Branch History
Gravesend was one of the six original towns of Brooklyn. It was established in 1645 by Lady Deborah Moody and her followers as a haven from religious persecution. The town was named for the English seaport of Gravesend Gravesham, Kent. Gravesend is Anglo-Saxon for “at the end of the grove.” The neighborhood is a short bus or train ride from the beach at Coney Island. It boasts several small parks with amenities like handball courts and paved baseball diamonds; McDonald Park, on McDonald Avenue near Avenue T, has three tennis courts.
Gravesend Library offers very popular Toddler Time programming on Wednesdays. The library also hosts a monthly book discussion club for adults and a Talking Circle program for seniors. Gravesend serves its diverse community with large collections of Russian, Chinese and other multilingual materials.
Did you know?
Playwright Arthur Miller grew up Gravesend.