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Coney Island Boardwalk and Child's Restaurant

Irving Underhill

With music playing at night and rooftop dancing, Childs Restaurant was one of many establishments at Coney that offered moderately priced food for people of average means. It opened on the boardwalk in 1923 at the time that many establishments had to move from Surf Avenue so that the main street and the Bowery could be widened to facilitate fire-extinguishing efforts. Clad in polychrome terracotta and inventively decorated with maritime themes, the shell of Childs Restaurant remains on the boardwalk today. It was designated a New York City landmark in 2003.
MEDIUM Gelatin dry glass plate negative
DATES 1929
DIMENSIONS 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm)  (show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER 1996.164.8-B55103
CREDIT LINE Brooklyn Museum/Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
CAPTION Irving Underhill (American, 1872–1960). Coney Island Boardwalk and Child's Restaurant, 1929. Gelatin dry glass plate negative, 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum/Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection, 1996.164.8-B55103. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1996.164.8-B55103_glass_SL1.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 1996.164.8-B55103_glass_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT © Estate of Irving Underhill
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