147-689: The Montauk Club is a social club located in a Francis Kimball-designed building in Park Slope , Brooklyn. The Club provides dining and drinking services. The Club was founded in 1889 as a traditional men's social club by a group looking for a club located in the rapidly-developing Park Slope area. The initial group of 25 charter members quickly grew to 300 and became the most prominent club in Brooklyn. Charles Pratt , Richard Schermerhorn , Edwin Clark Litchfield and Robert Pinkerton were early members. Of
294-535: A 1930 reconstruction of the Vechte-Cortelyou House destroyed in 1897, is another NRHP listing and is located on Third Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. The Grand Prospect Hall , an NRHP-listed banquet hall on Prospect Avenue, was built in 1892 and was demolished in 2022. Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of the Park Slope–Gowanus neighborhood tabulation area
441-419: A complementary, neoclassical way. By 1896, Grand Army Plaza sported four towering granite columns adorned with carved fasces and eagles at the base, though the bronze eagles atop the columns would not be installed until 1902. Granite fencing with decorative bronze urns replaced simple wooden fencing, and polygonal granite pavilions on the east and west corners of the park supplanted earlier rustic shelters. All
588-459: A croquet lawn, a sailboat pond, a maze, and a summer house. By 1868, the open portions of Prospect Park were patronized by 100,000 people per month, and several miles of roads, paths, and walkways had been completed. The land for Prospect Park's Parade Ground was acquired that year. A series of pedestrian arches to separate pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the park were also built during this time. Over 200 benches were installed to accommodate
735-621: A farmhouse where a countercharge covered the American retreat. Transit from Park Slope improved in the early 19th century. The Brooklyn, Jamaica and Flatbush Turnpike Company was incorporated in 1809 to widen the Flatbush and Jamaica ferry roads, prior to the establishment of the Fulton Ferry to Manhattan in 1814. Afterward, stagecoaches started running on Flatbush Road in 1830, with omnibus service following four years later. The land comprising what
882-406: A location in films such as Prizzi's Honor , Definitely, Maybe , Gigantic , ' Rounders , Illuminata , Q&A , and City Hall and television shows such as The Mysteries of Laura , Boardwalk Empire , Gotham , The Good Wife , Public Morals and Person of Interest . Notes Park Slope Park Slope is a neighborhood in western Brooklyn , New York City , within
1029-637: A much higher ratio of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018 . The majority (74%) of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, while 9% have less than a high school education and 17% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 40% of Brooklynites and 38% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of Park Slope and Carroll Gardens students excelling in reading and math has been increasing, with reading achievement rising from 41 percent in 2000 to 53 percent in 2011, and math achievement rising from 35 percent to 64 percent within
1176-463: A myriad of perspectives so that the features could be enjoyed in any order. Olmsted was more involved with the general design of Prospect Park, while Vaux was more involved with specific details. They created the large Long Meadow out of hilly upland pasture interspersed with peat bogs. They also moved and planted trees, hauled topsoil and created a vast unfolding turf with trees placed both separately and in groups. The designers wanted Lookout Hill to be
1323-845: A nascent historic preservation movement. In September 1964, the Parks Department was within forty-eight hours of demolishing the Boathouse on the Lullwater . At the time the structure was underutilized; the boat concession only operated on weekends and its peak traffic was fewer than ten people per hour. However, the Boathouse shared many architectural design features with the famous station. A preservation group, The Friends of Prospect Park, including in its membership, poet and longtime Brooklyn resident Marianne Moore , built public awareness over disappearing historical structures and threatened flora within
1470-829: A one-year renovation. That December, a $ 40 million renovation of the Vale of Cashmere was announced. The last two ball fields on Long Meadow reopened in early 2023 after several years of renovations. During mid-2023, the New York City government considered erecting tents in Prospect Park to temporarily house asylum seekers. The Prospect Park Alliance reopened Fallkill Falls to the public in October 2023; prior to Fallkill Falls' reopening, trespassers regularly accessed it. The organization announced in January 2024 that an abandoned comfort station at
1617-487: A pair of one-story structures, which share a planted roof. The rink's ceiling contains abstract light-colored streaks on a blue background, which are intended to represent skaters' movements. Also part of the LeFrak Center is a building with a cafe, offices, and event space. Parkside Avenue, a roughly west–east street, divides the southwestern part of Prospect Park from the rest of the park. This detached sliver of parkland
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#17328523324551764-424: A place of broad views out over Prospect Lake, the farmland beyond, and the bay and ocean in the distance. To create an illusion of an expansive space, Olmsted and Vaux designed the paths in Prospect Park to be meandering. In Olmsted and Vaux's final plan for the park, it was divided into three distinct zones: an open section, a wooded section, and a waterside section. The Parade Ground at the far southwestern corner
1911-730: A population that was mostly African-American and West Indian-American , similar to neighboring Crown Heights . This area was increasingly identified as the separate neighborhood of Prospect Heights , a moniker that had previously been used to identify areas of Park Slope outside the Gold Coast. Some of those that remained reacted violently to the ethnic changes to the neighborhood; for example, white residents of Park Slope attempted to bar African-Americans from participating in after-school programs at William Alexander Middle School in 1966. After this failed, white teenagers engaged in firebomb attacks on African-American homes on Fourth Street. In 1968,
2058-533: A public park would attract wealthy residents. Stranahan originally envisioned one large park extending eastward to Jamaica, Queens . However, the city's rapid development made this impossible, and today, the largest remnants of this proposed landscape are Prospect Park and the 538-acre (218 ha) Forest Park in Queens. In February 1860, a group of fifteen commissioners submitted suggestions for locations of four large parks and three small parks in Brooklyn, as well as
2205-488: A relatively high population of residents who are uninsured , or who receive healthcare through Medicaid . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 22%, which is higher than the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens is 0.0089 milligrams per cubic metre (8.9 × 10 oz/cu ft), higher than
2352-623: A reservoir on Prospect Hill in 1856 to serve the western half of the city with water pumped from the Ridgewood Reservoir . The need to keep the lots around the reservoir free of development, as well as the preservation of the Battle Pass area, were cited as two reasons for establishing a large park nearby. The original impetus to build Prospect Park stemmed from an April 18, 1859, act of the New York State Legislature, empowering
2499-505: A roadway or path that was being built. The first section of the park opened to the public on October 19, 1867, while it was still under construction. The segment that was open to the public included part of the East Drive between the north end of the park, at modern-day Grand Army Plaza, and Coney Island Avenue at the southeast corner. The park initially contained the Playground, which had
2646-538: A sense of history and a picturesque quality that fit their sense of themselves." Since the mid-1990s, gentrification has increased: a 2001 report by the New York City Rent Guidelines Board found that from 1990 to 1999, rents in Park Slope increased by 3.5–4.4% per year, depending on what kind of building the apartment was in. Park Slope contains a variety of zoning districts, including manufacturing, commercial, residential, and mixed-use. Much of
2793-456: A series of boulevards to connect said parks. The largest of these proposed parks was a 320-acre (1.3 km ) plot centered on Mount Prospect and bounded by Warren Street to the north; Vanderbilt, Ninth, and Tenth Avenues to the west; Third and Ninth Streets to the south; and Washington Avenue to the east. Egbert Viele began drawing plans for "Mount Prospect Park", as the space was initially called, and published his proposal in 1861. The park
2940-402: A street fight between Italian and African-American gangs occurred at Fifth Avenue and President Street, using bricks and bottles as weapons; in the aftermath of the fight, fourteen African-Americans and three Italian-Americans were arrested. On December 16, 1960 , two airliners collided above Staten Island , killing 134 people in what was the worst U.S. aviation disaster at that time . One of
3087-438: A string of hills and kettles in the northern part of the park and a lower lying outwash plain in the southern part. Mount Prospect (or Prospect Hill), near the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway , is one of the tallest hills in Brooklyn, rising 200 feet (61 m) above sea level. It is the highest among a string of hills that extends into the park, including Sullivan, Breeze, and Lookout hills. The area
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#17328523324553234-407: A system of parkways to connect to Prospect Park, though only two were built: Ocean Parkway , running to Coney Island in the south, and Eastern Parkway , running to Crown Heights in the east. Overall, the city of Brooklyn spent more than $ 4 million to acquire the parkland, while the actual cost of construction amounted to more than $ 5 million. Stranahan was regarded by his 19th-century peers as
3381-548: A twelve-member commission to recommend sites for parks in the City of Brooklyn . At the time, Brooklyn was the world's first commuter suburb , and it became the third largest city in the country from 1860 to 1880, behind New York City (which then included Manhattan and parts of the Bronx ) and Philadelphia . During this time, concepts concerning public parks gained popularity. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux had created
3528-462: A utilitarian brick stable was constructed on the park's western side. The same year, Brooklyn mayor Seth Low did not reappoint Stranahan or the other commissioners, a change that neither Stranahan nor the other commissioners actively opposed. Stranahan, for his part, was becoming more engaged in other Brooklyn concerns. The action, however, did signal a change in the style of park management, which grew to embrace neoclassicism. Simultaneously during
3675-702: Is adjacent to the Brooklyn Museum , Grand Army Plaza , and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden . With an area of 526 acres (213 ha), Prospect Park is the second-largest public park in Brooklyn, behind Marine Park . Designated as a New York City scenic landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places , Prospect Park is operated by the Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks. First proposed in legislation passed in 1859, Prospect Park
3822-577: Is also a private Society of Friends (Quaker) cemetery on Quaker Hill near the ball fields. In addition, Prospect Park is part of the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway , a network of green spaces that stretch across western Long Island . Approximately 17,000 years ago, the terminal moraine of the receding Wisconsin Glacier that formed Long Island , known as the Harbor Hill Moraine , established
3969-520: Is bound by Prospect Park West and the neighborhood of Park Slope to the northwest; Prospect Park Southwest and the Windsor Terrace neighborhood to the southwest and west; Parkside Avenue, Ocean Avenue , Flatbush Avenue , and the neighborhood of Flatbush to the south and southeast; and Grand Army Plaza and the neighborhood of Prospect Heights to the north. Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux engineered Prospect Park to recreate in real space
4116-463: Is bounded by Parkside Avenue to the north, Coney Island Avenue to the west, Caton Avenue to the south, and Parade Place to the east. It contains the Parade Ground, which has fifteen numbered courts and fields for various sports. All of the waterways in Prospect Park are part of a single man-made watercourse. A winding naturalistic stream channel with several ponds feeds a 60-acre (24 ha) lake at
4263-504: Is home to a wide variety of religious institutions, or houses of worship, including many churches and synagogues; most are historic buildings, and date back many decades. There is a significant Jewish population in Park Slope, allowing for a number of synagogues along the religious spectrum. In addition to a number of synagogues, there is an eruv , sponsored by members of the various communities, that surrounds Park Slope. Synagogues include: Park Slope and Carroll Gardens generally have
4410-556: Is located in Park Slope. Park Slope is covered by two ZIP Codes : 11217 north of Union Street and 11215 south of Union Street. The United States Post Office operates three locations nearby: Park Slope is considered one of New York City's most desirable neighborhoods. In 2010, it was ranked number 1 in New York by New York Magazine , citing its quality public schools, dining, nightlife, shopping, access to public transit, green space, safety, and creative capital, among other aspects. It
4557-471: Is located within the Park Slope Historic District , which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The historic district was also designated by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1973; the city-designated district was extended to the south in 2012 and to the north in 2016. Containing 2,575 buildings stretching over part or all of around 40 city blocks,
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4704-433: Is now Park Slope was still mostly undeveloped c. 1810 . There were a couple of houses on and around Prospect Hill , a tavern, and a resort; the section of Flatbush Road through present-day Prospect Park contained ponds of standing water , which caused fevers and other illnesses. Soon afterward, the land was split up into rectangular parcels, which were bought by numerous people and cultivated as farmland. As in
4851-544: Is represented by the New York City Council 's 33rd and 39th Districts. Though modern-day Brooklyn is coextensive with Kings County, this was not always the case. South Brooklyn , an area in central Kings County extending to the former Brooklyn city line near Green-Wood Cemetery 's southern border, was originally settled by the Canarsee Indians , one of several indigenous Lenape peoples who farmed and hunted on
4998-784: Is the wooded area in the middle of the park and contains the headwaters of the park's watercourse. In this zone, on the northeast side of the park, there are several points of interest: the Ravine, the Vale of Cashmere, the Rose Garden, the Zucker Natural Exploration Area, and the Prospect Park Zoo . The area contains the Nethermead Arch, an elaborate triple-span bridge. Quaker Hill and the Friends Cemetery are located near
5145-587: The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), the park was a site of the Battle of Long Island (aka Battle of Brooklyn). American forces attempted to hold Battle Pass , an opening in the terminal moraine where the old Flatbush Road passed from the villages of Brooklyn to Flatbush , where a large white oak tree was cut down to block the progress of the British forces. It fell after some of the heaviest fighting in
5292-611: The Brooklyn Atlantics played at Washington Park on 5th Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets. When the park was destroyed by a fire, the team moved to two other sites. In 1898, the "New" Washington Park was built between Third and Fourth Avenues and between First and Third Streets near the Gowanus Canal. The team, by this point known as the Dodgers , played to an ever-growing fan base at this location, and team owner Charles Ebbets moved
5439-639: The Central Library and Park Slope branches of the Brooklyn Public Library . The neighborhood had a population of about 62,200 as of the 2000 census. Park Slope is generally ranked as one of New York City's most desirable neighborhoods. Park Slope is part of Brooklyn Community District 6 , and its primary ZIP Codes are 11215 and 11217. It is patrolled by the 78th Precinct of the New York City Police Department . Politically, it
5586-530: The National Register of Historic Places on September 17, 1980. The Prospect Park Alliance, a non-profit organization, was created in April 1987 based on the model of the Central Park Conservancy , which had helped restore Central Park in the 1980s. Shortly afterward, NYC Parks began entering into restoration projects with the organization. The Alliance's first major project was the $ 550,000 restoration of
5733-585: The New York Architectural Terra Cotta Works . It is ornamented with representations of the Montauk tribe of Native Americans the club is named after, which can be found on the building's capitals , over the main entrance, and on a continuous frieze between the third and fourth floors. Other panels depict a meeting in 1659 between the Montauks and Europeans, and the laying of the cornerstone of
5880-484: The subway , which brought a more heterogeneous population to Brooklyn. Existing families adapted by relocating to exclusive districts in the other boroughs, most notably the Upper East Side . Accordingly, Park Slope gradually became a more working class neighborhood amid the subdivision of the expansive Victorian-era housing stock into apartment buildings and rooming houses . The socioeconomic changes were slowed by
6027-510: The 1880s, the quality of Prospect Park had declined through overuse and a corresponding lack of maintenance. After Brooklyn Mayor Alfred C. Chapin walked through the park in 1888, he requested that $ 100,000 be allocated for improvements. Subsequently, the Brooklyn Parks Commission embarked on a $ 200,000 program to restore the park. It repaved many of the walkways and drives, as well as replanted flora. Ornate gateways were added to
Montauk Club - Misplaced Pages Continue
6174-594: The 1890s, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company added electric trolley lines or converted old stagecoach lines to electric service. Many of the large Victorian mansions on Prospect Park West, known as the Gold Coast, were built in the 1880s and 1890s to take advantage of the park views. Early colloquial names for the neighborhood included "Prospect Heights" (later applied to the neighborhood north of Prospect Park ), "Prospect Hill", and "Park Hill Side", before residents settled on Park Slope. By 1883, with
6321-483: The 1910s, many wealthy and upper middle-class families fled for the suburban life , initially to outlying Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods (such as nearby Flatbush ) and thence to more distant locales in Westchester County , Nassau County and New Jersey amid the adoption of the automobile . Manhattan gained economic and cultural dominance in the consolidated city, helped by transportation improvements like
6468-511: The 1930s, "generations of Parks Department officials had lived well and got rich by diverting maintenance funds, and the park showed the result of a half century of abuse and neglect." In January 1934, newly elected Mayor Fiorello La Guardia appointed Robert Moses as the commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks (NYC Parks), a new organization that eliminated borough park commissioners. Moses would remain commissioner for
6615-571: The 1930s. In addition, the Carousel was opened in 1949 as a gift from the foundation of the late philanthropist Michael Friedsam . Moses also enacted new policies at the park, including a ban on sheep grazing at the Long Meadow. During World War II , Prospect Park hosted a portion of the city's antiaircraft defense. Three hundred soldiers manned batteries, underground ammunition dumps, observation towers, repair shops and barracks around Swan Lake in
6762-550: The 1960s. Much of the neighborhood is overlaid by the Park Slope Historic District , which is composed of a National Historic District and a New York City landmark district . Park Slope features historic buildings, top-rated restaurants, bars, and shops, as well as proximity to Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Academy of Music , the Brooklyn Botanic Garden , the Brooklyn Museum , the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music , and
6909-499: The Black and Asian residents were each less than 5000 residents. Park Slope is patrolled by the 78th Precinct of the NYPD , located at 65 6th Avenue. The 78th Precinct ranked 41st safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. As of 2018 , with a non-fatal assault rate of 30 per 100,000 people, Park Slope and Carroll Gardens' rate of violent crimes per capita is less than that of
7056-465: The Boathouse and dredging the lake. The Rose Garden and the Vale of Cashmere had also been re-landscaped. Also part of the renovation was a restoration of the Prospect Park Carousel from 1971 to 1974, and the exterior of the Boathouse was restored in 1979. By the 1970s, Prospect Park was beset by crime; a 1974 report found that 44 percent of city residents would warn people to stay away from
7203-730: The Brooklyn Common Council to develop the Eighth Ward's streets. Richards also proposed the renovation of the nearby Gowanus Creek into a canal, including draining the marshes in its watershed. Between 1849 and 1860, under a decree by the New York Legislature , the Gowanus Creek was deepened. Simultaneously, a local lawyer and railroad developer named Edwin Clarke Litchfield (1815–1885) purchased large tracts of what
7350-408: The Carousel in 1987–1989. The carousel had not operated since 1983, and its original horse-shaped seats were removed during the restoration. Nine years later, in 1996, it started a $ 4.5 million restoration of the Ravine. The Boathouse was also restored again in the late 1990s due to deterioration of the exterior terracotta. The National Audubon Society signed a lease for the Boathouse in 2000, and
7497-655: The Children's Playground and Pools in the park's northeast quadrant into the Rose Garden and the Vale of Cashmere, each a formally arranged space, in 1893–1894. Stanford White 's Maryland Monument was installed near the Terrace Bridge in 1895 in recognition of the Maryland 400 , who fought in the Battle of Long Island on the slopes of Lookout Hill. The city of Brooklyn merged with Manhattan and other outlying boroughs in 1898, creating
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#17328523324557644-502: The City of Greater New York. By the end of the century, Prospect Park saw about 15 million visitors per year. Though people were officially banned from hosting picnics and other large eating events in Prospect Park, the rule was not enforced for several years until 1903, when a surge of visitors from Manhattan led to an increase in luncheons being hosted. In 1907, lights were installed to deter couples from kissing or other intimate activity within
7791-464: The Eighth Ward, which at the time was the city's least populous ward . The Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad started running on Atlantic Avenue , north of Park Slope, in 1836. The railroad's presence did not hasten the slow rate of residential growth in South Brooklyn because the locomotives provided slow and inefficient service. Horse-drawn railcar companies provided competition to the railroad:
7938-789: The Fallkill Bridge, through the Upper Pool and Lower Pool, where migratory birds rest and marsh and other water plants can be found. The Upper Pool abuts a dog beach, while the Long Meadow is adjacent to the Lower Pool. The water then passes under the Esdale Bridge, a footbridge over Ambergill Pond. The pond, and the Ambergill Falls just past it, was named by Olmsted and refers to the Old Norse word for "creek" . After passing through Ambergill Falls,
8085-665: The Flatbush Avenue fence repairs in 2018, and the new entrances were slated to start construction in early 2019. Construction of a dog run in the Parade Ground also started in August 2019, and the dog run opened in July 2020. In addition, Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous were selected in 2019 to design Our Destiny, Our Democracy , a monument near the Ocean and Parkside Avenue entrance. The Concert Grove Pavilion reopened in April 2021 after
8232-571: The Grand Army Plaza entrance, the statue was sculpted by Frederick MacMonnies and presented to Stranahan in June 1891. Prospect Park became widely used after its opening, and many sports were hosted there. By the late 19th century, archery was among the most popular sports being practiced on the Long Meadow, and up to 100 groups would convene on the Long Meadow to play croquet on weekend afternoons. During winters, people practiced "ice baseball" on
8379-642: The Lake, reopened in 2017 as a composting restroom, and the Dog Beach along the watercourse's Upper Pool was renovated. The same year, the Alliance received funds to renovate the Parade Ground, the Tennis House, and ball fields. The Alliance also announced an upcoming renovation of the Rose Garden. Ball fields 6 and 7 were renovated and reopened in 2017, while ball fields 4 and 5 reopened in late 2020. Construction started on
8526-435: The Long Meadow. Though the defenses were disbanded in 1944, traces of slit trenches and sandbagged gun emplacements could still be found several years afterward. In 1959, the southern third of the Long Meadow was graded and fenced off for ballfields. Plans for the Kate Wollman Memorial Rink were approved in 1960, and the rink opened in December 1961. The rink was built on a filled-in portion of Prospect Lake, necessitating
8673-479: The Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award from the New York Landmarks Conservancy and the Municipal Art Society 's MaSterworks Award for Best Restoration. Although not a political club, many prominent politicians of both parties were members, and the Club has hosted many prominent politicians over the years, including William McKinley , Grover Cleveland , Herbert Hoover , Dwight Eisenhower , John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy . Hugh L. Carey , Governor of New York,
8820-422: The Ocean Parkway and Willink Plaza entrances. The commission also proposed purchasing the land around the Mount Prospect Reservoir, northeast of modern-day Prospect Park, which had been excluded from the final plan for the park. Instead, this space was developed as the Brooklyn Museum in the 1890s, followed by the Brooklyn Central Library and Brooklyn Botanic Garden in the early 20th century. The reservoir
8967-428: The Ocean and Parkside Avenue entrance would be converted into a welcome center named for Shirley Chisholm , which was expected to open in two years. A cafe opened in the Prospect Park Boathouse that July. During the November 2024 wildfire outbreak in the northeast U.S. , a fire broke out in the park, damaging 2 acres (0.81 ha) of woodland. Prospect Park occupies 526 acres (213 ha) in central Brooklyn. It
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#17328523324559114-409: The Park Slope area served as the backdrop for the beginning of the Battle of Long Island . In this battle, over 10,000 British soldiers and Hessian mercenaries routed outnumbered American forces, which resulted in the British occupation of Long and Staten Islands. The Battle Pass site is now preserved in Prospect Park, while on Fifth Avenue, there is a reconstruction of the Old Stone House ,
9261-417: The Picnic House; Litchfield Villa ; Prospect Park Zoo ; the Boathouse ; Concert Grove ; Brooklyn's only lake, covering 60 acres (24 ha); and the Prospect Park Bandshell that hosts outdoor concerts in the summertime. The park also has sports facilities, including the Prospect Park Tennis Center, basketball courts, baseball fields, soccer fields, and the New York Pétanque Club in the Parade Ground. There
9408-474: The ages of 0 and 17, 46% between 25 and 44, and 20% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 5% and 10% respectively. As of 2016, the median household income in Community District 6 was $ 134,804. In 2018, an estimated 10% of Park Slope and Carroll Gardens residents lived in poverty, compared to 21% in all of Brooklyn and 20% in all of New York City. Less than one in fifteen residents (6%) were unemployed, compared to 9% in
9555-410: The airplanes, a Douglas DC-8 operated by United Airlines , was able to stay airborne for a few miles before crashing near the corner of Sterling Place and Seventh Avenue. Everyone on board was instantly killed, except for one 11-year-old boy, Stephen Baltz , who died the following night at New York Methodist Hospital . Six people on the ground were also killed. In the late 1960s and early 1970s,
9702-408: The area once known as South Brooklyn . Park Slope is roughly bounded by Prospect Park and Prospect Park West to the east, Fourth Avenue to the west, Flatbush Avenue to the north, and Prospect Expressway to the south. Generally, the neighborhood is divided into three sections from north to south: North Slope, Center Slope, and South Slope. The neighborhood takes its name from its location on
9849-423: The areas with a significant gay population in NYC, Park Slope hosts the famous Lesbian Herstory Archives that contain the world's largest collection of materials by and about lesbians. Notable LGBT nightlife spaces in Park Slope include the long-operating lesbian bar Ginger's and the queer bar and performance venue Good Judy. The neighborhood also hosts the annual Brooklyn Pride Parade and Festival. Park Slope
9996-476: The building became the site of the nation's first urban Audubon society. The restoration of the Harmony Playground and Bandshell was completed the same year. However, other parts of Prospect Park remained neglected, such as the eastern side of the park, where the surrounding community was generally poorer than the western side. By 2000, the Wollman Rink was deteriorating, and there was a need to replace it. The Alliance soon formed plans to restore Music Island and
10143-402: The building. The smaller staircase to the left of the main entrance was built as the Ladies' Entrance, the first of its kind in any social club in Brooklyn or Manhattan. It is now used as the entrance to the condominium units (see below). The club is located within the New York City Landmark Preservation Commission 's Park Slope Historic District . In 2017, the Montauk Club building received
10290-902: The city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 294 per 100,000 people is lower than that of the city as a whole. The 78th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 77.3% between 1990 and 2023. The precinct reported 2 murders, 10 rapes, 124 robberies, 178 felony assaults, 181 burglaries, 553 grand larcenies, and 128 grand larcenies auto in 2019. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) operates three fire stations in Park Slope: As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers are less common in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens than in other places citywide. In Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, there were 27 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 7.9 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Park Slope and Carroll Gardens has
10437-440: The citywide and boroughwide averages. Fifteen percent of Park Slope and Carroll Gardens residents are smokers , which is slightly higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, 15% of residents are obese , 6% are diabetic , and 22% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 9% of children are obese, compared to
10584-422: The citywide average of 20%. Ninety-four percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is higher than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 88% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", greater than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, there are 12 bodegas . New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
10731-482: The citywide average of 75% of students. Public schools are operated by the New York City Department of Education . Park Slope is in two different community school districts – district 13 to the north and district 15 to the south. Students are zoned to their nearest elementary school. Both district 13 and district 15 place students in middle school based on the student's ranking of acceptable middle schools;
10878-565: The design for Central Park in Manhattan, which became the first landscaped park in the United States. James S. T. Stranahan , then President of the Brooklyn Board of Park Commissioners, believed that a park in Brooklyn "would become a favorite resort for all classes of our community, enabling thousands to enjoy pure air, with healthful exercise, at all seasons of the year..." He also thought
11025-492: The district 13 portion of Park Slope receives district 15 (not district 13) middle school choice, consistent with the rest of the neighborhood. The former John Jay High School is now the John Jay Educational Campus, housing three high schools and one combination middle/high school. The Brooklyn Public Library 's Park Slope branch is located at 431 Sixth Avenue. Built in 1906, it was a Carnegie library branch , and
11172-408: The early 20th century, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) commissioner Robert Moses started a program to clean up Prospect Park. A period of decline in the late 20th century spurred the creation of the Prospect Park Alliance, which refurbished many parts of the park from the 1980s through the 2020s. Main attractions of the park include the 90-acre (36 ha) Long Meadow;
11319-578: The engagement, and its loss contributed to George Washington 's decision to retreat. Even though the Continental Army lost the battle, they were able to hold the British back long enough for Washington's army to escape across the East River to Manhattan. Plaques north of the zoo, as well as the Maryland Monument at Lookout Hill's foot, honor this event. The then-independent city of Brooklyn built
11466-528: The first, the Brooklyn City Railroad , was founded in 1853. Other streetcar routes were founded, including a line on Flatbush Avenue in 1875, as well as the Atlantic Avenue Company 's Fifth Avenue and Ninth Avenue lines, the latter of which served the Eighth Ward directly. The first plans to develop modern-day Park Slope arose in 1847 when Colonel Daniel Richards requested permission from
11613-417: The grass rather than travel on designated routes. Prospect Park was substantially complete in 1873, but with the financial panic of that year , Olmsted and Vaux stopped collaborating on the park's construction. Some of the originally envisioned facets of the park, such as an observation tower, a terraced restaurant, and a top -shaped Carriage Concourse, were not built. Olmsted and Vaux had also planned for
11760-630: The historic district is New York's largest landmark neighborhood. Several other structures in Park Slope are both NRHP and city landmarks: Additionally, the Brooklyn Public Library's Park Slope branch, a Carnegie library built in 1905–06, is a city landmark. The Fourth Avenue station and 15th Street–Prospect Park station are NRHP landmarks that are part of the New York City Subway System Multiple Property Submission (MPS). The Old Stone House ,
11907-585: The hundreds of clubs in Brooklyn at the time, the Montauk Club is the only one still in existence. The landmark clubhouse was built in 1889-91 and was designed by Francis H. Kimball in the Venetian Gothic . It is reported to have been modeled after the Palazzo Santa Sofia ( Ca' d'Oro ) on Venice 's Grand Canal . Built of brownstone and brick, it features verdigris copper and terra cotta produced by
12054-448: The island, were restored using a $ 10 million grant, and were officially rededicated in October 2012. The Prospect Park Alliance subsequently completed or proposed more restoration projects for the park. Long Meadow ball field 1 was rebuilt between 2013 and 2014. The following year, the Alliance announced some projects on Prospect Park's eastern side, including the $ 200,000 restoration of Battle Pass. The Alliance also intended to restore
12201-476: The lake's northern shore. It is the outlet for the Lullwater, a meandering stream. The Lullwater contains the classical-style Boathouse , a city- and federally-designated landmark, on the Lullwater's eastern shore. To the south, along the lake's eastern shore, are the White Levy Esplanade, as well as the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, a multipurpose recreation center. The LeFrak Center at Lakeside consists of
12348-530: The lake. Ice skating was also a common sport, and was frequently practiced on the lake during the winter. Because picnicking was banned in Central Park, and generally disapproved-of in many other parks in Manhattan, Prospect Park became a popular picnic spot. However, this also resulted in litter, and by 1881, The New York Times was receiving complaints about a lack of cleanliness in the park. No new structures were constructed in Prospect Park until 1882, when
12495-526: The land. Then, the roads, bridle paths, and walks within Prospect Park were graded and individual features were landscaped. Three scenic roads, the West, Center, and East Drives, were built within the perimeters of the park. Depending on the time of year, between 250 and 2,000 workers were employed. Much of the landscaping focused on removing obstructions such as pits and swamps, and enhancing other natural features such as hills. Trees were only removed if they blocked
12642-521: The land. The Lenape typically lived in wigwams , and had larger fishing and hunting communities near freshwater sites on higher land. Several Lenape roads crossed the landscape and were later widened into "ferry roads" by 17th-century Dutch settlers, since they were used to provide transport to the waterfront. One was the Flatbush Road, running roughly north–south to the east of the path of present-day Flatbush Avenue . Just north of modern-day Park Slope
12789-529: The major entrances of the park gained similar neoclassical treatments. By the turn of the twentieth century, sculptures by Frederick MacMonnies graced the Arch and works by MacMonnies and Alexander Proctor adorned many of the entrances. Neoclassical structures appeared elsewhere within the park. McKim, Mead and White designed the Ocean Parkway and Willink entrances, which opened in 1890. The same firm transformed
12936-417: The neighborhood is composed of rowhouses and six-to-eight-story apartment buildings, though Fourth, Fifth and Seventh Avenues contain residential structures with commercial space on the ground floors. The westernmost portion of Park Slope near the Gowanus Canal is a light industrial district. The section of Seventh Avenue south of Ninth Street is largely zoned for low-density commercial use. Much of Park Slope
13083-408: The neighborhood was occupied in the mid-19th century, being located near the industrial Gowanus Canal and ferries. After the completion of Prospect Park, numerous mansions and rowhouses were developed in Park Slope's eastern section in the 1880s. Park Slope faced social and infrastructural decline in the mid-20th century, but the building stock was renovated after the area became gentrified starting in
13230-410: The neighborhood's blocks of historic row houses , brownstone , and Queen Anne , Renaissance Revival , and Romanesque mansions . After the 1973 creation of the landmark district, primarily above 7th Avenue, the rate of gentrification was sped up, and throughout the 1970s, the area saw an influx of young professional couples. By the early 1980s, however, even as the gentrification of the neighborhood
13377-451: The neighborhood's low cost of living and historic, turn-of-the-century housing stock. Following decades of socioeconomic precarity, the influx of the upper middle class has returned Park Slope to its Gilded Age milieu as one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Brooklyn —and the nation. Sociologist and urban theorist Sharon Zukin has written of the trend, "In Park Slope, the middle class found
13524-472: The neighborhood. By the 1950s, the working-class Italian-American and Irish-American populations predominated, though this changed by the 1970s as the black and Latino population of the area increased and the white ethnic population began to relocate amid the less exclusive, though effectively segregated, wave of postwar suburbanization . However, the area straddling Flatbush and Washington Avenues between Prospect Park and Atlantic Avenue began to attract
13671-503: The neoclassical style. Two now-demolished structures were also constructed on the peninsula, the Model Yacht Club House (1900–1956) and a shelter (1915 – c. 1940s ). Olmsted was said to have been "distressed" by these modifications to the park's original plan. From World War I to the mayoral administration of Fiorello La Guardia in the 1930s, investment in park infrastructure declined. A two-story brick building
13818-612: The new LeFrak Center, a year-round recreational facility. Work on the LeFrak Center began in 2009, and the Wollman Rink had been demolished by 2011. The Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Center at Lakeside was completed in December 2013 at a cost of $ 74 million. As part of the Wollman Rink's replacement, plans for the restored Music Island were announced in 2009. The Chaim Baier Music Island, and the Shelby White and Leon Levy Esplanade overlooking
13965-425: The new visitors. Rustic wooden shelters with "various oblong and polygonal shapes" were placed along the shore of Prospect Park's lake and were designed to be used as scenic overlooks. Several bridges and eight hundred bird houses were installed to enhance the park's rustic quality. In its 1870 annual report, the Brooklyn park commissioners reported that the lake was nearly completed, and that widening of nearby streets
14112-402: The next seven years, the city invested $ 17 million in cleaning up the park, including $ 10 million in federal funds from a Community Development Block Grant . Annual visitor numbers had nearly tripled to 5 million between 1980 and 1987. During this period, Prospect Park also received two historic designations: it was made a New York City scenic landmark on November 25, 1975, and was listed on
14259-400: The next twenty-six years, leaving significant impacts on the city's parks. Moses used federal monies made available to relieve Depression -era unemployment, and this resulted in a boom in construction at Prospect Park. The Prospect Park Zoo opened in 1935 on the east side of the park, replacing the former Menagerie. The Bandshell and five playgrounds were also constructed toward the end of
14406-466: The north side of the Lake originally provided the water for the watercourse, and was connected to an underground aquifer . The Well House became outdated when Prospect Park was connected to the New York City water supply system in the early 20th century. By the 21st century, Fallkill Falls was fed by a pipe from the city's water system. The water from Fallkill Falls runs into Fallkill Pool, past
14553-406: The northern end of the park, which would later become Grand Army Plaza . The revised plan called for the purchase of additional parcels to the south and west to accommodate Prospect Lake, but it excluded parcels already purchased east of Flatbush Avenue, including Prospect Hill itself. In addition, engineer-in-charge Joseph P. Davis and assistants John Bogart and John Y. Culyer were named to work on
14700-410: The ongoing development of upscale apartment houses on Prospect Park West and Plaza Street along with infill middle-class buildings throughout the neighborhood. Only a fraction of the area, centered in the traditional Gold Coast district and select adjoining blocks, retained wealthy and upper middle-class residents into the 1940s. The Emery Roth -designed 35 Prospect Park West, marketed as a competitor to
14847-536: The opening of the Brooklyn Bridge , Park Slope continued to boom and subsequent brick and brownstone structures pushed the neighborhood's borders farther. The 1890 census showed Park Slope to be the richest community in the United States. Realtors and community members saw a clear connection between Park Slope's bucolic setting and the comfort of living there. As the New York Tribune wrote in 1899, "Nature set
14994-461: The original shoreline, both obliterated by the construction of the original rink in 1960. Several Moses-era playgrounds and the Bandshell were retained because their venues were popular. Original rustic summer houses were restored or recreated on the shores of Prospect Park Lake, along the Lullwater and in the Ravine. As part of the restoration plans, the Wollman Rink was to be replaced by two rinks in
15141-460: The outflow of water from the lake using a valve. By the mid-20th century, these artificial waterways and the steep slopes around them had lost their original design character. In 1994, the Prospect Park Alliance launched a 25-year $ 43-million restoration project for the watercourse. The water in Prospect Park originates at the top of Fallkill Falls in the center of the park, just north of Quaker Hill and east of Long Meadow. The Well House on
15288-409: The park down where it is, and man has embellished her work in laying out great lawns and artificial lakes, in bringing together menageries and creating conservatories, in making roads and driveways, and in doing everything in his power to make the place a pleasant pleasure ground and a charming resort." Baseball had also played a prominent role in the history of the Park Slope area. From 1879 to 1889,
15435-492: The park under any circumstances. Much of Prospect Park suffered soil erosion and lack of maintenance caused the landscape to deteriorate. By 1979, park attendance dropped to two million, the lowest recorded level in the history of the park. The mayoral administration of Ed Koch formed plans in 1980 to turn over the administration of the troubled Prospect Park Zoo to the Wildlife Conservation Society . Over
15582-416: The park, thought that the park should have a lake, and urged for southward expansion beyond the city limits and into the then-independent town of Flatbush . Vaux's February 1865 proposal reflected the present layout of the park: three distinctive regions, meadow in the north and west, a wooded ravine in the east, and a lake in the south, without being divided by Flatbush Avenue. Vaux included an oval plaza at
15729-713: The park. At the same time, the city embarked on an improvement program at Prospect Park by cleaning out the landscape, constructing the Bartel-Pritchard Square entrance, and removing an old boathouse that had been supplanted by the Boathouse on the Lullwater. The construction of structures continued in the first decade of the 20th century. The neoclassical Peristyle (1904), Boathouse (1905), Tennis House (1910), and Willink Comfort Station (1912) were all designed by Helmle, Hudswell and Huberty, alumni and proteges of McKim, Mead, and White. The entrances into Prospect Park that were constructed during this time were also in
15876-482: The park. In exchange, they retained the remaining 10 acres for their private cemetery in perpetuity, as well as the rights to access the cemetery. Despite the repercussions of Vaux's revisions, Stranahan championed the revised proposal. Vaux recruited Olmsted and formally presented the plan in February 1866. The revised plan was accepted by May. Construction started the following month, and initial work focused on draining
16023-407: The park. Public pressure induced Park Commissioner Newbold Morris to rescind the decision to demolish the Boathouse in December 1964. Projects to restore Prospect Park were taken up by the late 1960s. In 1965, the city allocated $ 450,000 to renovate the Vale of Cashmere and the Rose Garden ahead of Brooklyn's 300th anniversary, and the park's 100th anniversary, the following year. Another $ 225,000
16170-431: The park. These included $ 2.5 million for renovating Lefferts Historic House, $ 2 million to rebuild pathways, $ 1.75 million for replacing fencing on Ocean Avenue, $ 750,000 for renovating the ballfields on Long Meadow, and $ 500,000 for the Carousel's restoration. In addition, $ 100,000 was earmarked for the installation of an experimental running surface on Park Drive, and through a participatory budgeting program, residents of
16317-672: The pastoral, picturesque, and aesthetic ideals expressed in contemporary paintings. The overall design was inspired partially by Birkenhead Park in the United Kingdom. Prospect Park had recent precedents in the pastoral style, notably Mount Auburn Cemetery near Boston and Green-Wood Cemetery a few blocks away. Olmsted and Vaux felt they had greater success in Brooklyn because of the lack of obstacles there, but they were also assisted in part by park commissioner James Stranahan's patronage and support of their plan. The two designers wanted visitors to be able to traverse Prospect Park with
16464-502: The plot constituted just over five percent of the park's acreage. Much of this acreage houses the maintenance yards and is rarely seen by the public. In 1866, the New York state legislature passed a bill approving the acquisition of additional land on the southwest side of the park. The park was built around the preexisting Quaker cemetery, which was accommodated by an agreement under which the Society of Friends deeded their unused acreage to
16611-407: The population. The entirety of Community Board 6, which covers areas around Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, had 109,351 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 81.4 years. This is slightly higher than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are middle-aged adults and youth: 18% are between
16758-491: The project. By then, land speculation was underway. The plot bounded by Ninth and Tenth Avenues between Third and Fifteenth Streets was held by real estate developer Edwin Clarke Litchfield, who had erected his home, Litchfield Manor , on the east side of Ninth Avenue in 1857. The Parks Commission ultimately acquired the Litchfield plot in 1868 for $ 1.7 million, forty-two percent of the overall expenditure for land, even though
16905-469: The removal of Music Island and the panoramic view of the lake created by Olmsted and Vaux. To make the park more visually appealing, NYC Parks also began to clear the area of weeds and invasive species, though this had the unintended effect of hastening erosion. It was not unusual in the Moses years, and especially the decade after his departure, to quietly remove underutilized or redundant structures. To do so
17052-439: The renovation of a now-$ 4.8 million brownstone along Berkeley Place sparked a trend where the rest of the brownstones were cleaned up and the grittiness of the neighborhood began to fade. Young professionals began to buy and renovate brownstones (which only cost around $ 15,000–35,000 at the time), often converting them from rooming houses into single and two-family homes. Preservationists helped secure landmark status for many of
17199-460: The rest of Kings County, the farmland was likely dependent on slave labor. The farm parcels were further split in the 19th century, allowing for the development of smaller urban lots. After Brooklyn was incorporated as a city in 1834, the Commissioners Plan of 1839 was devised, a street plan that extended to South Brooklyn. Park Slope was originally located in the northern section of
17346-554: The rest of both Brooklyn and New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 37% in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, lower than the citywide and boroughwide rates of 52% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Park Slope and Carroll Gardens are considered to be high income and not gentrifying . As of the 2020 census data from New York City Department of City Planning , there were between 30,000 and 39,999 White residents and 5,000 to 9,999 Hispanic residents, meanwhile
17493-422: The same time period. Park Slope and Carroll Gardens's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is lower than the rest of New York City. In Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, 11% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , compared to the citywide average of 20% of students. Additionally, 77% of high school students in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens graduate on time, higher than
17640-452: The south end of the park. In designing the watercourse, Olmsted and Vaux also took advantage of the preexisting glacier-formed kettle ponds and lowland outwash plains to create a drainage basin centered around the waterway. They crafted the watercourse to include a steep, forested Ravine with significant river edge flora and fauna habitats. As a result, the watercourse is able to accommodate significant bird and fish populations. Much of
17787-521: The southwest boundary of Prospect Park. Lookout Hill, as well as a large open space called the Nethermead, are located to the south and east of Quaker Hill, respectively. The Ravine also contains the Midwood, an old-growth forest incorporated into Prospect Park during its construction. The third zone is along the park's south side and consists of Prospect Lake, as well as a peninsula jutting eastward from
17934-442: The surrounding communities allocated funds for other projects such as new drinking fountains, a dog run, community barbecue sites, and an aquatic weed harvester. Also in 2016, as part of a project to repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Prospect Park Alliance used goats to clean up the shrubbery in woodlands around the Vale of Cashmere, then re-landscaped the sites at a cost of $ 727,000. The Well House, located on
18081-478: The team to his Ebbets Field stadium in Flatbush for the beginning of the 1913 season. The Federal League's Brooklyn Tip-Tops rebuilt much of the park in concrete and steel and played there for two years, in 1914 and 1915, before the league folded. A portion of the ballpark's wall still exists today on Fourth Avenue. Following Brooklyn's subsumption into the City of Greater New York in 1898 and accelerating in
18228-428: The true "Father of Prospect Park", a reputation established through his 22-year reign as Park Commission president (1860–1882), engagement of Olmsted and Vaux, overseeing complex land acquisitions, securing funding to build the park, and after the park's completion, defending the park against changes that were not compatible with the overall design. A statue of James S. T. Stranahan was proposed in 1890. Located inside
18375-538: The upscale apartment houses of Fifth Avenue , Park Avenue and Central Park West , opened right before the Great Depression in 1929, and contained a variety of luxury accommodations (including penthouses, duplexes and maisonettes) alongside "just plain apartments". While the building attracted such notable residents as pharmaceutical executive John L. Smith and remained a "solid fortress of wealth" for decades, it ultimately failed to anchor comparable development in
18522-534: The water-damaged Oriental Pavilion for $ 2 million and replace fencing on Flatbush Avenue for $ 2.4 million. In 2016, the Alliance also received $ 3.2 million from NYC Parks' Parks Without Borders program to construct two new entrances on Flatbush Avenue, the park's first new entrances in over 70 years, as well as rebuild the Willink entrance. During the city's 2016 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2016, politicians also contributed funds toward various restoration projects in
18669-404: The watercourse is lined with vegetation that is designed to absorb precipitation and additional water flow. Olmsted also included an expansive drainage system, which is still in use and extends under the Long Meadow, Ravine, and Nethermead. About two-thirds of Prospect Park Lake's water typically evaporates. However, to prevent flooding after heavy precipitation, Prospect Park employees can control
18816-484: The western slope of neighboring Prospect Park . Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue are its primary commercial streets, while its east–west side streets are lined with brownstones and apartment buildings. Park Slope was settled by the Lenape before Europeans arrived in the 17th century. The area was mostly farms and woods until the early 19th century, when the land was subdivided into rectangular parcels. The western section of
18963-531: Was 67,649, a change of 386 (0.6%) from the 67,263 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 961.17 acres (388.97 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 70.4 inhabitants per acre (45,100/sq mi; 17,400/km ). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 67.3% (45,529) White , 6.4% (4,334) African American , 0.1% (77) Native American , 6% (4,056) Asian , 0% (19) Pacific Islander , 0.5% (318) from other races , and 3% (2,053) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.6% (11,263) of
19110-593: Was a 320-acre (1.3 km ) plot east of Ninth and Tenth Avenue in the Eighth Ward. After work was stopped during the Civil War, the proposed park's boundaries were changed, shifting the boundaries slightly west and south. In 1868, the City of Brooklyn purchased his estate and adjoining property to complete the West Drive and the southern portion of the Long Meadow in Prospect Park, for the then-exorbitant price of $ 1.7 million ($ 39 million in 2023). The modern-day Park Slope
19257-527: Was a member for many years. Club membership declined in the period before Brooklyn's renaissance, and it became difficult to maintain the beautiful but aging clubhouse. The upper and basement floors were sold to a developer for condominiums, with the Club ultimately retaining ownership of the first and second floors. With a growing membership, especially of younger members, the Club continues to provide community for families and individuals. The club has been used as
19404-531: Was allocated to renovate the boathouse, and $ 249,000 was allotted to overall renovations. The city renovated part of the Long Meadow on the northwest side of the park, as well as the children's farm. However, some of the contracts were delayed, including renovations to the Boathouse and the tennis courts, as well as a reconstruction of the Music Pagoda, which had burned down in 1968. By 1971, the city had spent $ 4 million to renovate Prospect Park, including renovating
19551-404: Was excluded from the system of zones. The first zone consisted of the Long Meadow, a wide open space along the west side of the park. It contains two entrances through tunnels: Meadowport Arch and Endale Arch. The Third Street Playground, Harmony Playground, bandshell, and the picnic and tennis houses are also located here. West Drive traverses this section of Prospect Park. The second zone
19698-554: Was filled in, and along with Mount Prospect Hill, became the separate Mount Prospect Park in 1940. The park and its surroundings were subsequently restored in the 1890s during the City Beautiful movement . After the Soldier's and Sailor's Arch at Grand Army Plaza was built in 1892, the park commissioners engaged the McKim, Mead, and White architectural firm to redesign Grand Army Plaza in
19845-404: Was laid out by landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux for the then-independent city of Brooklyn. Prospect Park opened in 1867, though it was not substantially complete until 1873. The park subsequently underwent numerous modifications and expansions to its facilities. Several additions to the park were completed in the 1890s, in the City Beautiful architectural movement. In
19992-725: Was named one of the "Greatest Neighborhoods in America" by the American Planning Association in 2007, "for its architectural and historical features and its diverse mix of residents and businesses, all of which are supported and preserved by its active and involved citizenry." In December 2006, Natural Home magazine named Park Slope one of America's ten best neighborhoods based on criteria including parks, green spaces and neighborhood gathering spaces; farmers' markets and community gardens; public transportation and locally owned businesses; and environmental and social policy. One of
20139-446: Was named the "Prospect branch" before 1975. The Brooklyn Central Library is located across Grand Army Plaza from the northeast corner of Park Slope. Prospect Park (Brooklyn) Prospect Park is a 526-acre (2.13 km ) urban park in the New York City borough of Brooklyn . The park is situated between the neighborhoods of Park Slope , Prospect Heights , Prospect Lefferts Gardens , Flatbush , and Windsor Terrace , and
20286-573: Was opened in the Menagerie in 1916, housing monkeys, some small mammals, and several birds. After the end of World War I, a memorial commemorating fallen soldiers was proposed; it was dedicated in 1921. The only other structures to be built during this period were the Picnic House (1927) and a small comfort station at the Ocean Avenue entrance (1930), both designed by J. Sarsfield Kennedy. A golf course
20433-434: Was originally forested, but became open pasture after two centuries of European colonization. Significant stands of trees remained only in the peat bogs centered south of Ninth and Flatbush Avenues, as well as in a large bog north of Ninth Street, and contained chestnut , white poplar , and oak . Some of these stands were preserved in the modern-day Prospect Park Ravine and nicknamed "The Last Forest of Brooklyn". During
20580-500: Was proposed for the Long Meadow in the 1920s, but eventually, it was built on the Peninsula, abutting the Lake at the park's southern end. In 1932, a faux Mount Vernon was built in Prospect Park to commemorate the bicentennial of George Washington 's birthday. However, Prospect Park was in stasis for the most part, and like many of the city's parks, it was run year-after-year with declining budgets. The New York Times observed that by
20727-553: Was rapidly proceeding, crime was soaring, along with crime in the rest of New York City . The neighborhood was affected by daily armed muggings within the Prospect Park area especially at night primarily from the high crime neighboring area of UnderHill known as Prospect Heights. Gentrification accelerated during the 1980s and 1990s, as working-class families were displaced and discriminated due to classism regardless of race, many of those displaced being Italian, Irish and Hispanic. These gentrifiers were generally Manhtattanites attracted by
20874-860: Was regarded as economical and prudent management. Several structures had been destroyed by the time Moses left his position as NYC Parks commissioner in May 1960. These included the Dairy, destroyed 1935; Concert Grove House, demolished 1949; Music Island, razed 1960; the Flower Garden; the Thatched Shelter, destroyed in the 1940s; the Model Yacht Club, burned down in 1956; and the Greenhouse Conservatories, taken apart in 1955. The demolition of Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan during 1963–1968 spawned
21021-486: Was split into the city's 22nd Ward the same year. By the late 1870s, with horse-drawn rail cars running to the park and the ferry, bringing many rich New Yorkers in the process, urban sprawl dramatically changed the neighborhood into a streetcar suburb . The opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 led to further development in the city of Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad extended its Fifth Avenue elevated line to South Brooklyn six years later. During
21168-529: Was the Jamaica Road, running east to Jamaica, Queens , on what is now the path of Fulton Street . The first European settlement occurred in 1637-1639 when Willem Kieft , the Dutch West India Company 's director, purchased almost all land in what is now Brooklyn and Queens. The area was used as farmland over the next two centuries. During the American Revolutionary War , on August 27, 1776,
21315-558: Was then farmland, erecting his Litchfield Villa on the east side of the neighborhood in 1857. Through the American Civil War era, Litchfield sold off much of his land to residential developers. Development increased with the planning and creation of Prospect Park , just east of modern-day Park Slope. In February 1860, a group of fifteen commissioners had submitted suggestions for locations of four large parks and three small parks in Brooklyn. The largest of these proposed parks
21462-567: Was to straddle Flatbush Avenue and include Prospect Hill, as well as the land now occupied by the Brooklyn Public Library , Brooklyn Botanic Garden , and Brooklyn Museum . By late 1860, land had been purchased for Viele's plan. However, the onset of the Civil War stopped further activity, and the boulevards and smaller parks were pushed back. The delay prompted some reflection; Stranahan invited Calvert Vaux to review Viele's plans early in 1865. Vaux took issue with Flatbush Avenue's division of
21609-461: Was underway. By 1871, the monthly visitor count had increased to 250,000. The park's patronage continued to increase, and in an 1873 article, The New York Times described Prospect Park as having become an "indispensable Sunday resort for the toiling thousands of Brooklyn." However, the high patronage also had downsides: an 1875 editorial in the Times observed that many people would take shortcuts along
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