Reflection #1: Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn, Downtown Brooklyn, and Dumbo

Class of 2/1

While reading through these Wikipedia articles on Brooklyn several things caught my attention. First, while reading the page on Vinegar Hill I had found it interesting how a small portion of the borough has been able to retract from modernization of its streets, sidewalk and small housing structures. These parts of the neighborhood date back to the early 1800’s and play a vital role in the the history and aura of this area in Brooklyn. It shows people they don’t need to watch television or browse the internet to get a glimpse of how life looked many years before they were born, They can walk outside and see things though the eyes of someone who lived more than a century ago and witness history in front of them. Second, while reading the page on Brooklyn I had found it interesting and notable information that Brooklyn was not considered a borough of New York until nearing the closing of the 19th century. I found that interesting because it shows how young our city really is. I guess this information strikes me as thought provoking because I am looking at it from a scientific standpoint. Lastly, while reading the page on Downtown Brooklyn I had never known this area held safe houses for slaves during the 19th century. I had also found it interesting to learn how the Brooklyn Academy of Music played a vital role in keeping Brooklyn’s economy strong in the face of deterioration.

1 thought on “Reflection #1: Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn, Downtown Brooklyn, and Dumbo

  1. Nora Almeida

    There’s a (really tiny) museum dedicated to the underground railroad in downtown Brooklyn, right behind Metro Tech on Duffield Street (formerly called Abolitionist place) and a debate about the future of the property to make room for parking and hotels: http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2007/11/30/duffield_st_underground_railroad_bldg_saved.php.

    More about the street and its history is discussed in this New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/arts/12expl.html.

    If you’ve never been down Duffield it’s only a few blocks from here and there are a few row-houses from the 1800s that look really out of place in an area dominated by highrises.

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