Search Results for: brooklyn history

The Giglio Feast: History, fun facts, and what to expect at this year’s celebration in Brooklyn

Photo by Howard Brier on Flickr

July 6, 2022

The Giglio Feast: History, fun facts, and what to expect at this year’s celebration in Brooklyn

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Revelers will once again gather in Williamsburg this week for a festival full of food, dancing, and live music. The Our Lady of Mount Carmel and San Paolino di Nola Feast is based on a tradition that got its start in Italy over 1,000 years ago, with its centerpiece a four-ton 72-foot tower. As part of the neighborhood’s nearly two-week feast, the tall, ornately decorated structure, known as the “Giglio,” is carried through the streets by over 100 men. The Giglio Feast, which runs through July 16, has been held in Williamsburg every July since 1903, nearly two decades before the better-known Feast of San Gennaro was celebrated in Manhattan's Little Italy. Ahead, learn about the roots of the unique festival, how it’s evolved over the last century, and what to expect this year.
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Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

Photo courtesy of Friends of the Lott House, Alyssa Loorya

June 2, 2022

Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

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Come enjoy unlimited dining from food trucks at the longest continually owned and occupied single-family home in New York City. Located in Marine Park, Brooklyn, the historic Hendrick I. Lott House is a rare surviving Dutch-American farmhouse situated on a parcel of land first purchased in 1719. The non-profit organization that preserves the grounds, Friends of the Lott House, this month will host "Taste the Neighborhood," a special ticketed event that includes unlimited food from local food trucks and encourages exploration of the historic site. The event will be held on June 12 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 1940 East 36th Street.
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The history of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Carnival, the most colorful event in New York City

Via Run With Scissors on Flickr

August 28, 2019

The history of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Carnival, the most colorful event in New York City

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Every Labor Day, millions of people gather in Brooklyn to celebrate Caribbean culture at the West Indian-American Day Carnival. Since the early 20th century, the Carnival, which first got its start in the United States in Harlem, has brought together New Yorkers through beautiful costumes, music, dance, and food of the West Indies. Starting in the 1960s, the festival has taken over Crown Heights' Eastern Parkway, uniting many islands (Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Haiti, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and Grenda, Guyana, Suriname and Belize, and others) in one extravagant party. As one of New York City's largest, and certainly most colorful, events, the Carnival should not be missed. Ahead, learn about the history of the parade, the traditions that thrive to this day and the details of this year's festival.
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The history of Brooklyn blackout cake: German bakeries and WWII drills

Photo via Kirti Poddar/Flickr

June 15, 2018

The history of Brooklyn blackout cake: German bakeries and WWII drills

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Chocoholics all over the country know Brooklyn blackout cake, a three-tiered devil's food cake with layers of chocolate pudding and chocolate frosting topped with cake crumbs. In recent years, the rich cake has become re-popularized from its heyday in the first half of the 20th century. But most of us who gluttonously indulge in this tasty dessert have no idea where its borough-centric name came from or just how long this confectioner's delight has been around. It all started in 1898 at a German bakery called Ebinger's on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, but it wasn't until World War II that the moniker took hold.
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The Brooklyn Ballet’s Nutcracker mixes local history and contemporary culture

Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Ballet

December 8, 2017

The Brooklyn Ballet’s Nutcracker mixes local history and contemporary culture

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George Balanchine staged his first iconic performance of The Nutcracker in New York City back in 1954. His choreography rightly became the gold standard, but the city has changed since then. Enter the Brooklyn Ballet, which has reinterpreted the holiday story to reflect its home into The Brooklyn Nutcracker, mixing the borough’s history as an old […]

From shipping hub to waterfront wonder, the history of Brooklyn Bridge Park with Joanne Witty
May 22, 2017

From shipping hub to waterfront wonder, the history of Brooklyn Bridge Park with Joanne Witty

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134 years ago, the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge transformed the Brooklyn waterfront, not to mention the entire borough, by providing direct access into Kings County from Lower Manhattan. The opening only boosted Brooklyn's burgeoning waterfront, which became a bustling shipping hub for the New York Dock Company by the early 1900s. Business boomed for several decades until changes in the industry pushed the shipping industry from Brooklyn to New Jersey. And after the late 1950s, when many of the warehouses were demolished to make way for construction of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the waterfront fell into severe decline. New Yorkers today are living through a new kind of Brooklyn waterfront boom, heralded by the Brooklyn Bridge Park. Ideas to transform the abandoned, run-down waterfront into a park seemed like a pipe dream when the idea was floated in the 1980s, but years of dedication by the local community and politicians turned the vision into reality. Today, the park is considered one of the best in the city.
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The Surprising History of the Hotdog Cart; How Brooklyn Heights Became the City’s First Historic District
March 18, 2015

The Surprising History of the Hotdog Cart; How Brooklyn Heights Became the City’s First Historic District

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Take a delicious dive into the surprising history of the New York City hotdog cart. [NYDN] Outspoken Downtowner Chloë Sevigny shares her favorite city spots. [i-D] How Brooklyn Heights, “America’s original suburb,” became the city’s first historic district. [Curbed] Street artist Hanksy is organizing a Golden Ticket scavenger hunt around the city. [Gothamist] There are now more Uber […]

For $11M, live in a Brooklyn Heights mansion with perfectly restored details and a literary past

All photos courtesy of SERHANT. Studios

July 31, 2023

For $11M, live in a Brooklyn Heights mansion with perfectly restored details and a literary past

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From the wine cellar to the landscaped roof deck, this 19th-century Greek Revival mansion represents five stories of pristine restoration, with historic flourishes accenting modern style and ease of living. Asking $11,500,000, the 6,094-square-foot two-family townhouse at 20 Remsen Street in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District has some notable literary history: Norman Mailer had his writing studio here. The house was also, according to the listing, the inspiration for Mailer's 1951 novel "Barbary Shore."
Take the tour
Brooklyn’s borough-wide ‘bookstore crawl’ is back

Photo of Powerhouse Arena in Dumbo by Wgreaves on Flickr

April 14, 2023

Brooklyn’s borough-wide ‘bookstore crawl’ is back

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The beloved Brooklyn Bookstore Crawl is returning to the borough for its largest outing yet. The event, which kicks off on April 22 and runs through Independent Bookstore Day on April 29, invites bookworms to visit the 25 book shops participating in this year's crawl for a chance to win prizes while supporting local businesses.
Bookworms, this way
Leasing kicks off at the Brooklyn Tower, luxury rentals priced from $3,965/month

Photo courtesy of Evan Joseph

April 10, 2023

Leasing kicks off at the Brooklyn Tower, luxury rentals priced from $3,965/month

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Leasing has launched for market-rate rental units in Brooklyn's tallest tower. Located in Downtown Brooklyn, the 93-story Brooklyn Tower offers residences designed by award-winning Gachot Studios and over 120,000 square feet of luxury amenities, including three outdoor pools surrounding the dome of the historic Dime Savings Bank of Brooklyn. Rentals start at $3,965/month for studios, $5,075/month for one-bedrooms, and $7,100/month for two-bedrooms.
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Women’s History Month began in New York in 1909 to honor the city’s garment workers’ strike

(1917) Picketing in all sorts of weather. N.Y. Day Picket. United States Washington D.C. New York, 1917, [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress.

March 8, 2023

Women’s History Month began in New York in 1909 to honor the city’s garment workers’ strike

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International Women's Day, and what later became Women's History Month, originated in New York City over 100 years ago. On February 28, 1909, “Women’s Day,” was celebrated as the one-year anniversary of the city’s garment industry strike led by the International Ladies' Garment Workers’ Union. The Socialist Party of America chose the day to honor the women who bravely protested miserable labor conditions. American socialist and feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman addressed a New York crowd, saying: "It is true that a woman's duty is centered in her home and motherhood but home should mean the whole country and not be confined to three or four rooms of a city or a state.” At the time, women still couldn't vote.
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The Museum of Failure exhibit is coming to Brooklyn

Images courtesy of SEE Attractions/Museum of Failure

March 8, 2023

The Museum of Failure exhibit is coming to Brooklyn

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A new exhibit in Sunset Park gives an opportunity to learn about some of the biggest failures of the biggest companies. Located in Industry City, the Museum of Failure offers New Yorkers a close look at more than 130 "epic fails" by giant global corporations, including Coca-Cola, Google, and Nokia, with the intention of teaching visitors the importance of learning from your mistakes. Presented by SEE Attractions, the exhibit will be open from March 17 until May 14.
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How to celebrate Women’s History Month 2023 in NYC

Photo courtesy of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

March 2, 2023

How to celebrate Women’s History Month 2023 in NYC

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Every March, Americans celebrate Women's History Month to honor the countless achievements and contributions of women nationwide. New York City, where the month-long celebration originated, has plenty of special events and happenings for those looking to show their appreciation to the women of the world. Ahead, here are some ways you can celebrate Women's History Month in NYC, from learning about the influential women behind Central Park's most iconic attractions to listening to music by trailblazing women composers at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
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This $10M historic wood-frame in Brooklyn Heights is one of the neighborhood’s oldest homes

Photo courtesy of Douglas Elliman

February 9, 2023

This $10M historic wood-frame in Brooklyn Heights is one of the neighborhood’s oldest homes

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Listed for a Heights-priced $9,950,000, this compact wood-frame home at 69 Orange Street makes up in history and location what it may lack in size. Charming inside and out, the 1829 townhouse on a covetable, picturesque "fruit street" is on the market for the first time in nearly a century. Though the home could use some TLC from what we can see, there are plenty of period details, and it has been equipped with a central A/C and a washer and dryer.
Brooklyn history, this way
A pop-up roller disco is opening at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal Mall

Rendering courtesy of The Roller Wave

February 3, 2023

A pop-up roller disco is opening at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal Mall

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An indoor roller rink is coming to the heart of Brooklyn. Set to open on February 11 at the Atlantic Terminal Mall, The Roller Wave will offer a 24,000-square-foot venue with skating, live performances, DJs, food and beverage options, and an arcade. Founded by NYC native Harry Martin, the Roller Wave is a traveling pop-up roller skating experience. The rink, which will be open through June 4, will be the Roller Wave's first true location.
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20 ways to celebrate Black History Month 2023 in NYC

Photo of the Seneca Village mosaic courtesy of © 6sqft

February 1, 2023

20 ways to celebrate Black History Month 2023 in NYC

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February is a month dedicated to the celebration of Black culture and achievements in the United States. In New York City, you can commemorate Black History Month with special events and programs at museums, theaters, art galleries, pop-up markets, parks, and more. From listening to the Harlem Chamber Players perform pieces by legendary Black composers to viewing period rooms inspired by homes from Seneca Village at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, here are 20 ways to celebrate Black history throughout February.
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Tours of Brooklyn’s historic Kings Theatre are back

Photo courtesy of Whitney Cox

January 13, 2023

Tours of Brooklyn’s historic Kings Theatre are back

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Tours of Brooklyn's historic Kings Theatre are back. Over the course of the 75-minute tour, guests will be transported nearly 100 years into the past, learning about the opulent theater's history and striking architecture. Highlights include insight into the theater's baroque stylings and a closer look at the Robert Morgan Wonder Organ. Tours will be hosted on February 18 at 1 p.m., March 11 at 1 p.m., and for the first time, a weekday tour on Tuesday, March 21 at 7 p.m.
Learn more here
Brooklyn icon Sahadi’s recognized by the state as a historic business

Image via WikiCommons

January 3, 2023

Brooklyn icon Sahadi’s recognized by the state as a historic business

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Sahadi's, a New York City staple for more than 120 years, has been added to the state's Historic Business Preservation Registry, as first reported by the Brooklyn Paper. The Middle Eastern grocery store and cafe first opened in Lower Manhattan in 1895 before moving to Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue in 1948 where it has been located ever since. The registry, overseen by the Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, recognizes businesses that have operated for at least 50 years and have "contributed to their communities' history."
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Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, and more: The history of New York City’s holiday windows

Shoppers check out a holiday window, via The Library of Congress

December 1, 2022

Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, and more: The history of New York City’s holiday windows

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Santa rode in on his sleigh at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Christmas Tree is now lit at Rockefeller Center, so you know what that means: It’s officially the holiday season in New York. It’s fitting that Macy’s heralds the beginning of our collective good cheer since R. H. Macy himself revolutionized the holiday season when he debuted the nation’s very first Christmas Windows at his store on 14th Street in 1874. Since then, all of New York’s major department stores have been turning merchandise into magic with show-stopping holiday window displays. Historically, New York’s holiday windows have deployed a combination of spectacle, science, and art, with cutting-edge technology and the talents of such luminaries as Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, and Robert Rauschenberg. From hydraulic lifts to steam-powered windows, take a look back at the history of New York’s holiday windows, the last word in high-tech, high-design holiday cheer.
Look at more holiday history here
Park Slope’s Lesbian Herstory Archives becomes first official LGBTQ+ landmark in Brooklyn

Street view of the Lesbian Herstory Archives at 484 14th Street in Park Slope; © Google Maps

November 22, 2022

Park Slope’s Lesbian Herstory Archives becomes first official LGBTQ+ landmark in Brooklyn

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A row house in Brooklyn that is home to the country's oldest and largest collection of lesbian-related historic material is New York City's newest landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to designate the Lesbian Herstory Archives building as an individual landmark, the first in Brooklyn designated for its connection to the LGBTQ+ community.
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Your guide to Carnegie Hill, the essence of history and culture on the Upper East Side

Photo credit: CityRealty

November 14, 2022

Your guide to Carnegie Hill, the essence of history and culture on the Upper East Side

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Bounded by 86th and 96th streets, Third Avenue, and Central Park's east side, the enclave of Carnegie Hill, well within the refined embrace of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, is a neighborhood that transcends trends. A significant portion comprises the Carnegie Hill Historic District with its 19th-century townhouses of brick and brownstone and ornate mansions, converted hotels, and large apartment buildings from the early 20th century. Culturally rich on par with any neighborhood in the world, with a convenience that's hard to beat anywhere in the city, this elegant residential New York City neighborhood appears untouched by time. But within its borders are some of the Upper East Side's most exciting recent residential conversions and new developments.
What to do and see, and where to live in Carnegie Hill
The history of Hudson Valley’s abandoned Bannerman Castle and how to visit

Photo (cropped) by H.L.I.T via Flickr cc

October 26, 2022

The history of Hudson Valley’s abandoned Bannerman Castle and how to visit

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Have you ever noticed a castle in the middle of the water about 50 miles north of New York City? That’s Bannerman Castle, a long-abandoned arsenal turned adventurer’s hotspot. Stationed on Pollepel Island, the early 20th-century structure sat as an abandoned ruin from the time it caught fire in 1969 until 1992 when a resident from nearby Beacon, NY started the Bannerman Castle Trust and subsequently stabilized the structure and opened the island its famous relic up for tours. Ahead, we uncover the sensational history of Bannerman Caste and fill you in on how you can visit.
Catch up on the Castle
A history of the Village Halloween Parade: Puppets, performers, and NYC pride

Photo via John St John / Flickr

October 12, 2022

A history of the Village Halloween Parade: Puppets, performers, and NYC pride

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The Village Halloween Parade may not be as completely outrageous as it once was, but this annual holiday extravaganza is quintessential Greenwich Village. Though many parade attendees are there to show off their costumes and check out those of others, there's a large number of guests who revel in the nostalgia of a New York tradition that's marched downtown since 1973. But there's a lot more history to the parade than most people may know. For instance, it didn't always go up 6th Avenue, and there's an entire art form behind those supersized puppets.
All the history right here
Brooklyn’s Marsha P. Johnson Park to get new ‘ornamental’ entrance

All renderings courtesy of NY State Parks on Flickr

August 26, 2022

Brooklyn’s Marsha P. Johnson Park to get new ‘ornamental’ entrance

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Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday revealed the design of a new gateway to Williamsburg's Marsha P. Johnson State Park. Located at the Kent Avenue and North Eighth Street entrance, the ornamental entrance is meant to "communicate Marsha P. Johnson's spirit and legacy" while complementing the park and surrounding neighborhood. The design of the gateway will continue through the fall of 2022 and construction is expected next year.
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Asking $3.2M, a rare pair of townhouses on Brooklyn’s quaint ‘secret’ block with tiny doors

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

August 26, 2022

Asking $3.2M, a rare pair of townhouses on Brooklyn’s quaint ‘secret’ block with tiny doors

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New York City never runs out of surprises, and some of the best ones are hidden in plain sight. Dennett Place in Carroll Gardens is just such a hidden surprise. The fun-sized block near the Gowanus Canal is lined with equally diminutive townhouses, each with a miniature "hobbit door." Though the neighborhood has changed, the block still has the look of a quaint European alleyway and the charm of a tight-knit community–though no one seems to know what the half-pint doors are for. The homes here don't change hands often, but a pair of multi-family townhouses at 14 and 16 Dennett Place is on the market for the first time in 100 years, asking $3.2 million for both.
Six units, endless potential, this way
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