THE EASTERN DISTRICT of BROOKLYN



W..Streets



WALLABOUT STREET

Paine Street, was laid out in 1835, on the line of Wallabout Creek, from the Wallabout Road 
to Broadway. A portion was closed in 1848.

River Street, was opened along this line in 1861, from the Williamsburgh Road to Broadway, 
now the street is known as, Wallabout Street. 
The street was constructed upon the bed of the creek.

Wallabout Creek, paralleled Kent Avenue, then ran along Wallabout Street to Nostrand Avenue, 
it thus reached Flushing Avenue. Here the creek forked, one branch reached Gerry Street, 
between Flushing and Harrison Avenue, a sub-branch reached out to Walton Street at Wallabout 
Street. 
The other branch extended to Ellery Street, near Nostrand Avenue, where it forked, one 
sub-branch extending to Stockton Street, between Marcy & Nostrand Avenues and the other 
to Sandford Street, south of Park Avenue.

There was a salt marsh from Wallabout Street to Myrtle Avenue, and from a point between 
Walworth Street & Sandford Street, nearly to Marcy Avenue.

Henry BIEG'S pottery, at #46-66.
Henry BIEG'S Central Pottery, then located #56 to 80 Wallabout Street, was damaged by fire, 
May 13, 1899, to the extent of $50 000.

Planning mills of I. OFFENBERG, at #77.
Guarantee Show Case Company, #77.
A sign painting place, known as, Key Stone Signs, #106
Silk factory of J. N. STEAMS & Company, was at #171.

James A. BARRETT, at #82, commenced the manufacture of soap, in 1878.
 
J. BRAM, maker of porcelain wash tubs, #56.
WELCH & VAN BRUNT, wainscoting, #79. 
Robert BALLANCE & Son, stair builders, #77 & 79.
Thomas HANLON, sash maker, #80. 
The SCHNEIDER Manufacturing Co., washer manufacturer, were in 1890, located at #83 
Charles REINHARDT, stair builder, were in 1890, located at, #83
Henry GERBER, typewriter supplies, were in 1890, located at, #83 
Conrad GANS, turner, #85. 
Gustav F. RICHTER, surgical instruments, #85. 
M. B. DUGAN, moulding, #86 to 90 Wallabout & #387 to 391 Flushing Avenue.
The Crescent Watchcase Company. #227 Wallabout Street.
Daisy Lamp Manufacturing Co., #257.
Samuel WARESON, turner, #267.
Max HAUSLE, mason, #289. 
Cornelius VAUPEL'S pottery, #388.


WALTON STREET

Named for George WALTON, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Opened in 1858, from Wallabout Street to Broadway.

Charles HANCOCK'S, sawmill, #1.
Lysander M. WEEKS, sash and door maker, #3.
Garfield Hall, stood at #35.
North American Iron Works, #40 to 42.
J. L. MOTT Iron Works, #44.
B. STEUERWALD, established his furniture factory in 1870. He occupied #49 to 53. 
Frank DECIDER'S, pottery was at, #61. 
Philip BANTEL, watchmaker, #86.
George KUHN, horse shoer, #90
Charles GIEGERICH, wagon maker, #119.


WALWORTH STREET

Opened in 1841, from Myrtle to DeKalb Avenue. 
Then in 1842, from The Wallabout Road  (Flushing Avenue) to Park Avenue.
In 1850, to Myrtle Avenue.

The LEWIS & FOWLER, Manufacturing Co., street railroad castings, #29.
W. H. DAVIS, stair builder, #206.


WATERBURY STREET

LAWRENCE Cordage Works, wire manufacturer, in 1905, was located at Waterbury and Ten Eyck Streets.

THURSBY'S, ropewalk, was started prior to 1825, and existed until about 1850, when 
the factory became bankrupt. Thursby had died some years earlier. He had his ropewalk moved from 
an earlier site, about 1840, to a tract near Newtown Creek, between present Grand and Ten Eyck 
Streets and extending from what is now Waterbury Street to the Creek.
 
Lawrence WATERBURY & William MARSHALL, started 1846. 
WATERBURY had been a partner of John B. THURSBY, (son of the Bushwick ropewalk THURSBY), in the 
ropewalk near the corner of Flushing and Bedford Avenues. 
The firm owned the lands south of Ten Eyck Street. They leased the THURSBY tract, north of 
their own tract until that tract was sold and then purchased it. 

Lawrence  WATERBURY died in 1879. 
He had received the ropewalk as a gift from his father, Noah WATERBURY, in 1844. 
MARSHALL, became his partner in 1846. 
This ropewalk had been originally on the south side of Ten Eyck Street. This plant being destroyed 
by fire in 1849. They had leased the THURSBY ropewalk, on the north side of the street. The firm 
name had been, L. WATERBURY and Co., from the start in 1846. 
In 1865 the location of the ropewalk is given as Waterbury Street, corner Maujer Street. 
In 1882, the plant extended from Meadow Street to Grand Street, and from Waterbury Street to the 
canal, comprising about twenty-seven acres or 405 city lots.


WEIRFIELD STREET

In 1903, Emery DAVIS Sons & Co., printers, #16.
An up-to-date building has since been erected and the place is known as the CHAT office & plant. 

BABCOCK'S, boarding & livery stables, #66.

Irving Square Presbyterian Church, was organized in 1902. Services were held in a store on 
Central Avenue & Schaeffer Street. A frame edifice built on Weirfield Street, at the northwest
corner of Wilson Avenue, in 1904, which has since been enlarged.
 
St. Martin's of Tours Roman Catholic Church, was founded in 1905. A frame edifice built on 
the northwest corner of Knickerbocker Avenue, which was taken down in 1916, and the parochial 
school has since been erected on this site. 
A stone church built, 1914-16, on the opposite southwest corner of Weirfield Street & Knickerbocker 
Avenue. It occupies the entire frontage on Knickerbocker Avenue, between Weirfield & Hancock Streets.


WEST STREET

Formerly Washington Street. 

This was the Ravenswood, Greenpoint & Hallett's Cove Turnpike Road, in 1837, or rather it formed 
a part of the Turnpike. Stages ran from the Williamshurgh ferries along the road to Greenpoint.
 
Washington Hall, stood in 1855, at Greenpoint Avenue.

Valley Forge Engine Co. No.11, Greenpoint Avenue.

Jeremiah C. FERRY, kept a hotel at the corner of (former) Madison Street.

John C. ORR'S & Co., lumber yard, in 1889, at India & Huron Streets.  
 
The Metropolitan Hotel, was in 1855, located at India Street.
Christopher KNOCK, kept a cafe, on the corner Huron Street.

WEBB & BELL'S, shipyard, was between Freeman & Green Streets. The firm was composed of Eckford 
WEBB & George BELL. 
WEBB lived in the 1850's, on Meserole Street near Bedford Avenue,
In the 1860's, at #3 (old) Bedford Avenue.
WEBB & BELL constructed the caissons for the Brooklyn Bridge. They were built on ways launched 
in the same manner as ships are launched. The caisson for the Brooklyn tower was launched on 
March 19, 1870. 
In May, six tug boats towed this caisson into position. The trip down the river occupied two days. 
The caisson for the New York tower, was launched on May 8, 1871, and towed into position in September. 

BURR & Co., established their factory at Eagle Street in 1850, for making tackle blocks for 
ship fitters, the general trade and the United States Government. 

The pottery of the FAINCE Manufacturing Co., of New York, was at #98.
Lumber yard, of J. W. & T. D. JONES, #101.

Eberhard FABER, pencil manufacturer, in 1890,at #102.
Maggie POWELL, stationer, #146.
Henry LEMPFERT, oil manufacturer, #186.
Cornelius WINANT, spar maker, corner of Freeman Street. 


WHIPPLE STREET

Named for William WHIPPLE, Signer of the Declaration of Independence. 

Henry LENZ, wood & willow ware, #23. 
JACKLE & WEHRMAN, masons, #65.


WHITE STREET

KOENIG & Co., dealers in poultry, were on White Street.

Fire in the Chemical Works, on White Street, between Johnson Avenue & McKibben Street, on 
June 11, 1893, caused damage to the extent of 60,000 dollars.


WILLIAMSBURGH BRIDGE ROAD

The Williamsburgh Bridge Road, described a sort of semi-circle, from about Adelphi Street & Park 
Avenue and ran through the Dead Man's farm, which laid between the Naval Hospital & the Naval Burying
Ground, which latter continued to a point near Hewes Street. 
In 1870, the U.S. Government, built a wall around the burial place. 
The road then turned toward the shore. 

The old Naval Burying Ground, is located between Wallabout Street, the Williamsburgh Road, Hewes Street 
and Classon Avenue.

The Jacob B. BOERUM, farmhouse of Dutch architecture, stood on this road near Kent Avenue, in 1844. 
Nearby where Dead Man's Lane, opened into Kent Avenue, was the old homestead of the JOHNSON family.
 
The road also passed the SCHOLES and the John A. CROSS houses. 

An uncle of John A. CROSS conducted a distillery on the site later occupied by the, Chrome Steel Works. 
Later CROSS, with, Austin & John H. IRELAND, established a lumber yard, on the 
present and old site of the Nassau Gas Co., at Cross Street & Kent Avenue, opposite Clymer Street.

Cross Street, was then known as ,Ann Street, named for John A. CROSS' wife. 

It was a private street, opened by CROSS in order to reach his yard when he took possession of 
the plot of ground opposite from which the firm moved later to the present site on Newtown Creek.
A small remnant of the road along the Navy Yard is still known as Williamsburgh Road.

In 1842, the James SCHOLES house was on Williamsburgh Road near the Wallabout Road. 


WILLOUGHBY AVENUE

Willoughby Street was named for Lord WILLOUGHBY, who came to this country from England, married,
Miss DUFFIELD, settled down and became a banker.  
Their grounds ran through, from Fulton to Willoughby Street and the mansion stood in the centre, 
surrounded by choice old trees and most beautiful flowers. His Lordship, made money and built the 
church on the corner of Pearl and Willoughby Streets, which is now, HEGEMAN'S auction room.  
On the fourth of July 1855, this house took fire while Lord WILLOUGHBY was celebrating the 
Declaration of Independence, and burned to the ground, despite the efforts of the fire laddies, 
who worked desperately to save it. The owner took his misfortune very much to heart, closed up his 
banking business in New York City and returned to England to die. 

Opened in 1851, from Franklin Avenue to Nostrand Avenue.

Myrtle Street on Bushwick territory, forms now a portion of Willoughby Avenue.

DOTY & SCRIMGEOUR, paper dealers, #407. 

The Central Presbyterian Church, was organized in 1894. The edifice of this congregation at 
the corner of Willoughby and Tompkins Avenues, was sold on May 27, 1896, to the Methodist Episcopal 
Church Society.
The cornerstone for the new edifice at Marcy and Jefferson Avenue, was laid on November 15, 1896. 
Rev. John F. CARSON, D. D., was the pastor for many years until his death.
 
"The Catholic Club", was at #708.

St. Joseph's Female Orphan Asylum, at Willoughby & Sumner Avenues, is in charge of the Sisters 
of Charity, 1870-71.
 
The College of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic, corner of Lewis Avenue, 1870-71.
The Rev. Vincent McNAMARA, was the founder of the, College of St. John, 
the cornerstone of the college was laid in 1869. 
That building was opened in 1871. On June 24, 1895 the 25th Anniversary was celebrated. 

St. Mary's Queen of the Isles Roman Catholic Church, in 1870, between Lewis and Stuyvesant Avenues. 

St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, December 20, 1868, on Willoughby Avenue near 
Lewis Avenue. The parish had been known as the, Parish of Mary Queen of the Isles. The last mass 
in this building was said on July 19, 1894.
 
St. Johns Seminary, was begun in 1889; 
The Preparatory Seminary, on Washington Avenue was begun in 1914. 

The Male Orphan Asylum, corner Albany Avenue and St. Marks Place, was built in 1870-71. 
It is in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

The block bounded by, Albany and Troy Avenues, St. Marks Place and Prospect Place, had been purchased 
in 1868 and St. John's Home, was opened here in 1870. A large part of this building was destroyed by 
fire in December 1884.

Bushwick Baptist Church, was organized in 1854. In the 1870's, known as, Gethsemane Baptist Church, 
and then located on Willoughby Avenue, between Broadway and Stuyvesant Avenue. 
The Church is now known as, Greene Avenue Baptist Church. 
The edifice on Greene Avenue, near Lewis Avenue, was dedicated on April 17, 1892. 
The Rev. Cornelius WOELFKIN, was pastor of this church for many years. 
In later years, he was pastor of the, Park Avenue Baptist Church, in New York City.
 
The frame church on Willoughby Avenue, was for a number of years, occupied by the,
Presbyterian Friedens Kirche. 
This church merged with the, Bushwick Avenue Presbyterian Church, and the frame building was 
sold on January 1922 to the, Jewish Congregation Chava Zivche Zedeck.

The Brooklyn Business Institute, #870. 
The Labor Lyceum, #949, in 1902, a summer garden was attached to the place. 
WHITE, POTTER & PAIGE, Manufacturing Co., lumber, #415.
H. P. BENDER, M. D., #849, later moving to 693 Bushwick Parkway, corner Willoughby Avenue.
C. H. COLEMAN, dancing teacher, #876 Willoughby Avenue.


WILSON AVENUE

Christopher GROZINGER, provision dealer, #195. 
C. SEYFORTH'S Sons, news dealers, #201. 
The North American Brewing Company's plant, is at Greene Avenue.
Palm Garden Hall, #275.
E. ESTBERG, upholsterer, early 1880's, #72.

St. Leonard of Port Maurice Roman Catholic Church, was established in 1871. 
The Rev. John J. RABER, being the priest.
The original church was dedicated in 1873, corner Jefferson Street.
The parish was organized in 1872. 

The small church erected at the corner of Jefferson Street, by St. Leonard Roman Catholic Church, 
was destroyed by a storm before it had been completed. Until this was replaced, services were 
held in a hall on Central Avenue. The basement of the church was occupied in March 1873. 
Bishop John LOUGHLIN, dedicated the church on, April 14, 1873.

The Rev. John RABER, died in 1881, his successor was the 
Rev. Henry WESTEKAMP. He died in 1895. In October 1895, he was succeeded by the 
Rev. George D. SANDER, who built the new church. 
The cornerstone was laid by, Bishop C. E. McDONNELL, on November 22, 1896.
The edifice was dedicated in 1909.

Bernhard GUENSCHE, mason, #90.
Louis KOCH, provisions,, #94.


WILSON STREET

Named for James WILSON, Signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The Kings County Wheelmen's Club, was organized on March 17, 1881, at the residence of 
George T. BROWN, 144 Wilson Street.

William PHALEN, horse shoer, 1890, #41.

MILTON Cork Company, Wilson Street, near Wythe Avenue, was destroyed by fire on November 3, 1910. 

Timothy B. O'CONNOR, livery stables, #183.


WITHERS STREET

Named for Reuben WITHERS, one of the proprietors of the Houston Street Ferry. 

It opened in 1859, from Ewen Street to North 9th Street.

Parker Street, forms now a part of Withers Street.

John L. WITTE'S, hay and grain place, #93.
 
The Van RANST Home, #245-47 , between Humboldt Street & Kingsland Avenue. The branch of 
Bushwick Creek passed near this house. The house was occupied during the Revolutionary War by 
Captain McPHERSON, the leader of a company of men from which the British obtained guides for 
their expeditions. 

Henry KENNING, umbrellas, #47. 
William MERSH, leather dresser, #84 to 90.
Louis KOCH, provisions, #226.


WOODBINE STREET

Opened about 1870, through the Adrian Martense SUYDAM farm.


WYCKOFF AVENUE

Named for Nicholas WYCKOFF, president of the First National Bank.

Fred SCHWANER, provision dealer, #181.
John SCHEBLER'S, provision dealer, #217.
 
John and Henry REIMEL'S, Milk dairy, at the northwest corner plot of Putnam Avenue was 
in later years kpown as Klein Deutschland Park. 

Thomas O'GRADY, horse shoer, 1890s, Wyckoff Avenue near Myrtle Avenue


WYTHE AVENUE

Named for George WYTHE, Signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The WOERTMAN Homestead, stood in the early days, on the bank of Bushwick Creek, at Wythe Avenue 
between North 13th and North 14th Streets. 

Russell FRASER, wire goods, #128.

George W. WRIGHT, livery stables, between Grand & North 1st Streets.
In 1855, at #212 on Second Street.

Ss. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, was between South 2nd & South 3rd Streets. 
The first, Roman Catholic Church, had been the small frame structure built by the 
Rev. James O'DONNELL, on the northeast corner of North 8th Street and Kent Avenue, 
surrounded by a church yard. 
The Rev. Sylvester MALONE, succeeded this priest on September 2, 1844 and he laid the 
cornerstone for, Sts. Peter and Paul's Church, on May 30th, 1847. 
The edifice was dedicated on May 7, 1848.

Rev. Sylvester MALONE died on December 29, 1899.
The first mass was celebrated about 1838 in a stable on Grand Street, west of Berry Street by 
the Rev. DOUGHERTY,  of St. Mary's in New City. 

The Ecleston Literary Association, established by the Rev. MALONE, about 1850, and named 
in honor of Archbishop Ecleston, met in the lecture room. 
There was also the Roman Catholic Beneficial Society of Ss. Peter & Paul, and a free school 
for boys.

The frame building which became for a time known as the, New City Hall, is still standing 
in the rear of #365, quite a way back from the roadway, north of South 5th Street.
In this building, the Universalist Church, was organized, about 1845. The building was 
originally, no doubt, a residence with an excellant view of the river. Now it is a mere 
shell covered with a coat of red paint.

August DRESSEL, fresco painter, was established in 1880, at #110 2nd Street.
The Andrew BAIRD House, in 1853, was at Wythe & Division Avenues.
 
Charles KLOTZ, plumber and gas fitter, in the early 1880's, was at #20 Wythe Avenue, corner 
of Rush Street.

H. H. M. BRUMMINGS, formerly of N.Y.C., opened his grocery in 1883, at the corner of Taylor Street.
William ROSS, dry and fancy goods store, in the 1880s, at #88-90, between Taylor and Wilson Streets. 
Fred M. LOTTERLE, provision dealer, #600.
Andrew REIS, provision dealer, #630.
A. D. BAIRD Co., granite and stone yard, at Keap Street.
H. P. CHRISTMAS', stone works, corner of Rutledge Street.

The Williamsburgh Athletic Club, started by five young men;
 Thomas V. FORSTER
Charles C. HASLETON
Charles G. LAMBERT
John WOOD, Jr. 
Thomas H. WATSON. 
They organized on January 21, 1879, in the First Baptist Church, on Driggs Avenue, corner of 
South 5th Street, (since demolished for the bridge). The club roll soon had fifty names inscribed. 
They were incorporated on, November 17,1879, and a meeting room was secured over the King's County
Savings Bank. 
In the following summer, a plot of ground was leased on the corner of Bedford Avenue and Rutledge 
Street, for a club house. 
Their funds exhausted and though a few laborers were hired, the club members went to work and 
built a crude stand, with a seating capacity of 150. Soon larger quarters were needed which were 
obtained at Wythe Avenue, Penn and Rutledge Streets.
Here, a track was laid out and a club house, gymnasium and grand stand were erected. 
In the spring of 1884 it was found that the lease could not be renewed and more room was needed. 
The club secured in March 1884, the block at the corner of DeKalb and Classon Avenues, known as 
the KOUWENHOVEN estate. 
A deserted old mansion on the neglected grounds, said to be haunted. The old house was turned into 
a clubhouse and a cinderpath was laid out. Large grounds and free stands where the old club house 
was moved down, repaired and used as a gymnasium. An annex on either side of the mansion was built. 
In January 1885, the club had 1200 members.

The Grand Street, Prospect Park and Flatbush Railroad Company, was chartered to run horse cars 
via; Wythe Avenue and Franklin Avenue, to the Flatbush line. In 1869 this railroad was sold under 
foreclosure and in the following year a new charter was obtained. The cars ran from the Grand 
Street Ferry through River Street, Kent Avenue, South 9th Street and Wythe Avenue and Franklin 
Avenue to Prospect Park. 
The route subsequently extended through Ocean Avenue along Prospect Park to Greenwood Cemetery. 
In the 1880's, the offices were at Franklin Avenue, corner Prospect Place. 
The cars were painted brown and yellow and had a green light.

Second Street, was opened in 1804, from the upland on Bushwick Creek to the southern extremity 
of the village. 

SCHAEFFER & BUDENBERG, Loft building on Wythe Avenue was erected in 1914. 

Edward MURPHY, flour and feed dealer, in the 1860's, was at the corner of Wythe and Metropolitan 
Avenues. In the 1880's, at #329 Second Street.

George L. WOOD and Co., varnish makers, #22.

WOOD'S Hall, stood on the east side of Wythe Avenue between North 8th & North 9th Streets, 
opposite the engine house, at about #113-119.

Hugh A. LECKIE Co., #305. 
Peter GEISERT, provisions, #322.
Silas W. BRAINERD'S, stone yard, #328.
SKELLY & Co., wagon makers, #401. 
William F. STRAUBE, provisions, #569.
James F. SCHOLES', livery stables, in the 1890s, at #710.
CAMPBELL Printing Press & Manufacturing Co., #742.
George F. BINDRIM,  stone yard, at the corner of Rutledge Street.
Adam BUCHAN, tool maker, #767. 
Henry V. SCHNITZSPAN, skylights, #800.
John F. VOELKEL, wheelwright, #804.


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