1966 Map of Coney Island

About this map

Coney Island and the southern shoreline of Brooklyn are captured in the late 1960s, showing a densely urbanized landscape meeting the Atlantic Ocean. The map documents the intricate neighborhood grid of Bensonhurst, Gravesend, and Sheepshead Bay, interspersed with significant religious and educational institutions like St Brendans Sch and Lafayette High Sch. A distinct maritime and military character is evident along the coast, where the U S Naval Air Station Floyd Bennett Field occupies Barren Island and the U S Military Reservation Fort Tilden guards the approach to Rockaway Inlet. The leisure culture of the era is represented by the Amphitheater and Steeplechase Pier, while the transit infrastructure of the Rapid Transit Yards highlights the area's connectivity to the broader city. This survey provides a precise look at the New York coastline before the significant late-20th-century shifts in waterfront usage.