I grew up inManhattan, but was surrounded by the myths of Coney
Island. My mother and grandmother grew up on Coney Island’s 29th
Street, above Tommy’s Radio. Back in the 1940s and ’50s, the shop
had the only TV in town and crowds would gather round it.
I remember them telling the story of Abe “Kid Twist” Reles, a
Jewish gangster who died a mysterious death in 1941 at Coney
Island’s Half Moon Hotel, just days before he was due to testify
against the Mafia. I only heard parts of the story, but it all sounded so
poetic, mysterious andmagical.
When I got to work for the Coney Island History Project in 2008,
it was a dream come true. I work at the free museum, where I give
walking tours, show people around the exhibition centre, conduct
oral history interviews and direct some of our educational outreach
programmes. Every weekend after work, I ride the Wonder Wheel
ferris wheel to relax – I call it my Zen therapy.
»
The Coney Island
history buff
Poet and artist
Amanda Deutch
works for the
Coney Island History Project. She tells us about the
New York beach’s fascinating past, including its
iconic amusement park
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