POTW: Brooklyn Sewers

Tess Colwell

[New Catch Basin/Court +Remsen Sts], 1920 ca, v1974.24.42; Arthur Weindorf glass plate negatives , v1974.024; Brooklyn Historical Society. [New Catch Basin/Court +Remsen Sts], 1920 ca, v1974.24.42; Arthur Weindorf glass plate negatives , v1974.024; Brooklyn Historical Society.
You’ve probably heard the urban legend of alligators living in the New York City sewers, but did you know there is small grain of truth to that? In February 1935, a few teenage boys discovered a 125-pound alligator in a sewer at 123rd street while shoveling snow. A New York Times article describes one of the boy’s encounter with the alligator: “What he saw, in the thickening dusk, almost caused him to topple into the icy cavern. For the jagged surface of the ice blockade below was moving; and something black was breaking through. Salvatore’s eyes widened; then he managed to leap to his feet and call his friends. ‘Honest, it’s an alligator!’ he exploded.”

Thursday, February 9 is unofficial “Alligator in the Sewer Day” hosted by Michael Miscione, Manhattan Borough Historian, at Greater Astoria Historical Society. If you’re interested in learning more about this fascinating history, and other urban legends, check out the event!

The photo of the week depicts a catch basin, and a group of men and boys, at the corner of Court and Remsen Street in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. This photograph comes from the Arthur Weindorf glass plate negatives collection comprised of glass plate negatives from 1901 to 1920 that document the construction of the sewer system and subway tunnels in Brooklyn. Arthur Weindorf was a Queens-born illustrator and artist, who later joined the Public Services Commission of the City of New York where he worked as an engineer and designer. This collection is not digitized, but we hope you will make an appointment at the Othmer Library to view the collection in person.

Interested in seeing more photos from BHS’s collection? Visit our online image gallery, which includes a selection of our images. Interested in seeing even more historic Brooklyn images? Visit our Brooklyn Visual Heritage website here. To search BHS’s entire collection of images, archives, maps, and special collections visit BHS’s Othmer Library Wed-Sat, 1:00-5:00 p.m. library@brooklynhistory.org

 

This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.

 

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