Nick Bello is a writer and photographer based in Park Slope. He loves to capture local scenery as well as research local history. Follow him on Instagram @nbello8 or on substack at:

South Brooklyn History

Discovering history in and around South Brooklyn 📚

By Nick Bello

How is Park Slope, known now for its charming brownstones and close proximity to one of the largest parks in NYC, responsible for producing one of the notorious criminals in American History? Many studies have been conducted to figure out what factors rely on determining whether or not someone will be a criminal. A few have concluded that if your family has criminals, then the statistical likelihood of you being a criminal is high. Another major factor is psychological makeup, with people who have narcissistic and psychopathic personality traits being the main culprits for crimes. A third factor is environment, where a theory called the Chicago Schools Theory, points to the neighborhood you grew up in, and the social disorganization you grew up in, as a factor in becoming a criminal.

The Early Days

Born Alphonse Gabriele Capone to Teresa and Gabriele Capone, Italian immigrants who came to New York from Sicily just six years before, Capone spent his early years on Navy Street near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Early on he joined a local youth gang called the Boys of Navy Street. When Capone was 8 years old, he and the gang went out one night to punish a group of Irish men who had been harassing Italian women. The gang of boys marched through the streets with Capone donning a washtub strapped to his chest that he used as a drum and beat a song that the boys chanted to. When Capone was 11, the family would eventually make the move to Park Slope, a once upper middle class neighborhood that was now seeing a heavy influx of working class Italian families like the Capone’s. The Capone’s lived in multiple residencies on Garfield Place, the first being 38 Garfield Place before eventually settling at 21 Garfield Place. While attending P.S. 133 on Butler Street and 4th Ave, Capone hit a teacher during a classroom brawl and was promptly expelled. Capone was a smart student but he had problems with rules, leading him to eventually quit school after this incident. This is where Capone would start his involvement in the Mafia world, joining small gangs like the Junior Forty Thieves, the Bowery Boys and the Brooklyn Rippers.

With nothing to do now, Capone resorted to hanging out at various neighborhood joints. In Frank DiMatteo and Michael Benson’s recent book, Red Hook: Brooklyn Mafia Ground Zero, it is said that Capone hung out at a place called Pop’s Poolroom and when the place was eventually sold many years later, someone came in and bought the pool table that Capone played on. Another club Capone reportedly hung out at was the Association Club on Union Street and 4th Ave on the second floor of where Brownstone Bagels currently is. This is where young Capone would get his start in New York’s underworld as the club was owned by Johnny “The Fox” Torrio, a revered gangster who also mentored another infamous Brooklyn gangster named Frankie Ioele, or Frankie Yale as he became known as since his last name Ioele in Italian sounded similar to Yale.

Scarface Gets His Scars

Read more

Nick Bello is a writer and photographer based in Park Slope. He loves to capture local scenery as well as research local history. Follow him on Instagram @nbello8 or on substack at:

South Brooklyn History

Discovering history in and around South Brooklyn 📚

By Nick Bello

In 1858, Edwin Litchfield invited Egbert L. Viele, a civil engineer and engineer-in-chief of Central Park which was just being built in Manhattan, to dinner at Grace Hill (now Litchfield Villa). As we talked about in part one of this series, Edwin Litchfield owned a significant chunk of land where his mansion Grace Hill sat. Viele floated the idea of building a park in essentially Litchfield’s backyard which would be the crown jewel of Brooklyn. Litchfield latched onto this since he was strapped for cash as the Panic of 1857 had taken a hit on his financials as well as the slow growth of his land holdings in Gowanus. In 1860, Litchfield lobbied the state government to build the park and in April 1860 it was approved. Litchfield hoped this would drive up the property values not only of his estate but also the neighborhood. While he would be right about that, it would come at a personal cost.

Building Prospect Park

While Viele was the one who first floated the idea to Litchfield, the park was ultimately the brain child of businessman James Stranahan. Like Litchfield, Stranahan had real estate interests in Brooklyn and also believed that building a park would not just be of value to residents, but to his interests as well. Stanahan would become the first president of the Prospect Park Commission and oversaw the whole project. In 1890, a statue of Stranahan would be commissioned inside the Grand Army Plaza entrance of the park. Throughout the design process, there would be a lot of people involved. Stranahan birthed the idea while Viele drove it close to completion, in the end however it would be up to famed designers Calvert Vaux and Fredrick Law Olmsted to finish it.

Viele would take the first stab at designing Prospect Park in 1861 which only required Litchfield to give up a little bit of land to the park. Stranahan was not completely on board with Viele’s plan however, so he brought on one of the Central Park designers, Calvert Vaux, to sketch out a new plan. Vaux’s plan ultimately got Stranahan’s approval. Later that year the Civil War would break out, stopping the planning and construction of the park. In 1865, the operation would resume and with it came the addition Frederick Law Olmsted, Vaux’s partner in designing Central Park. They would create a new plan and determined that the land acquired to originally build the park was not significant enough. One of the biggest things they wanted was to purchase all of the Grace Hill estate, which Litchfield opposed. In 1867 however, both parties would come to an agreement that Litchfield only had to give up land leading up to the back of his estate and a bill was drawn up. This agreement was short lived as another lobbying group comprised of residents in what is today Prospect Heights put enough pressure to veto the bill.

That same year on October 19, part of the east side of the park was opened, allowing residents to get a taste of Brooklyn’s new backyard for the first time. However, the opening was fairly disappointing according to an article in the Brooklyn Eagle. Very little progress had been made and only one measly road had been created. Flags were put in place for where certain features would go so people could use their imagination for what things might look like in a few years. More than 8,000 people visited the park that day to get their first glimpse of what would become a Brooklyn staple.

The End of Grace Hill

Read more

Nick Bello is a writer and photographer based in Park Slope. He loves to capture local scenery as well as research local history. Follow him on Instagram @nbello8 or on substack at:

South Brooklyn History

Discovering history in and around South Brooklyn 📚

By Nick Bello

The current head offices of Prospect Park sit in an ornate building located at the very top of third street and Prospect Park West. The building sticks out like a sore thumb, as the Italian Villa mansion clashes with the surrounding brownstone apartment buildings. But, this building - now known as Litchfield Villa - predates most of the buildings in Park Slope and also the park itself, and its former owner is responsible for building up not only the surrounding neighborhood, but also the Gowanus Canal.

A Railroad Mogul Moves To South Brooklyn

Edwin Clarke Litchfield was born on January 21, 1815 in Delphi Falls, New York. The third son of Elisha Litchfield, who would soon become the postmaster of Cazenovia, New York — sparking a political career that would take him to the New York State Assembly, where he would become the Speaker of the House in 1848, and later serve two terms in congress. Elisha’s story is a true rags to riches, as he worked his way up from carpenter to businessman and then became an officer in the War of 1812. He would marry Percy Tiffany and together they would have five boys before Percy’s death in 1827. Elisha would remarry to a woman named Lucy Scott Bacon and together they would go on to have four more children.

The Litchfield’s were Protestant, thus instilling hard working values in their children. These values were the most present in Edwin, who would attend Cazenovia Academy, graduating as valedictorian of his class. He would go on to attend Hamilton College in Upstate New York and would become an attorney in Albany after graduation, eventually working his way up to a term as district attorney. His ambition also led him to dabble in the financial management of railroads, using his lawyer status at the capitol to take advantage of insider information. He married Grace Hill Hubbard in 1841, the daughter of Thomas Hill Hubbard who was one of the founders of Hamilton College. The couple and their three children would move to Manhattan in 1846 where Edwin would start his law practice of Litchfield and Tracey. That same year, Litchfield would also become the principal stockholder of an engineering firm that bought the unfinished Michigan Southern Railroad from the state of Michigan.

This prompted Edwin to go into business with his brothers Electus and Elisha and their offices would be located on Wall Street. The brothers would help to complete the railroad in 1852 and then they would also add on the Indiana Southern Railroad, creating the first first singular rail line from the Northeast to the Midwest. They would go on to develop more rail lines in the Midwest, becoming railroad barons in a very short amount of time. They also founded the town of Litchfield in Illinois and a town in Minnesota would later be named Litchfield in their honor.

Edwin, with his new riches, had his eyes on developing land in Brooklyn. At the time, Gowanus had only a few old farms occupied by families who had been there for generations. Litchfield saw the potential in this land and wanted to build an all encompassing neighborhood that would have warehouses for shipping goods along the canal, a shopping district and paved roads and also row houses for people to live. Litchfield also planned on building a grand estate atop a hill overlooking the bustling neighborhood he created.

To do this, Litchfield first bought 88 acres of land in 1852 from David Talmadge who was the son of the former mayor of Brooklyn, Thomas Talmadge. He would also purchase an even bigger plot of land totaling 152 acres for $150,000 from the Cortelyou family who had been there since before the Revolutionary War. This land included the Old Stone House, which played a major role in the Battle of Brooklyn. He would add on some more land by buying up more farms until he had a plot suitable for his neighborhood. Most predicted that Litchfield would fail in accomplishing his goal, as the land he just purchased was swampy which would make building on it a struggle. However, Edwin was determined to see it out.

A Mansion Atop The Hill

Read more

Author’s Note: In this article I use the word “Lenape” to refer to the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking, though different tribes use different names. “Lenape” comes from the Unami language, “Lunáapeew” comes from the Munsee language, and other words like “Lenni-Lenape” and “Delaware” are also used.

When visiting cultural institutions throughout New York City today you might encounter some form of a living land acknowledgement that honors the Lenape. As current residents of this city we must ensure that we are all aware of the full history of the Lenape, the true Native New Yorkers. Before there was New York City, there was, and is, Lenapehoking, the ancestral and spiritual homeland of the Lenape people. It is our shared responsibility to learn about their stories and struggles and uplift those who continue fighting for recognition, advocacy, and social justice.

Lenape means “human beings” or, “the ones who came from thought.” They are the first inhabitants to live in Lenapehoking, which encompasses all of what is known as Brooklyn today. In fact, all of New York City as well as the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, parts of Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware exist on Lenapehoking. The Lenape thrived on this vast expansion of land for at least 10,000 years before European arrival and by the 1600s there were around 20,000 people living here.

Storytelling is an integral part of Lenape culture with many folktales passed down throughout generations. The Lenape creation story begins with a great turtle who rose from the water and became dry. The turtle symbolizes the Earth, and for that reason the Lenape refer to the land as “Turtle Island.”

There are three main Lenape clans that each have their own unique dialect: Munsee (Wolf), Unami (Turtle), and Unalaxtako (Turkey). These dialects were the first languages spoken here in modern-day New York. Lenape are also referred to as “Delaware,” though this is not a Lenape word. It is derived from the third Lord de la Warr who governed Jamestown, Virginia and whose name was later given to the Delaware river. The Lenape who lived along the river were then referred to as the “Delaware,” and many still identify with the term today.

The Lenape Talking Dictionary offers learners the chance to read and hear Lenape living languages. For example, “Park Slope” translates to, wëlakamike: “pretty place (such as a park)” pënaonkòhchunk: “place where the land slopes downhill.”

Nulelìntàmuhëna èli paèkw Lenapehoking. Kulawsihëmo enta ahpièkw. (Umami Language)

Nooleelundamuneen eeli payeekw. Lunaapeewahkiing. Wulaawsiikw neeli apiiyeekw. (Munsee Language)

We are glad because you people come to Lenapehoking. Live well while you are here. (English Language)

Source: Joe Baker, Executive Director of the Lenape Center

Lenapehoking contained many villages with at least 25 established in Brooklyn. The village of Marechkawick was the closest to what is now Park Slope. In the 1630s there were several hundred Lenape who lived in Marechkawick under Chief Seysey. Like other Lenape villages, the community lived off of the land which provided everything that they needed to survive and thrive.

The lineage of each clan member was traced through the matrilineal line. A clan’s lands and dwellings were managed by women leaders, though no land was ever “owned” by one tribe as there was no concept of land ownership. Family is very important to the Lenape, and extended families lived together in large homes called wikwama or wigwams.

Lenape names like Canarsee, Mosholu, Maspeth, Rockaway, and Gowanus are still used throughout the city today. The Éenda-Lŭnaapeewáhkiing Collective is currently doing research on confirming the original Lenape names for places like Gowanus and Rockaway, which most likely evolved from the Lenape word for “a sandy place.”

Lenape in Marechkawick thrived on one of the best food sources in Lenapehoking: Gowanus oysters. They would process and dry oysters in late summer and early fall to enjoy in the winter. Shells from nearby waterways were used by Lenape artisans to create wampum, which hold multiple functions in Lenape culture. Wampum were used to make agreements and solidify treaties, to record history, to adorn clothing, and to trade goods with other Indigenous communities.

Lenape spirituality is rooted in a deep connection with nature. Like other villages, Marechkawick had a Big House (Xinkwikaon), which functioned as a center of government and religion. Every four years the village would gather with their neighbors to discuss governance and visions of the future.

The Big House ceremony or rite lasts for twelve days during the harvest season, with each day having a universal principle to reflect upon. During Big House ceremonies the community prays together, using tobacco smoke as an offering during worship. Tobacco is sacred and was also used when planting or harvesting crops, when an animal was killed for food, to give thanks before meals, or when beginning a journey. The Big House ceremony created space for thanksgiving and celebration that reaffirms the Lenape’s connection to the land and their ancestors.

~~ In honor of Native American Heritage Month please enjoy this free article. To read more local history, subscribe to Park Slope Pulse ~~

The Lenape maintained highly sophisticated agricultural practices. Lenape farmers grew the “Three Sisters:” corn, beans and squash. Agricultural exchanges of plums, wild cherries, crabbapples, persimmons, and peaches took place throughout Lenapehoking. Fruits and vegetables were not only consumed, but used for medicinal purposes. In an article for NYC Tourism, Joe Baker, the Executive Director of the Lenape Center, remarks:

“It was in many ways a paradise. Everything one needed to live and thrive was provided here—in the richness of the forest, and the rivers and sea. It wasn’t a desolate, deserted land. It was very populated and very desirable.”

Unfortunately, Europeans realized what the Lenape had known for thousands of years: the land was prosperous which meant that for them it could become profitable. The Voices of Lunáapeew/Lenape exhibit at Lefferts Historic House features members of the Éenda-Lŭnaapeewáhkiing Collective who told the story of a vision that their ancestors had before European contact. The prophecy stated that the “salty people” would arrive from across the sea as either friends or enemies.

This vision came true when the Dutch arrived in 1624. They were severely ill, and had it not been for the friendship of the Lenape, they would not have survived. Because the Lenape were the first on Turtle Island to make contact with the “salty people” they are referred to by other nations as the “grandfathers” because they were the first ones targeted by colonization.

The Dutch quickly set up the Dutch West India Company, a corporation that was modeled on its eastern counterpart that exploited the sacred lands of Lenapehoking and its people. Soon, 95 percent of the woodlands in the Northeast were cut down and the timber was shipped and sold across the Atlantic. The loss of trees and the habitats that they housed created an environmental disaster in Lenapehoking. Neither the Earth nor the Lenape people were spared from the devastating effects of European colonization.

On February 25th 1643, Dutch soldiers, under cover of night, attacked a Lenape village at Pavonia in what is now New Jersey. The Pavonia Massacre was one of the first major acts of violence against the Lenape that preempted Kieft’s War, which lasted for almost three years and led to more massacres and more land seizures.

Kieft’s War ravaged through modern-day Brooklyn and the Dutch West India Company seized what is now Flatbush by force in 1645. Though the war ended that same year, the Lenape continued to suffer as they were pushed further out of their homeland. Years of destruction through land theft, exposure to foreign disease, decimation of crops, and brutal massacres led to the Lenape suffering a genocide at the hands of the Dutch and in 1664, the British.

It is important here to dispel a prolonged and horribly incorrect myth: that the Dutch “purchased” Lenapehoking from its people. As mentioned, the Lenape had no concept of land “ownership.” The Lenape likely viewed the “sale” of their land as a deal to share the land with the Dutch. In his book The Grandfathers Speak: Native American Folk Tales of the Lenapé People, Lenape Chief Hìtakonanulaxk writes,

“Our concept of land is that it is not a thing to be possessed, but rather something sacred and alive. We have a saying, “We do not own the land, we are of the land, we belong to it.” We call the Earth Kukna, our mother. All life comes from the earth, she nourishes us, carries all life and gives us a place to put our feet.”

By 1700 the Lenape population was reduced by 85 percent. Those who survived were forced by the British and later the United States government to migrate long distances, displaced further and further west by unjust treaties and armed colonizers. The Lenape who were forced into this migration are referred to as, “Those that ran.” They understood how important it was to preserve their cultural practices, songs, and knowledge as they were forced to leave their homelands.

At the Voices of Lunáapeew/Lenape exhibit, one of the members of the EL Collective asks: “What would you do if it was your home? If it was your family who were being removed?” Today the Lenape can be found all throughout Turtle Island in places like Oklahoma, Wisconsin, California, and Canada.

Though the Lenape suffered greatly for centuries through genocide and forced removal, they are resilient survivors who continue to preserve and celebrate their culture. Organizations like the Lenape Center and the EL Collective curate educational programming and events throughout Turtle Island which allows the Lenape to be the ones to share their own history.

These organizations are working hard to dispel yet another myth: that the Lenape no longer exist. While the number of Lenape who live in New York City today numbers five individuals according to the Lenape Center, many tribal members have worked hard to return to their homeland.

In the 1970s and 1980s Nora Thompson Deane, a Lenape artist, teacher, and herbalist, made multiple journeys from Oklahoma to Lenapehoking. She worked hard to tell the story of her people and became a mentor for many, including Joe Baker. She even secured a meeting with former NYC mayor Ed Koch but sadly he never showed up.

“Though we were displaced from our homeland, our ancestors remain here. Our culture continues to reverberate within the natural elements of the territory, in the wind, the air, the water, the rocks. We exist eternally in our homeland.” - Joe Baker

In 2021 the Lenape Center created the seed rematriation project, which finally returned Lenape crops to their native soil after hundreds of years. Farm Hub partnered with the organization to cultivate these indigenous crops in the Hudson Valley. And just this September Prospect Park hosted the Second United Lenape/Lunáapeew Nations Pow Wow, which was the first Pow Wow held in Prospect Park since 1972 and the second ever Lenape Pow Wow to take place within New York City. Check out this video for a glimpse of this year’s Pow-wow:

This article is but a brief overview of Lenape history and their survivance throughout Turtle Island. To learn more and to continue celebrating Lenape traditions and culture please explore these other resources:

• The Eelunaapéewi Ehaptoonáakanal: Voices of Lunáapeew/ Lenape exhibit at Lefferts Historic House is on view until November 30th.

• The Old Stone House has a section on the Lenape in their permanent interactive exhibit.

• Virtually explore the Lenapehoking Exhibit by the Lenape Center in collaboration with the Brooklyn Public Library.

• Explore the Lenape Talking Dictionary.

• Learn more about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Crisis.

• Click here to listen to members of the EL Collective as they share their voices and stories in partnership with the Amsterdam Museum.

• Reading list:

  • Lenape Children’s Books list curated by the BPL

  • Lenapehoking: An Anthology: A project of the Lenape Center & Brooklyn Public Library

  • The Grandfathers Speak: Native American Folk Tales of the Lenapé People by Hìtakonanulaxk

  • The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History by Ned Blackhawk

  • Violence over the Land: Indians and Empires in the Early American West by Ned Blackhawk

  • Lenape Country: Delaware Valley Society before William Penn by Jean R Soderlund

  • Survivance: Narratives of Native Presence edited by Gerald Vizenor

Follow Morgan at https://substack.com/@nychiddenhistory

When my grandmother was a child growing up in rural Sicily she loved to lie on the carpet in her grandmother’s living room beneath an ornate clock. She enjoyed listening to the clock’s chimes mark each passing hour, and she can recall those peaceful moments with vivid detail to this day. When my grandmother immigrated to New York in August 1954 she was heartbroken to have to leave the clock behind. What my grandmother didn’t know was that the clock had already made its way across the Atlantic once before. My great-great grandmother’s clock was created just a few blocks away from where I now live in Park Slope at the Ansonia Clock Factory.

In 1851 the Ansonia Clock Company was founded in Ansonia, Connecticut by metal dealer Anson Greene Phelps and clockmakers Theodore Terry and Franklin C. Andrews. Phelps expanded into the clock making business after he established his brass company in the 1840s. The clock company was so successful that just two years later Ansonia cast iron cased clocks were showcased at the 1853 New York World's Fair. In the 1870s a disastrous fire ruined the Connecticut factory which led the Ansonia Clock Company to expand into New York City. In 1878, Thomas Edison visited the company’s small New York factories to conduct experiments. Edison attempted to combine Ansonia clocks with his newly developed phonograph, which ultimately proved unsuccessful.

By 1879 the clock company laid the groundwork to consolidate their New York City operations into one large factory. They purchased land in Park Slope that encompassed the entire block from 7th Avenue and 12th Street to 8th Avenue and 13th Street. The company paid $33,000 for the land and $100,000 to build the factory which is equivalent to roughly $1 million and $3.2 million dollars today. Construction began in February 1879 and was completed on June 1. The building was heated by steam and lit by gas that was manufactured on the premises. Many varieties of clocks were made, from the cheapest at 75 cents (roughly $24 today) to the most expensive at $2,000 (roughly $63,000 today).

On June 28, 1879 the Brooklyn Union newspaper featured an article about this “valuable addition to Brooklyn” and gave a warm welcome to Park Slope’s newest business:

“These new works will give a great impetus to the real estate located on the slope which bounds the westerly side of Prospect Park. The people of Brooklyn extend to them a sincere welcome, and we hope their employees, in their leisure hours, will be able to enjoy the beauties of Prospect Park and the beach at Coney Island. The land upon which this factory is located has been greatly praised for its adaptability for residential purposes, and it has been said that in time it would be covered with palatial residences, and that the low land on Fourth and Third avenues would be taken up by manufacturing establishments. But the Ansonia Company have run up a factory of large proportions on high ground, so that those who enter the port of New York by the bay may see its huge dimensions. May it stand there for ages as a real representation of industry, enterprise, and thrift.”

Unfortunately for the Ansonia Company, this magnificent factory burned down over a year later in October 1880. A fire broke out in the gas room which leveled the building in about two hours. The loss was reported to be about $750,000 (~$23 million) with only $395,000 (~$12 million) of that sum insured. Fortunately there were no casualties, but 1,200 people were left unemployed and many locals worried that the factory would not reopen. The Brooklyn Eagle voiced the community’s concern in an article from October 27th:

~~ Subscribe to Park Slope Pulse to read how the factory rebuilt and reshaped the neighborhood, and why it ultimately closed down. Plus, watch a video of the author’s heirloom clock and listen to it chime today ~~

Subscribe now

Read more

All The Places You'll Go

A place where Nick Bello writes about places

By Nick Bello

The story of the Revolutionary War is a classic David vs. Goliath story. The underdog of mostly farmers and tradesmen (Continental Army) going up against and defeating one of the best—if not the best—militaries of that time. Most of the key battles taught in schools were victories like the Battle of Trenton, Battle of Cowpens and the final battle at Yorktown. However, it's the defeats that made us who we are and it just so happens that one of the most important defeats that helped shape our nation happened in Brooklyn.

In the summer of 1776, New York was the center of the Revolutionary War as General George Washington had gradually sent his troops in the spring to defend the important port of New York from the British. The British however would not arrive in New York until late June, giving Washington an ample amount of time to fortify both Manhattan and Brooklyn. By August, the Continental Army would have six fortifications and a few redoubts scattered around what is now South Brooklyn. On August 22, the British Army under the command of General William Howe, General Sir Henry Clinton and General Charles Cornwallis would board ships from their base on Staten Island and sail over to Gravesend Bay, invading Long Island and setting up what would become the Battle of Brooklyn, the largest battle of the Revolutionary War.

At around 10pm on August 26, the first shots of the battle would be fired when British soldiers were caught foraging in a watermelon patch near the Red Lion Inn, a tavern which was located near the southwest corner of what is today Greenwood cemetery. The Continental forces here of about 1,600 men from Maryland and Delaware were led by William Alexander also known as Lord Stirling. After the small skirmish in the watermelon patch, the British returned with reinforcements, prompting the Continental Army up the Gowanus Road to higher ground. The British forces tried to outflank them by taking what is today known as Battle Hill (located on 23rd street and 7th avenue in Greenwood Cemetery) leading to the bloodiest fighting of the battle where 86 British troops would be killed or wounded while the Continental forces would be surrounded and eventually captured.

This however was a diversion and the larger British force composed of Hessians (German mercenaries) and Scottish Highlanders would attack from the Flatbush Pass (around present day Flatbush Avenue). To make matters worse, 10,000 British troops under the command of General William Howe had also been marching through the darkness to outflank the Continental Army on the Jamaica Road. Howe and his men met no resistance on their flanking mission, making their way up the Jamaica Road to the Rising Sun Tavern (located at present day Broadway and Jamaica Avenue). After hiding out in the woods around the tavern, Howe, Cornwallis, Clinton, and General Hugh Percy broke into the tavern and forced the tavern keeper and his son to guide them through the woods to a point around the Jamaica Pass. It is here Cornwallis would capture a small patrol of American troops who offered little resistance.

In the morning hours of August 27, the Hessian troops at Flatbush Pass would begin their advance to assault the American positions located in what is present day Prospect Park. The American forces had cut down a large white oak—known as the Dongan Oak, named after Provincial Governor Thomas Dongan—and placed it across the pass. This coupled with the dense forest made the job tougher for the Hessians and Highlanders. Nonetheless their advance succeeded leading to gruesome hand to hand combat and bayonet charge in the forest, eventually leading to a retreat by the Americans to Brooklyn Heights. Those who were unable to retreat were eventually tracked down and bayoneted by the ruthless Hessians. A lucky 60 Americans were able to surrender but most of the retreating American forces were slaughtered.

As the day wore on, the American forces were slowly surrounded from all sides as they retreated down towards the Gowanus Creek. At this point the Americans' only hope was to escape across the creek and into Brooklyn Heights as the British Army was bearing down on them. Lord Stirling ordered the majority of his troops to cross the creek but left a small contingent of 400 Maryland troops which would be later known as the Maryland 400 to fight off roughly 2,000 British troops at the Old Stone House. This is the most critical moment of the battle as the Marylanders facing total annihilation were able to fend off the British troops, charging six separate times before eventually surrendering. Cornwallis would go on to say later that, “General Lord Stirling fought like a wolf.” General Washington while watching the battle unfold on a redoubt in what is today Cobble Hill is reported to have said, “Good God, what brave fellows I must this day lose.” Although they had surrendered, Stirling and the Marylanders bought the Americans enough time to escape across the creek and live to fight another day. Stirling was eventually surrounded by the British but refused to surrender to them. Instead, he broke through their lines and surrendered to the Hessians. 256 Americans were killed and hundreds were wounded when all was said and done at the Old Stone House. On the corner of 9th Street and Third Avenue against the wall of the American Legion Post a sign reads, “Here lie buried 256 Maryland soldiers who fell in the Battle of Brooklyn.” There is contention however on where exactly the Maryland soldiers are buried and many believe they are buried elsewhere.

In the coming days General Washington would evacuate his men from Brooklyn utilizing a ferry point in present day DUMBO. The evacuation was an impressive feat in and of itself as more than 9,000 troops would make it safely out of Brooklyn under the noses of the British Army as no casualties were reported. While the Battle of Brooklyn was considered a massive loss and an embarrassing one at that for Washington, it did save the Continental Army from complete annihilation as they would continue to fight and eventually win the war, establishing that nation which we live in today.

~~ Unlock the rest of this article, including a self-guided tour of key Revolutionary War sites in Park Slope and beyond — plus a map you can follow on your next walk. ~~

Read more

As Park Slopers, we are fortunate to live in a community that’s filled with architectural marvels. Our neighborhood is brimming with Victorian mansions and historic brownstones that make up 40 blocks of a landmarked historic district. Even the buildings without a landmark designation sign carry a storied history. One such historical site is 329 9th Street between 5^th and 6^th avenues. Though originally constructed in 1914, this building now blends in with its many neighbors along 9^th Street. But like most structures in our neighborhood we have to dig deeper, or in this building’s case - upward, to discover its past as Park Slope’s Prospect Theatre.

Labor reforms and improved workers' rights at the turn of the twentieth century gave hardworking New Yorkers more leisure time. Park Slope residents could now spend more time with their families and enjoy many different forms of entertainment together. One of New York City’s most popular pastimes in the early 1900s was vaudeville. Vaudeville shows were often short acts that featured many different kinds of theatrical performances, from singers and comedians to magicians and acrobats. Vaudeville theaters were usually open from early morning to late at night which meant that entertainers were constantly cycling on and off of the stage. This gave flexibility to theatergoers who could enjoy many types of entertainment throughout the day.

At the turn of the century, New York City was home to dozens of theaters dedicated to showcasing vaudeville performances. One of the most famous was the Palace Theatre in Manhattan, which still exists today. The Palace featured performers who were booked under the B. F. Keith Circuit, which was a chain of vaudeville theaters owned by one company. New England businessman Benjamin Franklin Keith created his circuit to showcase the many acts that he managed and to generate a large profit. As the demand for vaudeville grew, in 1913 the B.F. Keith Circuit expanded into Brooklyn and began construction on B.F. Keith’s Prospect Theatre in Park Slope.

Architect William H. McElfatrick was tasked with creating this new epicenter of vaudeville entertainment. Situated on 9th Street, McElfatrick’s ornate theater featured lobby walls made of marble and theater walls lined with silk. In an article from September 2nd 1914, the Brooklyn newspaper Home Talk the Item chronicles the marvels of McElfatrick’s creation:

“Not a particle of wood used in construction. Girder supporting balcony weighs 60 tons. No posts in building to obstruct view of stage. Is absolutely fireproof. Has 26 exits, which is more than law requires. 12,000,000 bricks were used in construction. Has 7,500 lights. Balcony is strong enough to support world’s ten heaviest locomotives. Is largest vaudeville house in Greater New York.”

The theater was the largest in the neighborhood and could house up to 2,500 patrons. Though media coverage referred to it as “the woodless and post-less theatre” it was incredibly sturdy due to the large beams used in its construction. Known as the “Prospect Theatre” to locals, it opened to the public on September 7th 1914. The Brooklyn Daily Times, which recorded the spectacular opening celebration, quoted Brooklyn Borough President Lewis H. Pounds’ congratulatory message which read:

“By building one of the finest theaters in the United States in the heart of Brooklyn, the Keith interests have paid a tribute to the wonderful growth of the borough and have indicated their belief in its great future.”

B.F. Keith Circuit vaudeville acts soon took to the stage. In 1922 Ted Healy, a popular comedian from Brooklyn, was performing his vaudeville show at the Prospect when the acrobat in his act suddenly quit. Healy, desperate to quickly find a replacement, asked his childhood friend Moses Horwitz to step in. What started as a one-week stint eventually led to an eleven year partnership between Healy and Horwitz. Moses Horwitz changed his name to Moe Howard, and along with Healy created the act “Ted Healy and His Stooges.” This chance collaboration laid the groundwork for The Three Stooges, launching a legendary run on stage and screen.

~~~ Behind the paywall: Find out what happened to Park Slope’s grand old theater, what it became & what is still hidden there, and how the Three Stooges returned decades after their debut. ~~~

Read more

There are more than 38,000 landmarked sites across NYC’s five boroughs. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) grants landmark status to buildings that are architecturally, historically, and culturally significant. Unsuspecting New Yorkers often overlook these storied properties while going about their daily routines. Tommy Silk, a Park Slope resident, is looking to change that with his popular Instagram account Landmarks of NY.

Launched in 2019, Landmarks of NY features a daily photo of a NYC landmark along with the background information on the building’s designation. “I needed a hobby,” Silk says on a recent afternoon at Café by the Girls. He came upon the idea while looking for a way to cope with stress from his corporate tech job. One night, walking home from his midtown office to the Upper East Side, he noticed a sign on the side of a building. “I saw one of the landmarks plaques and I stopped to read it,” he recalls. “It was FDR’s first house with Eleanor after they got married. I was like, ‘How many times have I walked past this place?’”

His curiosity was piqued. He wondered how many other historic sites he’d regularly passed without ever noticing. He was happy to find that the LPC site offered a handy map of every landmarked building in the city. He borrowed a digital camera from his sister, went on You Tube for photography tips, claimed the Instagram handle Landmarks of NY, and set out on a new mission. “It was a mental health project,” he says. “I thought, ‘Okay, why don’t I try to do a post a day about a building I find interesting and see how long I can keep it up for.’ I just wanted to do it for me.”

Silk was happy to find a creative outlet to help him decompress after long days at the office. He’d set out after work with his camera in hand, taking advantage of the early evening light, and photograph landmarked buildings around the city. “I just wanted to take a walk. I would bring friends with me to go to new places we hadn’t been to before, and go to different parts of the city. Now I’ve covered pretty much every reach of the five boroughs.” At this point, Silk has posted over a thousand sites on his Instagram account that has more than 200,000 followers.

~~ Keep reading for Tommy's favorite Brooklyn landmarks, the story behind his book, and what’s next for Landmarks of NY—including a Park Slope walking tour in the works. ~~

Read more

On August 27, 1776, The Battle of Brooklyn – the largest battle of the Revolutionary War – took place on the site where Old Stone House currently stands.

“This site is really where the battle culminated,” Maier explains. “[The battle] was not very long. It started around 6am and it was over by noon. The bulk of the troop movement happened here around the stone house.”

During the Battle of Brooklyn, British troops advanced toward the American camp in Brooklyn Heights to cut off any escape. General William Alexander led a small regiment of Maryland soldiers against 2,000 British forces at the stone house site. Though they fought hard, the Marylanders were greatly outnumbered. General Alexander surrendered after 256 Maryland soldiers were killed or went missing, according to theoldstonehouse.org.

The British won the Battle of Brooklyn and occupied Brooklyn and Manhattan for seven years. Although the Americans lost the battle, the efforts of the Maryland regiment allowed Washington and his troops to escape across the East River and, ultimately, win the war.

“It’s not a well-known battle because the Americans lost,” Maier notes, “but for us it’s an incredible opportunity to talk about resilience, losing the battle and winning the war…. We’ve been having the same arguments for the last 250 years. None of this is new.”

By 1910 the original stone house — a farmhouse built by the Dutch settler, Hendrick Claessen Vechte, in 1699 — had fallen into disrepair and was eventually buried under 15 feet of landfill as the neighborhood around it developed.

After a “fairly extensive conversation between Robert Moses and the Park Slope community, which had wanted to recognize the history of the site for many years,” the current OSH opened in August of 1935, steps away from where the original house stood, near the corner of 5th Avenue and 3rd Street — “right where the baby swings are,” according to Maier. The house is a replica reconstructed using the original stones.

OSH became a member of the Historic House Trust of New York City in 1991 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

During the early years of the OSH, there was a capital office on the first floor and kindergarten classes upstairs, according to Maier. Community youth programs were held in the building in the early 1970s but by the late ‘70s the city fell into a “fiscal crisis” and funding for “social services had been depleted,” so the house was shut down. “Kids would climb in…it was referred to as the old stoned house,” Maier says.

Over the years, locals volunteered to re-open and maintain the house and preserve its past. In 2001 a lively 225th anniversary of the American Revolution reenactment was staged by volunteers and board members of OSH. It started “up in Prospect Park and the Brigade of the American Revolution came running down 3rd Street,” Maier says.

OSH board members reached out to Maier in 2004 who was a co-president of the PTA at MS 51 at the time. “They were very focused on the history and they were having a hard time getting engagement.” They didn’t understand why students weren’t attending any of the educational programs at the house.

“My questions were really about the park. Why was the park not an engaging public space? Why was the park so rundown? Why was there no public programming in the park?” Maier remembers. “That was where we began our conversation – if you’re going to get people to care about the history of the site, you have to get them to care about the space.”

Read more about Kim Maier’s work at The Old Stone House here.

You can visit The Old Stone House at: 

336 3rd Street

Brooklyn, NY 11215