BY JESSICA PARKS
A traveling museum dedicated
to the history of Canarsie
is asking residents to
nominate local icons to memorialize
in the institution’s
Canarsie hall of fame.
“We are looking for people
who gave themselves to this
community because they care
for Canarsie and the people
who live here,” said Ramon
Martinez, founder of the Canarsie
History Museum.
The museum inducted
their fi rst class of honorees
last year, commemorating
10 famed locals — including
102-year-old philanthropist
Theresa Scalise, Diamond
Point Hotel and Pier owner
Adam Stahle, and the renowned
1800s real estate developer
William Warner.
Martinez now plans to
honor ten more important
locals for the second hall of
fame class — which will offi -
cially be inducted next July.
“These are people who are
not found in history books,”
said Martinez. “We want to
revive their memory and talk
about them.”
To be considered for the
distinction, individuals must
have served the Canarsie
community for at least a decade,
COURIER L 18 IFE, NOVEMBER 8-14, 2019
belonged to a community
group or city government
agency while living in
the area, and selfl essly served
to better the lives of Canarsie
residents.
Although it lacks a brickand
mortar location, the Canarsie
History Museum has
sought to keep the neighborhood’s
history alive since
1999 by visiting schools, producing
documentaries, and
authoring a book on the area’s
colorful past.
Martinez claim’s his
neighborhood-based hall of
fame is fi rst of its kind in the
borough, and hopes the idea
spreads to other neighborhoods
in Brooklyn as a way to
safeguard their unique histories.
“Every neighborhood has
people that cared for their
community,” Martinez said.
“Whether it’s a policeman, a
fi reman or an activist.”
And to give you an idea of
what Martinez is looking for,
here are four current nominees
for this year’s hall of
fame.
• Benjamin DuBose was a
political activist, a community
organizer, and a noted
historian.
Dubose — who died earlier
this year — was the cofounder
of the New York State
Conservative Party, where he
helped to advance his smallgovernment
ideology.
• Anna Bogen — an E. 96th
Street native — was a 1940s activist
who fought for improvements
in Canarsie schools.
• Mrs. Desola was a legendary
fi gure in the Canarsie
community who saved the
lives of many of her neighbors
during the Sand Bay Fire —
a blaze that engulfed large
swaths of the neighborhood
in 1919.
• John Denton was a prominent
community fi gure who
authored “Little Old Canarsie”
— a regular column in
the Canarsie Courier.
Denton also managed Canarsie’s
American Theatre
from its grand opening in the
early 1920’s, and later opened
a license plate registration
business in the former theatre
space after its closing.
TAKING NAMES
Canarsie historians search for hall of famers
CANARSIE STAR POWER: Current nominees for the Canarsie hall of fame
include (clockwise from top left) Benjamin DuBose, political activist and
historian; Anna Bogen, a 1940s schools activist; John Denton, prominent
community fi gure at midcentury; and Mrs. Desola, who saved lives during
the Sand Bay Fire in 1919. Canarsie History Museum
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