Gravesend (pronounced "GRAVES end", not "grave SEND") is a neighborhood in the south-central section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. The City of New York In New York City, a borough is a unique form of government which administers the five fundamental constituent parts that make up the consolidated city Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
The derivation of the name is unclear. Some speculate that it was named after the English seaport of Gravesend, Kent. Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. [1] An alternative explanation suggests that it was named by Willem Kieft for the Dutch settlement of "'s- Gravesande", which means "Count's Beach" or "Count's Sand". For the Dutch footballer named Willem (Wim Kieft see Wim Kieft Willem Kieft (September 1597 Amsterdam - September 1647 was a [2]
Gravesend was one of the original towns in the Dutch colony of New Netherland and became one of the six original towns of Kings County in colonial New York. Administrative divisions of New York State differ from those in certain other countries and most U New Netherland (Dutch Nieuw-Nederland, Latin Novum Belgium or Nova Belgica) 1614–1674 is the name of the former Dutch territory on the eastern coast Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous It was the only English chartered town in what became Kings County and was designated the "Shire Town" when the English assumed control, as it was the only one where records could be kept in English. Courts were removed to Flatbush in 1685. Flatbush is a community of the Borough of Brooklyn, a part of New York City, consisting of several neighborhoods The former name survives, and is now associated with a neighborhood in Brooklyn. Gravesend is notable for being founded by a woman, Lady Deborah Moody; a patent was granted to the English settlers by Governor Willem Kieft, December 19, 1645. Lady Deborah Moody (1586 - 1659? was the only woman to found a colonial settlement in early North America For the Dutch footballer named Willem (Wim Kieft see Wim Kieft Willem Kieft (September 1597 Amsterdam - September 1647 was a Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor.
Gravesend Town encompassed 7,000 acres (28 km²) in southern Kings County, including the entire island of Coney Island, which was originally the town's common lands on the Atlantic Ocean, divided up, as was the town itself, into 41 parcels for the original patentees. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant Coney Island is a Peninsula, formerly an island in southernmost Brooklyn, New York City, USA with a Beach on the Atlantic Ocean When the town was first laid out, almost half were salt marsh wetlands and sandhill dunes along the shore of Gravesend Bay
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Geography
The modern neighborhood of Gravesend lies between Coney Island Avenue to the east, Stillwell Avenue to the west, Kings Highway to the north, and Coney Island Creek and Shore Parkway to the south. A salt marsh is a type of Marsh that is a transitional intertidal between land and salty or Brackish water (e A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog A sandhill is an ecological Community type found in many parts of the world In physical Geography, a dune is a Hill of Sand built by Aeolian processes. Coney Island Creek encompasses two Sea Inlets in Brooklyn, New York City, one separating Coney Island from the neighborhoods of The Belt Parkway, also known as the Belt System or Circumferential Parkway, is a series of Limited-access highways that form a complete circle around the To the east of Gravesend is Sheepshead Bay, to the northeast Midwood, to the northwest Bensonhurst, and to the west Bath Beach. To the south, across Coney Island Creek, lies the neighborhood of Coney Island, and across Shore Parkway lies Brighton Beach. The neighborhood center is still the four blocks bounded by Village Road South, Village Road East, Village Road North, and Van Sicklen Street, where the Moody House and Van Sicklen family cemetery are located. (The cemetery's most exotic occupant is Egyptian émigré Mohammad Ben Misoud, who was part of a Coney Island attraction and was afforded a proper Muslim funeral upon his death in August, 1896. )
Gravesend is served by three lines of the New York City Subway system: the D elevated line (also called the BMT West End Line), at the 25th Avenue and Bay 50th Street stations; the F elevated line (also called the IND Culver Line), at the Kings Highway, Avenue U, and Avenue X stations, and the N open-cut line, (also called the BMT Sea Beach Line), at the Kings Highway, Avenue U, and Gravesend/86th Street stations. The New York City Subway is a Rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency The D Sixth Avenue Express is a Rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. The West End Line, now a subway line in Brooklyn, New York City, is a branch line from the Broadway ( Manhattan)-Fourth Avenue (Brooklyn subway The F Sixth Avenue Local is a Rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. The Culver Line is a Rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, extending from Downtown Brooklyn south to Coney Island The N Broadway Express is a service of the New York City Subway. The BMT Sea Beach Line is a Rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, connecting the BMT Fourth Avenue Line subway
History
Early History
The first European to ever set foot in the area that would become Gravesend was Henry Hudson, whose ship, the Half Moon, landed on Coney Island in the fall of 1609. Henry Hudson' (1570 &ndash 1611 was an English Sea explorer and Navigator in the early 17th century Coney Island is a Peninsula, formerly an island in southernmost Brooklyn, New York City, USA with a Beach on the Atlantic Ocean The island and it's environs were at that time inhabited by five Native American tribes--the Narriockh, the Mannahanning,the Massebackhun, the Morpeesah, and the Makeepaca. To them the area was known as Savanehachee, "the sea-bounded plain. "
The land subsequently became part of the New Netherland Colony, and in 1643 it was granted to Lady Deborah Moody, an English ex-patriot who hoped to establish a community where she and her followers could practice their Anabaptist beliefs free from persecution. New Netherland (Dutch Nieuw-Nederland, Latin Novum Belgium or Nova Belgica) 1614–1674 is the name of the former Dutch territory on the eastern coast Lady Deborah Moody (1586 - 1659? was the only woman to found a colonial settlement in early North America Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation Due to clashes with the local native tribes the town wasn't completed until 1645. But when the town charter was finally signed and granted it became one of the first such titles to ever be awarded to a woman in the new world.
The town Lady Moody established was one of the earliest planned communities in America. It consisted of a perfect square surrounded by a 20-foot-high wooden palisade. The town was bisected by two main roads, Gravesend Road (now McDonald Avenue) running from north to south, and Gravesend Neck Road, running from east to west. These roads divided the town into four quadrants which were subdivided into ten plots of land each (The grid of the original town can still be seen on maps and aerial photographs of the area). At the center of town, where the two main roads met, a town hall was constructed where town meetings were held once a month.
The religious freedom of early Gravesend made it a desirable home for many ostracized or controversial groups, such as the Quakers, who briefly made their home in the town before being chased out by New Netherland governor Peter Stuyvesant, who was wary of Gravesend's open acceptance of "heretical" sects. New Netherland (Dutch Nieuw-Nederland, Latin Novum Belgium or Nova Belgica) 1614–1674 is the name of the former Dutch territory on the eastern coast Peter Stuyvesant (originally Pieter or Petrus, Peter is never mentioned in historical records (c
In 1654 the people of Gravesend purchased Coney Island from the local natives for about $15 worth of seashells, guns, and gunpowder. Coney Island is a Peninsula, formerly an island in southernmost Brooklyn, New York City, USA with a Beach on the Atlantic Ocean
Gilded Age
Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries Gravesend remained a sleepy Long Island suburb. Then, with the opening of three prominent racetracks (Sheepshead Bay Race Track, Gravesend Race Track, and Brighton Beach Race track) in the late 19th century, and the blossoming of Coney Island into a popular vacation spot, the town was transformed into a (relatively) bustling resort community. Sheepshead Bay Race Track was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility built on the site of the Coney Island Jockey Club at Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend on Coney Island, New York was a Thoroughbred horse racing facility built in 1887 by the Brooklyn Jockey Club Coney Island is a Peninsula, formerly an island in southernmost Brooklyn, New York City, USA with a Beach on the Atlantic Ocean A resort town, sometimes called a resort destination, is a town or area where Tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local Culture and
The man who spearheaded this metamorphosis was John Y. McKane, a Sheepshead Bay carpenter and contractor who rose to become the Gravesend town supervisor, chief of police, chief of detectives, fire commissioner, schools commissioner, public lands commissioner, superintendent of the Sheepshead Bay Methodist Church, head tenor of the church choir, and, last but not least, Santa Claus at the annual Sabbath school Christmas celebration. Sheepshead Bay is a Bay separating the Mainland of Brooklyn, New York City from the eastern portion of Coney Island, the latter originally
From the 1870’s to the 1890’s McKane cultivated Coney Island (which at that time was part of the township of Gravesend) as a pleasure ground, building much of it up, literally, with his own hands. Coney Island is a Peninsula, formerly an island in southernmost Brooklyn, New York City, USA with a Beach on the Atlantic Ocean As town constable he expanded the Gravesend police force considerably and could often be found patrolling the beaches himself armed with a pistol and an oversized billy club, (neither of which he was shy about using). A constable is a person holding a particular office most commonly in law enforcement. But despite his honest beginnings, McKane quickly morphed into a corrupt Tammany Hall -style politician in the tradition of Boss Tweed. Tammany Hall was the Democratic Party Political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics and helping immigrants (most notably William M Tweed ( April 3, 1823 &ndash April 12, 1878) sometimes informally called Boss Tweed, was an American Politician He used the pretense of town permits to extort tribute from every business, large and small, on Coney Island, and while he presented himself publicly as a champion of law and order, privately he was profiting mightily from the many brothels and gambling parlors that thrived in his bailiwick. It was during McKane’s reign that Coney Island came to be known by many as “Sodom by the Sea. ”
In the fall of 1893 McKane’s hubris finally got the better of him when he refused to allow town voter registries (which of course had been falsified) to be audited by agents of the Brooklyn Supreme Court--dismissing them with his most famous utterance, “Injunctions don’t go here!” A riot erupted outside of Gravesend town hall (which McKane had built himself) and several of the Brooklyn court agents were beaten and thrown in jail. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Early the following year McKane was found guilty of voter fraud and sentenced to six years hard labor at Sing Sing Prison . Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum security Prison in Ossining, New York, USA. He was released near the end of the century and died of a stroke in his Sheepshead Bay home in 1899. Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common
The removal of McKane paved the way for Gravesend and Coney Island to become part of the city of Brooklyn, which they did in 1894. Coney Island is a Peninsula, formerly an island in southernmost Brooklyn, New York City, USA with a Beach on the Atlantic Ocean The history of Brooklyn a present-day borough of New York City, spans over 350 years Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common It also allowed one of McKane’s most hated enemies, George C. Tilyou, to create one of Coney Island’s first amusement parks, Steeplechase Park, the opening of which ushered in Coney Island’s golden age. Steeplechase Park was an Amusement park in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York from 1897 to 1964
Later Years
Although Coney Island continued to be a major tourist attraction throughout the 20th century, the closing of Gravesend’s great racetracks in the century’s first decade caused the rest of the old town to recede back into obscurity. In time it became a non-descript working class Brooklyn neighborhood, which it remains to this day.
Ethnic Makeup
Gravesend's earliest non-native settlers were predominantly English and Dutch. Due to slavery the town also had a significant African American population. But even after the abolition of slavery a number of African Americans continued to live in the area. Later, with the coming of new immigrant groups, Irish, Italian, and Jewish residents were added to Gravesend's rosters. The opening of the large race tracks, all of which were staffed heavily by African Americans, saw an increase in the black population as well. The most recent immigrant groups to dominate Gravesend are Russians, Ukranians, Chinese, and Mexicans.
Facts
- In the late 19th century Gravesend served as a testing ground for the Boynton Bicycle Railroad, the earliest forerunner of the monorail. The BBR consisted of a single-wheeled engine that hauled two double-decker passenger cars along a single track (a second rail above the train, supported by wooden arches, kept it from tipping over). The engine and cars were only four feet wide and were capable of speeds far greater than standard (and much bulkier) trains. In 1889 the BBR began running a short route between the Gravesend Station stop of the Sea Beach Railroad (near the intersection of 86th and west seventh streets) and Brighton Beach in Coney Island, a distance of just over a mile. Despite the smooth and speedy ride the BBR offered riders, it ultimately failed and the test route fell into disuse, along with the Boynton train itself and the shed that was built to house it.
- The bank robbery that inspired the movie Dog Day Afternoon happened in Gravesend (although the movie was not filmed there)
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References
- ^ Brooklyn Public Library | Neighborhood Libraries
- ^ Letter to the Editor: Gravesend, The New York Times, December 20, 1992. Dog Day Afternoon is a 1975 American crime Drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and written by Frank Pierson. Events 69 - Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Accessed October 28, 2007. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. "As a historical archeologist specializing in the early history of New York, I can tell you that what is now the Gravesend section of Brooklyn was not named for the hometown that Lady Deborah Moody and her followers left in England, as you stated in your article about the community on Oct. 18, but by the Dutch governor-general, William Kieft. Kieft chose to name the settlement " 's'Gravesande" after the town in Holland that had been the seat of the Counts of Holland before they moved to the Hague. It means the count's sand or beach. "
Sources
- Ierardi, Eric J. , Gravesend: Home of Coney Island
- J. H. French, Gazetteer Of the State of New York (1860)
- (May 4, 1894). Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common "A New Chapter in History" The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Page 4
- (May 4, 1894). Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common "Becoming Wards One By One" The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Page 12
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