((top)) - Coney Island 1960s

The first thing that strikes you about Coney Island in this era is the texture. In photos and film from the decade, the sunlight always seems to be hitting the boardwalk in a specific, nostalgic way—highlighting the peeling paint on the Cyclone and the salt-worn wood of the benches.

The 1960s saw Coney Island become a reflection of a changing America. As air conditioning became common in homes and cheap flights made Florida or the Catskills more accessible, the middle class began to drift away. coney island 1960s