Blog posts by Tess Colwell

POTW: Hunterfly Road Houses

Tess Colwell

[Hunterfly Road Houses], 1922, v1987.11.2; Eugene L. Armbruster photograph and scrapbook collection, v1987.011; Brooklyn Historical Society.
The photo of the week depicts Hunterfly Road Houses in 1922, the last remaining structures of the Weeksville community, part of the present-day Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. Weeksville was founded in 1838, and named after James Weeks, a former slave from Virginia, who was an early investor and resident of the community.  It quickly became a thriving community of black…

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.
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,…

POTW: Jackie Robinson

Tess Colwell

[Jackie Robinson in dugout], circa 1950, v1987.1.3; Photography collection, v1987.1; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Yesterday would have been Jackie Robinson’s 98th birthday. He became the first African American baseball player to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) when he debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. He played ten years in the MLB and helped lead the Dodgers to their 1955 World Series championship. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. On April 5, 2017, Brooklyn Historical Society…

POTW: Blizzard of 1888

Tess Colwell

[Horse-drawn sleigh, Flatbush Avenue and Clarkson Avenue], 1888, V1974.7.74; Adrian Vanderveer Martense collection, ARC.191; Brooklyn Historical Society.
I’ve been missing the magic of a Brooklyn snow fall during this unseasonably warm winter, but looking at this photograph, I’m reminded that I should be careful what I wish for. New Yorkers were reportedly experiencing similarly warmer temperatures and rain leading up to the Blizzard of 1888. No one suspected a four day blizzard in March, with high winds and roughly 40…

POTW: Paerdegaat Basin

Tess Colwell

Paerdegaat [Basin], ca 1910, v1981.15.144; Ralph Irving Lloyd lantern slides,v1981.15; Brooklyn Historical Society.
The photo of the week depicts Paerdegaat Basin around 1910 in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn. The 1.25 mile long channel connects to Jamaica Bay in the south, and is named for the Dutch word “horse gate.” The surrounding wetland area includes groves of trees and a habitat for many bird and animal species. I love the soft tree reflections in the water and the small tent visible in the background. Did…

POTW: Ektachrome Film Returns

Tess Colwell

[Brooklyn Bridge], 1964, v1988.1.181; A. Edna Glyde Photograph Collection, v1988.1; Brooklyn Historical Society.
A few months ago, I featured a photograph taken with ektachrome film, which has been out of production since 2012. Last Thursday, Kodak announced that they are bringing back their iconic Kodak Ektachrome film later this year. They stated, “The film, known for its extremely fine grain, clean colors, great tones and contrast, became iconic in no small part due to the extensive use of slide film by the National…

POTW: Second Avenue Subway

Tess Colwell

[Subway passengers], ca 1985, v2008.013.87; Lucille Fornasieri Gold photographs, 20087.013; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Over the weekend, the Second Avenue Subway opened after almost a century of planning. The station extends the Q line to three new stations at 72nd, 86th, and 96th streets in Manhattan. Did you ride the new subway line over opening weekend?This photograph is one of my favorite images of the NYC subway in our collection. Taken by photographer Lucille Fornasieri Gold, it depicts subway passengers on an…

POTW: Happy New Year

Tess Colwell

[Winter sunset, Coney Island], 1968/01/21, v1988.12.85; Otto Dreschmeyer Brooklyn slides, v1988.012; Brooklyn Historical Society.
There’s something beautiful and peaceful about the beach during the winter. I love this photograph by Otto Dreschmeyer depicting a Coney Island sunset in January 1968. I hope to experience at least a few of these in person during the New Year. What are you resolving to do in the coming year? Whatever it may be, we wish you a healthy, happy, and abundant 2017!This photograph comes from the Otto…

POTW: Happy Holidays!

Tess Colwell

[Holidays view 19], ca 1965, 2006.001.1.129; Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building photographs and architectural drawings, ARC.116; Brooklyn Historical Society.
It’s the most festive time of year in Brooklyn. Christmas-related festiveness is just one of the many forms of celebrations taking place this time of year. This includes pop-up holiday markets, Christmas tree stands, and festive home decorations galore. However you choose to celebrate, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!With that in mind, the photo of the…

Bushwick and Her Neighbors, Vol. 1 is now online!

Tess Colwell

Brooklyn Historical Society received a generous grant from Gerry Charitable Trust in 2015 to digitize and catalog seven scrapbooks from Eugene L. Armbruster photographs and scrapbook collection. Eugene Armbruster was an amateur photographer and historian during the late 19th century and early 20th century in Brooklyn. Following retirement from The H. Henkel Cigar Box Manufacturing Company, he became interested in local history and took thousands of photographs depicting buildings and street scenes throughout Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. His scrapbooks are organized by subject and…

POTW: Electrification of Long Island Rail Road

Tess Colwell

[Electrification of Long Island Rail Road at Washington Avenue], 1903, v1984.1463.3; Long Island Rail Road construction photographs, V1984.1463; Brooklyn Historical Society.
The photo of the week depicts the excavation during the electrification of the Long Island Rail Road on Washington Avenue in Brooklyn in 1903. A crew of men can be seen using shovels and picks to manually complete the arduous excavation work during winter. This photograph sticks out to because of the view of men and women and horse-drawn carriages at…

POTW: Prospect Park Sea Lions

Tess Colwell

Sea Lion Pool, Prospect Park Zoo, 1987, v1990.62.2; Jerome Frank photographs, V1990.62; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Have you visited the sea lions at the Prospect Park Zoo? The photo of the week depicts the Sea Lion Pool on October 15, 1987. The zoo is located on the east side of Prospect Park, along Flatbush Avenue. The zoo opened in 1935 as part of a city-wide revitalization project initiated by Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. The Sea Lion Court is one of the most popular exhibits and is also a unique architectural…

POTW: Brooklyn Storefronts

Tess Colwell

Katy’s Candy Store, 2005, 2009.004.31; James and Karla Murray Counter Culture exhibition photographs, 2009.004; Brooklyn Historical Society.
The photo of the week depicts the exterior of Katy’s Candy Store, a specialty candy shop located at 125 Tompkins Avenue in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. The family-owned shop opened in 1969 and closed permanently in 2007. This photograph is part of an ongoing project by photographers James and Karla Murray to document storefronts in Brooklyn and New York City. A…

POTW: Happy Thanksgiving!

Tess Colwell

[Edna Machtiger’s Wedding, Thanksgiving Day], 1946, V1991.11.103.2; Harry Kalmus papers and photographs, ARC.046; Brooklyn Historical Society.
As you prep for your Thanksgiving celebrations or travels, we bring you a photo of the week that takes us back to Thanksgiving, 1946. This photo depicts an unidentified man carrying a plate of food for Edna Machtiger’s wedding on Thanksgiving Day, 1946. Do you think there’s turkey on that plate?A New York Times article published on November 26, 1946, describes a suggested menu for a…

POTW: Brighton Beach Hotel Move

Tess Colwell

[Men examining railroad cable at moving of Hotel Brighton], 1888, V1974.7.86; Adrian Vanderveer Martense collection, ARC.191; Brooklyn Historical Society.
The Brighton Beach Hotel was a grand, three-story, 174-room waterfront hotel in the Brighton Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn.  The hotel was built too close to the ocean, and after ten years, the hotel faced serious erosion issues that threatened the structure and foundation. In April 1888, a decision was made to move the entire (estimated eight million pound) structure…

POTW: John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge

Tess Colwell

[John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge], ca 1890, v1981.283.55, Burton family papers and photographs, ARC.217; Brooklyn Historical Society.
The photo of the week depicts the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati, Ohio. If you look closely, it might remind you of another bridge here in Brooklyn. That’s because both the Brooklyn Bridge and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge were created by the same civil engineer and designer, John A. Roebling. The above bridge spans the Ohio River to connect Cincinnati, Ohio and…

POTW: Brooklyn Bar

Tess Colwell

[Men inside Bar], ca 1900, v1972.1.1063, Early Brooklyn and Long Island photograph collection, ARC.201; Brooklyn Historical Society.
If you made it to the Oktoberfest-themed Free Friday event here at BHS, you may have seen this photograph among other beer-related collections items. I find this photograph particularly charming because it offers a glimpse into the bar customer and décor in turn of the century Brooklyn. I love the landscape images depicted behind the bar, the barkeeper’s clothing, and the wood details. Today…

POTW: Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Tess Colwell

[Manhattan skyline at night], ca 1964, V1988.1.147, Edna Glyde photograph collection, V1988.1; Brooklyn Historical Society.
The breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade never ceases to amaze me. At BHS, we’re lucky to be able to experience the views from the Promenade regularly, as it’s only a few blocks away from our office in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. I love this photograph of the skyline at night, taken by Edna Glyde around 1964.The unique tone of this…

POTW: Burton Sisters

Tess Colwell

[Portrait of three women], ca 1885, v1981.283.48, Burton family paper and photographs, ARC.217; Brooklyn Historical Society.
I love this tintype photograph of sisters Minnie Burton and Virginia Burton with their sister-in-law (presumably Josie Newcombe) seated with arms interlocked, identical outfits, and fierce expressions. This photograph was taken around 1885 by an unknown photographer, but likely at a studio in Brooklyn.The Burton family included William H. Burton, a house painter, and his wife Virginia Baptista, both…

POTW: Scrapbooks

Tess Colwell

Autumn Scene Near 3rd St., ca 1900, V1986.250.1.73, William Schroeder, Sr. scrapbook collection , ARC.121; Brooklyn Historical Society.
The photo of the week is titled “Autumn scene near 3rd street” and depicts a view of Prospect Park around 1900, in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. This photograph comes from the William Schroeder, Sr. scrapbook collection that comprises three scrapbooks created by Brooklyn physician, Dr. William Schroeder, Sr., from around 1900 through 1904. This photograph is part of the “Parks…