THE FERRY ROAD ON LONG ISLAND BY EUGENE L. ARMBRUSTER THE NEW FERRY AND NEW FERRY ROAD
Having followed the Old Ferry Road to this point, we must retrace our steps toward the river front and go to the New Ferry. The Ferry Road had shortly before the close of the 18th century been provided with a second ferry landing and with a short lane, which, after crossing a few streets. connected with the road. The lands of John RAPALYE, lying between the Brooklyn Ferry and the Wallabout Bay, having been confiscated, were sold in 1784 to the SANDS brothers, who laid them out in streets four years later. The proprietors applied the name Olympia to their place, which was expected to be the coming city on account of its superior situation. A ferry was established in 1795 and with it a street from the ferry landing to a point in the Ferry Road, where the latter makes a sharp curve, so that the Ferry Road and the new street together ground and first operations was $193,254; for removal of old walls and erection of structure and furnishing, $521,746; total, $715,000. . When Henry CLAY visited Brooklyn in 1839 he addressed the people in a field near the City Hall site. A cornfield was on what is now Montague Street. Court Street was not cut through then. Joralemon's Lane, now Joralemon Street, was a little-used country lane laid out in 1762, 32 feed wide; forty years later its width was increased to 50 feet. A Liberty pole was erected at the junction of Fulton Street and Joralemon's Lane on Evacuation Day in 1834. Military Garden was opened in 1810 by Col. GREENE on the right side of the road and along Joralemon's Lane. In back of it was the Potter's Field. The garden was later known as Brooklvn Garden and existed until about 1860. On its site the Kings County Court House was erected, 1862-65, the ground, then owned by John SCHENCK, being purchased for the sum of $70,000. The Municipal Building, adjoining, was erected at a cost of $199,979 48 cents. It was completed in 1878 and taken down in 1915. The Hall of Records was built on the other side of the Court House in 1885-86, at a cost of $275,000. Red Hook Lane was in the village days the most important thoroughfare next to the Ferry Road; it separated the village from the Tunis JOHNSON Farm, which embraced nearly 100 acres of land. The lane was also the means of reaching the mills and farms of South Brooklyn. The builder, James E. UNDERHILL, erected about 1830 his residence on this lane off Fulton Street. In 1850 this building became the headÂquarters of the Board of Education and was occupied by that body until 1888.NEXT..TRAVELLING FACILITIES Back To FERRY ROAD Main Back To TOWN Main Return to BROOKLYN Info Main Page