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These days, Coney Island is known for its roller coasters, Mermaid Parade, and Hot Dog Eating Contest, but back in the 1960s and 1970s, it was a very different story. Instead, the Brooklyn neighborhood resembled "a war zone" between 1965–1975 amid ill-conceived government projects, as the Coney Island History Project explained.
Now, a new exhibit of street photography from that era examines what life was like back then. Charles Denson grew up in the West End of Coney Island and began photographing his neighborhood as a teenager. His photos are now part of the exhibition "Coney Island Streets: 1965–1975," which you can visit for free all summer at the Coney Island History Project.
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The free exhibit shows the effects of discriminatory policies that began back in 1938 when the federal government "redlined" Coney Island. Redlining targeted the area because of prejudice against immigrants, African Americans, and local residents who were predominantly of Jewish, Italian, and Irish ancestry, the Coney Island History Project explains. The flawed policies of the Federal Housing Administration made it nearly impossible for homeowners to obtain mortgages, loans, and insurance. Slumlords, arsonists, greedy developers, and block-busting took advantage of the situation, and quality of life deteriorated as the area became a poverty pocket.
"I grew up to the sounds of fire engines and bulldozers as block after block of viable housing went up in flames or was reduced to rubble under the treads of heavy machinery. None of the structures in my photographs has survived," Denson said in a press release.
Block after block of viable housing went up in flames or was reduced to rubble.
The government's Urban Renewal program called for the demolition of 60 blocks of homes and businesses. Then, government funding for such projects ran out in 1974, leaving the Coney Island community with a debris field of burned out structures and closed businesses.
"My photographs show how resilient the neighborhood proved to be as residents survived as best they could with what remained. During this 10-year period I photographed portraits of local residents, family-run businesses, and the dramatic day-to-day changes taking place in Coney Island," Denson added.
My photographs show how resilient the neighborhood proved to be.
After photographing his neighborhood as a teen, Denson eventually began his career in 1971 as a photographer for New York Magazine. Today, he is an author of several books about Coney Island and served as executive director of the nonprofit Coney Island History Project.
See the exhibit for free at the Coney Island History Project exhibition center (3059 West 12th Street, next to the West 12th Street entrance to Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, just a few steps off the Boardwalk). It's open on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays through Labor Day, 1–7pm.