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Map of the Month – February 2012

Written by Carolyn on February 6th, 2012

This month’s featured map was created by the prolific Brooklyn surveyor Teunis G. Bergen, who copied it from an “ancient map.” According to Bergen, there was no date or surveyor’s name on the “ancient map,” but it was probably made before 1750. The map roughly covers modern-day Brooklyn Heights south to the Gowanus and shows buildings and names of landowners. Please note that any writing on the map with an asterisk was added by Bergen and not found on the original map. If you’re interested in learning more about Bergen, the BHS archive has an amazing collection of his writings and maps.

Copy of an ancient map in possession of a descendant of the Hannes or Hans Bergen: whose house is located thereon. Teunis Bergen. 1864. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.

(Click on the image to show more detail)

Interested in seeing more maps? You can view the BHS map collection anytime during the library’s open hours, Wed.-Fri., from 1-5 p.m. No appointment is necessary to view most maps. Our cataloged maps can be searched through BobCat and our map inventories through Emma.

Map of the Month is part of a project to catalog our map holdings, funded through the Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Collections program. If you would like to help us do more of this kind of work with our exciting map holdings, donate here.

Posted in Brooklyn Past & Present, Hidden Collections, Library & Archives | 1 Response »
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The Changing Shape of Coney Island

Written by Carolyn on January 13th, 2012

Even with the best of technology and intentions, early mapmakers didn’t always get it right. Browsing through the map collection a few weeks ago, I noticed that the shape of one of Brooklyn’s most iconic features, Coney Island, appears drastically different from one map to another.  While it’s easy to think of maps as authoritative, scientific representations of geographic space, looking at these helps me to remember that maps are also interpretative. As such, they are affected by the historical context in which they were created and may reflect biases or contain inaccuracies. Either that, or Coney Island has done some pretty incredible shape-shifting!

First up, an image of “Cunny” Island from a map published ca. 1770s. Please note that this is the 3rd state of the map, which was originally published in 1732.

A draught of New York from the Hook to New York Town. Mark Tiddeman. 3rd state. ca. 1770s. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.

Next, an image from ca. 1763:

Porti della Nuova York e Perthamboy. By Giuseppe M. Terreni. ca. 1763. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.

Then an image from 1778:

Entrée de la riviere d'Hudson depuis la Pointe Sandy Hook jusqu'a New York, les bancs, les sondes, les guides &c. : traduit de l'Anglais. 1778. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.

Followed by a map from ca. 1794:

Map of Long Island & vicinity. ca. 1794. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.

Then a map from 1869:

Map of the county of Kings showing the ward and town boundaries. 1869. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.

And finally, a map from 1976 showing the Coney Island we all recognize:

Hagstrom Brooklyn, New York. 1976. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.

Posted in Brooklyn Past & Present, Hidden Collections, Library & Archives | 2 Responses »
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Brooklyn History Photo of the Week: Horse-drawn Carriage

Written by Carolina Garcia on January 4th, 2012

Horse-drawn carriage on Clinton Avenue at Fulton Street, after the blizzard, ca. 1888, V1974.7.78; Adrian Vanderveer Martense lantern slide collection, ARC.191; Brooklyn Historical Society.

From the desk of Carolina Garcia, project intern: When I first started working on digitizing the Adrian Vanderveer Martense collection of lantern slides, one of the things I was most amused by was the fact that the labels on the slides were stamped “A.V. Martense, Amateur”. Martense hailed from one of Brooklyn’s oldest and wealthiest families and enjoyed the hobby of photography. Although he was not a professional photographer, there are many impressive images in the collection—from portraits to landscapes to architecture.

I chose to share this image because of the sharpness and richness that Martense managed to capture. It is among the images Martense created in the wake of a New York blizzard in March of 1888. The horse and carriage stand in front of a building near the corner of Fulton and Clinton Avenue in Brooklyn.

Interested in seeing more photos from BHS’s collection? Visit our online image gallery, which includes a selection of our images. To search our entire collection of images visit BHS’s Othmer Library Wed-Fri, 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Posted in Hidden Collections, Library & Archives | 3 Responses »
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Map of the Month – January 2012

Written by Carolyn on January 3rd, 2012

This month’s featured map dates from approximately 1776 and shows the routes of American and British troops throughout the New York area before, during, and after the “Engagement on the Heights” of August 27th, 1776. Known alternately as the Battle of Long Island, the Battle of Brooklyn, and the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, this event was a significant moment in the Revolutionary War. Some historical sites relevant to the battle can still be visited today, including Battle Pass in Prospect Park, the Prison Ships Martyrs Monument, and the Old Stone House. Enjoy!

Plan of New York island and part of Long Island, showing the position of the American & British armies before, at & after the engagement on the Heights, August 27th, 1776. ca. 1776. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.

(Click on the image to show more detail)

Interested in seeing more maps? You can view the BHS map collection anytime during the library’s open hours, Wed.-Fri., from 1-5 p.m. No appointment is necessary to view most maps. Our cataloged maps can be searched through BobCat and our map inventories through Emma.

Map of the Month is part of a project to catalog our map holdings, funded through the Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Collections program. If you would like to help us do more of this kind of work with our exciting map holdings, donate here.

Posted in Brooklyn Past & Present, Hidden Collections, Library & Archives | 2 Responses »
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Brooklyn History Photo of the Week: Sledding in Prospect Park

Written by Steve Terry on December 28th, 2011

Sledding in Prospect Park, January 1967, V1990.2.39; Donald Nowlan Brooklyn collection, ARC.120; Brooklyn Historical Society.

This photo shows sledders in Prospect Park, January 1967.  Equipped with the wood sleds, plastic discs, and pieces of cardboard, hundreds of winter revelers of all ages flock to the hills of Prospect Park every year. When Prospect Park opened in 1867, it provided a free and accessible public space for Brooklynites to congregate, exercise, and play in the heat of summer and the chill of winter. Today, Prospect Park remains one of the most popular sledding sites in Brooklyn.

Interested in seeing more photos from BHS’s collection? Visit our online image gallery, which includes a selection of our images. To search our entire collection of images visit BHS’s Othmer Library Wed-Fri, 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Posted in Brooklyn Past & Present, Hidden Collections, Library & Archives | 2 Responses »
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