RSVPs begin 2 weeks before the tour on Saturday, April 13th at 5pm. Space is set aside for new members and first timers who land on the waiting list. Email me at hankorenstein@gmail.com to request a spot.
This tour is free with an optional donation to your guide at the end.
Estimated walking distance: 3.5 Miles.
If coming by ferry from Pier 11 Wall Street, the best option appears to be the 10:00am Rockaway Route which runs express to Brooklyn Army Terminal/Sunset Park. This takes just about 16 minutes.
https://www.ferry.nyc/routes-and-schedules/rockaway/
Note that we will meet in front of Building A (pictured) which is about one block up from the ferry dock along the road. Address on google maps is 80 58th Street. Restrooms are on the main floor just past the lobby.
By Subway: N and R lines to 59th Street in Brooklyn. Exit the subway on 58th Street. Walk west on 58th Street one block toward the elevated expressway and the waterfront. Continue down 58th Street until you reach Building A. Other directions: https://brooklynarmyterminal.com/visit
The tour is free with an optional donation to your guide.
To bring: A Picnic lunch and/or snacks, water to drink. We will have a sit-down break. Tour Ends on 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge convenient to the R train at 96th or 86th Streets.
Overview
Historically known for its significant Italian and Scandinavian communities, over the past several decades Bay Ridge has become one of the city's most diverse communities, especially among Asian and Middle Eastern immigrants.
Purchased by the Dutch East India Company from the Nyack Native American tribe in 1652, this area was originally called Yellow Hook. The name derived from the yellow clay found in the soil in this region of Brooklyn. Due to recurring yellow fever epidemics in the mid-19th century, the name lost favor and was changed to Bay Ridge in 1853—a nod to its location by the bay and the terminal moraine created by receding glaciers thousands of years ago along what is now Ridge Boulevard.
After the Civil War, the magnificent views from the ridge overlooking the bay inspired the construction of extravagant mansions, which transformed the neighborhood into one of Brooklyn’s wealthiest suburbs by the end of the 19th century. Shore Road, which makes up the westernmost point of Brooklyn and profits from the best views of the bay, was particularly exclusive.
Due to the arrival of the 4th Avenue subway in 1916, the population of Bay Ridge doubled between 1910 and 1924. To accommodate this growth, many of the mansions were replaced with apartment houses and blocks of row houses. Commercial thoroughfares on 86th Street, 3rd Avenue, 4th Avenue and 5th Avenue transformed the neighborhood into a thriving urban community. In the early 19th century, the population was largely made up of Scandinavians and Italians. Over the years, Bay Ridge has also become home to Irish, Greek, Arab, Chinese and Russian communities, as well, rendering it a fantastic example of a neighborhood that thrives on different cultures living in close proximity to one another—a hallmark of the New York City experience.
The richly varied architecture is made up of vibrant commercial districts, uniform row house blocks, historic wood frame farmhouses, Victorian mansions, magnificent places of worship, pre-war apartment buildings and quaint cul-de-sacs. It also benefits from several scenic parks, including Owl’s Head Park at the northwestern tip of the neighborhood, which commands views of the Bay.
Cheers,
Your organizer and guide,
Hank
hankorenstein@corcoran.com
646-596-3005