from lost children during the day, to lovers in the pitch-black night.
RE: COLLECTIONS- Some of the items donated to the Coney Island Museum come to us with a very personal or family-related history, a story all of its own that gets woven into the broader narrative we present to our visitors, and endeavor to preserve for posterity.
