Brooklyn Heights
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:Brooklyn.jpgBrooklyn Heights is a neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City that was originally Brooklyn Village, and, from 1834, the main area of Brooklyn City.
It is surrounded on the east by Court St and Cadman Plaza, on the west by the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, on the south by Atlantic Avenue, and on the north by the Brooklyn Bridge. It adjoins the Downtown, Cobble Hill and DUMBO sections. It is the part of Brooklyn closest to Downtown Manhattan, directly across the East River, and easily accessible via the Brooklyn Bridge and multiple subway lines.
The area was heavily fortified prior to the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War - The Battle of Long Island (a.k.a. The Battle of Brooklyn). General George Washington withdrew his troops here after heavy losses, but was able to make a skillful retreat across the East River to Manhattan without the loss of any troops or his remaining supplies.
Image:Brooklyn heights 1854.jpg Brooklyn Heights occupies a bluff that rises sharply from the river's edge and gradually recedes on the landward side. Before the Dutch settled on Long Island in the middle of the seventeenth century, this promontory was called Ihpetonga ("the high sandy bank") by the native Lenape.
Brooklyn Heights, as of 2000, had a population of 22,493 people.
It is historically descended from its precursor Town of Brooklyn.
The neighborhood is largely composed of block after block of picturesque rowhouses. A great range of architectural styles are represented, including a few Federal-style houses from the early 19th century in the northern part of the neighborhood, brick Greek Revival and Gothic Revival houses, and Italianate brownstones. Brooklyn Heights was the first neighborhood protected by the 1965 Landmarks Preservation Law of New York City. Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims is in Brooklyn Heights, as is St Ann's Church, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Promenade cantilevered over the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is a favorite spot among locals, offering magnificent vistas of the Statue of Liberty, the Manhattan skyline across the East River, as well as views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge. It is a popular tourist destination for the Macy's July 4th fireworks, and for the unobstructed views of the skyline.
Image:LoveLaneCarriageHouse.jpg Brookyln Heights, being a historic district has very few high-rise buildings. Among these buildings are 75 Livingston street, Hotel St. George, and the Montague-court building. Because of the lack of high-rise buidings, Brooklyn Heights has a small town atmosphere.
Situated so close to the foot of Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights is serviced by numerous subway lines, specifically the A, C, F, M, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Famous residents over the years have included John A. Roebling, Washington Roebling, Henry Ward Beecher, Marilyn Monroe, Norman Mailer, Thomas Wolfe, W. H. Auden, Truman Capote, Arthur Miller, and Carson McCullers.
External links
- http://www.brooklynheightsassociation.org/ - Neighborhood association for Brooklyn Heights.
- NYCfoto.com - Photos of Brooklyn Heights