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 »
Tags: Battle of Brooklyn, Map of the Month, maps
Written by
Leah
on December 30th, 2011
As the year comes to an end the staff at Brooklyn Historical Society would like to wish you a very Happy New Year! In honor of New Year’s celebrations this weekend, here is a sample of festive images from Brooklyn’s past.
Saloon of Charles Schindler, 1905 ca., V1972.1.1064; Early Brooklyn and Long Island Photograph collection, ARC.201; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Women dancing and playing piano, 1946 ca., V1991.110.164; Brooklyn Bureau of Community Services photographs, ARC.129; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Dancing, 1966, V1992.16.13.34, John Cazzetto photograph collection on the John A. Roebling II family, V1992.016; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Namm employee's Excursion on Hudson River Day Line, 1910, V1972.1.763; Early Brooklyn and Long Island photograph collection, ARC.201; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Fireworks over the Brooklyn Bridge, 1983, V1987.3.29; Bernard Gotfryd color slides and photographs, V1987.003; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Posted in Brooklyn Past & Present, Library & Archives | No Comments Yet »
Tags: Brooklyn photographs, Dancing, New Year's, Photography Collection
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 »
Tags: Brooklyn, Photo of the Week, Photographs, photography, Photography Collection, Prospect Park, Winter
Written by
Emily Reynolds
on December 21st, 2011
Holiday House, February 28, 1960, v1974.4.1364; John D. Morrell photographs, ARC.005; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Photographer John D. Morrell was Assistant Librarian of the Long Island Historical Society (today known as Brooklyn Historical Society), and donated more than 2,600 photographs of Brooklyn neighborhoods to the library. Most are photographs documenting Brooklyn storefronts and blocks. The collection is a wonderful resource for researchers due to the detail included with each photograph. This photograph shows a small store called Holiday House, located on the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Carroll Street taken on February 28, 1960 – it’s great to have that much geographic information for so many images!
Thanks to a generous grant from Gerry Charitable Trust, Morrell’s photographs have all been scanned and cataloged, and are available on BHS’s online image gallery; a finding aid for the collection is on our catablog.
Posted in Library & Archives | No Comments Yet »
Tags: Brooklyn, John D. Morrell, Photo of the Week, Photographs, photography, Photography Collection
Written by
Carolyn
on December 16th, 2011
When I catalog historical maps, I always try to figure out the modern geographic area that they cover, ideally down to the neighborhood level. Usually, I can find the answer, but the following map has me stumped. It likely covers some part of Brooklyn, but that’s about as much as I can figure out. So I’m sending this out to all you map sleuths with the hopes that you can solve the mystery. Thanks for your help!
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Survey map of Brooklyn. ca. 1800s. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.
And some detail shots:
Survey map of Brooklyn. ca. 1800s. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.
Survey map of Brooklyn. ca. 1800s. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.
Survey map of Brooklyn. ca. 1800s. Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.
Posted in Brooklyn Past & Present, Hidden Collections, Library & Archives | 9 Responses »
Tags: manuscript maps, maps
