This post, which covers the history of Brooklyn Heights, has been shared by the Brooklyn Heights workers’ compensation legal team at The Disability Guys.
Brooklyn Heights: The Beginning
Brooklyn Heights, which is bounded by Old Fulton Street near the Brooklyn Bridge on the north, Cadman Plaza West on the east, Atlantic Avenue on the south, and the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway or the East River on the west, was once home to the Lenape tribe. Living a semi-nomadic life, the tribe, which is divided into clans, would construct temporary villages. The clan would then hunt, fish, and plant in the area until they felt that the land had been exhausted. Then they would move the village to a new location and allow nature to replenish itself.
Then European settlers arrived and established farms and communities.
The Steam Ferry
Brooklyn Heights was originally farmland but in 1814, the Brooklyn Steam Ferry Boat Company began to regularly schedule trips in the area and development began. To provide an example, in 1806 there were only seven houses in the area. By 1860, over 600 homes existed and by 1890, the entire area was fully developed.
The area also become more easily accessed thanks to the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883.
The neighborhood became the first neighborhood protected by the 1965 Landmarks Preservation Law and today many pre-Civil War era homes are still standing in this amazing neighborhood!
Notable Brooklyn Heights Residents
A few famous and notable residents of Brooklyn Heights include:
- Alexis Bledel: an actress famous for her role on Gilmore Girls;
- Emily Blunt: an actress known for her roles in movies like “A Quiet Place”;
- Bonnie Erickson: puppet designer known for making puppets like Miss Piggy;
- John A. Roebling: the civil engineer who designed the Brooklyn Bridge;
- Matt Damon: an actor known for movies like “Good Will Hunting”;
- Henry Miller: an author;
- Hart Crane: a poet.
Our experienced Brooklyn Heights workers’ compensation lawyers hope that you have enjoyed this post about the history of this amazing area!
