PODCAST The history of the Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenpoint and the oft-polluted Newtown Creek.
Greenpoint, Brooklyn, has a surprising history of both bucolic green pastures and rancid oil patches. Before the 19th century this corner of Brooklyn was owned by only a few families with farms (and the slaves that tended them).
But with the future borough of Brooklyn expanding at a great rate, Greenpoint (or Green Point, as they used to call it) could no longer remain private.
Industries like ship building and petroleum completely changed the character of Greenpoint’s waterfront, while its unique, alphabetically-named grid of streets held an extraordinary collection of townhouses.
By the late 19th century, Polish immigrants would move on the major avenues, developing a ‘Little Poland’ that still characterizes the neighborhood.
Today big changes are coming to Greenpoint thanks to new housing developments. How will these new arrivals fare next to the notoriously toxic Newtown Creek, a body of water heavily abused by industry?
FEATURING: Charles Pratt, Margaret Wise Brown, Pat Benetar and the alarming smell of cinnamon toast!
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A map of Greenpoint from an 1896 survey. A list of industries are marked along the waterfront including tanneries, rope and twine manufacturers, a glue factory, glass works and “Wissel’s Dead Animal Wharf.”
Neziah Bliss, the ‘godfather’ of Greenpoint due to his marriage into the Meserole family and subsequent development of their former farm and shoreline property.
The USS Monitor, made at an iron works in Greenpoint, pictured here July 9, 1862, by Union photographer James F. Gibson.
An ad for Eberhard Faber pencils from the 1905 journal Architect and Engineer.
Employees at the Eberhard Faber pencil company in Greenpoint, circa 1915, courtesy Brooklyn Historical Society
Your standard view of Newtown Creek in the early 20th century.
One unusual house at 112 Milton Street. The house is still there but, as part of the Greenpoint Historic District, it’s no longer blue.
The old Meserole house at 1000 Lorimer Street
A very fanciful ‘place mat’ map of Greenpoint Brooklyn. I’m not sure what the original source for this is, but it’s courtesy the Box Hotel.
A rather ghastly look at Newtown Creek in 1960, from Apollo Street looking towards the East River.
Picture at top: Manhattan Avenue and Bedford Avenue
37 replies on “The History of Greenpoint, Brooklyn: An Industrial-Strength Story”
Thank you! that was great coming from a retired Ironworker and a die hard New Yorker can’t enough of it…I’m partial to scenes of the waterfront and the maritime history that goes with it and again thanks!
Martin Power
OMG,….Born and raised in Greenpoint… Never saw these photos of knew of Mesrole or the pencil factory…
Thank you for sharing….
Great photo of Bedford and Manhattan Ave…
Run the NYC marathon every year and i know that street like the back of my hand… funny to see it 100 years ago…
fs
Hey Frank,Great read, enjoyed all the history and pictures. I agree really cool.
Did you know Henry Uss of Diamond street?
[…] The latest episode of The Bowery Boys podcast is devoted to Brooklyn’s northernmost nabe: Greenpoint. [The Bowery Boys] […]
Manhattan Avenue and Bedford Avenue looks almost exactly the same in my eyes. Of course, they’re different storefronts and all, but still. What year was it taken?
My mom grew up in Greenpoint and just talked about tonight! Her mom’s mom, my great grandma was a Jakub. Mom’s sister worked at Barnett’s Dept. store. They all liked going to Zellman’s toy store and mentioned the trolley, too. She said there was a shoe store on Manhattan Ave. that had a punch card for purchases. After so many punches they gave you a free camera. I didn’t know that’s how she got interested in photography. I love that she did! As adults we enjoy looking at the old photo albums she created growing up, then with us. We never appreciated it and wished we had talked to our grands more about their lives, their photos. Mom’s 89 now. I’m going to show her these photos when I see her. Maybe she will have more stories! 🙂
Grew up in Greenpoint, still here, Eberhard Pencil factory was on my block which was on Java St. Went down to West, over to Kent St., than over to a whole of Greenpoint Ave from Franklin st to West St., We also had working docks one had Passaged Ship on Kent St. The other docks were mixed food,lumber, etc. I also remember the Circus coming to town, from the dock down by Dupont St walking up Franklin st, as they say old days
I believe Manhattan ave may have been called Union Avenue at one time. Born and raised in Greenpoint. Never appreciated it until I left. Now I miss it.
miss it? when my grandmother passed, i couldn’t afford to buy her house, (my uncle bought it) our rent doubled and we were forced to leave.
my mother was born in greenpoint in 1914, she was a brooklyn girl. died at the age of 98. she relocated to hoboken at the age of 15
Re:Newtown Creek Superfund site:
So the Superfund got its money through taxes on petroleum companies (primarily) but Republicans obstructed efforts to reauthorize the tax. As a result, the Federal government provides some overhead costs for cleaning up the sites, but almost all of the costs must be recouped through litigation. Thus it’s taking so long to clean up Newton Creek partially because of the difficulties determining how much culpability various companies have for the cleanup as you’ve noted that there has been 150 years of pollution, often by companies that have long gone out of business. Thus the lawsuits are complicated and it’s hard to get anyone to pay off. And NYC government is resisting paying for their role in the pollution of the creek.
Tl;dr:the EPA is broke and cleanup of complicated sites like Newtown is super expensive.
My wife and I live in the house her great grandmother bought in 1912. Her grandfather was born in the house and his sons were born and raised in Greenpoint. One thing about the pictures, I wish i could click on them and enlarge them. Especially the maps!
Thanks,
Chris
Can you find the article on your phone? You could take a screenshot with the phone camera and then you would be able to click on it and enlarged it..
Went to see the monument to the Monitor & Merrimack, the Astral Apartments, and the Faber Building today, as per your charming directions. But alas, the Meserole Theater/ disco-balled drug store has now sadly morphed into a Rite Aid! We felt badly, so we quelled our grief with an enormous and delicious lunch at Pyza, an extraordinary Polish restaurant on Nassau St. Thank you again for these podcasts which I listen to over and over again.
Where was the Hoople Inn?
hausman st and nassau ave, mrs devlin was the barmaid and singer, jackies mom. she was wonderful. .
The corner of Nassau Ave us and Housman st. Best bar in Greenpoint!!
Read about the 1970s historical neighborhood stamp in “Growing Up Greenpoint: A Kid’s Life in 1970s Brooklyn.”
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BPPKZ39/
Read it , my roots are definitely in Greenpoint born raised and still here from Java street great place to grow up .
Did you growup in an apartment building on Java?? last name Quinn??
I loved the information about Greenpoint. My parents grew up in green point, so did I. I was glad I did. I’m 60 years old now. I can really can appreciate your work on this website. Thanks Al
OMG…Allie, is that you??
Hey Allie, were you from Sutton Street? Also, weren’t you on Rikers Island, C-76?
I’ve never been to Greenpiont, but after doing some tracing I found that my however many times Grandfathers were Peter Praa and Jan Meserole, it’s cool to see the Meserole mansion. Would you know if there are any original Meserole homes still standing in Greenpoint?
I was born on Kingsland Ave in Greenpoint. My dad and his dad were born on Manhattan Ave. Great memories of the Newtown Creek’s smell! Cured any sinus issues and colds! I played Little League for the Pointers! Sponsored by the Greenpoint Savings Bank. Amazing history and I learned a lot more right here!! ❤
Wow. All of this was amazing. You two have great energy together for this show. And this was insanely informative. Thank you!
As a young child,many Sunday afternoons were spent at my Grandma and Grandpa Malmfelt’s home on Monitor Street.right across from the park and from the Statue of Lief Ericson .Theirs was a small row house on a section of Monitor Street anchored between two avenues with a candy store at one corner and a PS on the other end. Across the park was a movie with a yellow facade. Can’t recall any of the names of the avenues or of the movie theater but over the years I reflect on the good times my Swedish-Irish Family shared in that Greenpoint home Also remember the oily smell ascending from Newtown Creek as we crossed the bridge into Greenpoint. It was for me as a child a signal that we were nearing our destination.
My grandparents marriage certificate states they were married in July 1906 at 154 Diamond St by a Rev. Halberstam who resided at 160 Diamond Street in Greenpoint. Sadly I can’t find any images or descriptions of the building there at that time. Only more recent structures. Any way to find out what that building was? Thanks
Diamond st and Driggs Ave is St Stanislaus Kosta Church
Anyone know of someone that may have recorded the history of the Greenpoint Flint Glass Works circa 1852-1882? Support photos would be of great value.
Best memories actually was knowing your neighbors,the stores, movie theaters Sunday walks up the ave blue law,keep off the grass sign at the McCarren park
Hi … not from Greenpoint but spent decades there visiting both sides of the family. Grandparents were ‘right off the boat’, docking in Ellis Island somewhere around 1900-1915. Does anyone remember Zach Bros butcher shop on Manhattan Ave between Eagle and Freeman?
I lived on Huron street till the age of 13 I got to experience the old candy stores and delis in Greenpoint. so much history there. I was trying to find the History of the Building i grew up in 168 Huron Steet. I know it was built in 1931.
My grandmother’s maiden name was Helen Djzuba ( I think I have that spelling right). She was born in 1920/22 & I would imagine she was born & raised in Greenpoint. I know for sure it was Brooklyn & once when I was young I went there w/her to collect rents from a couple apt bldgs. her mother had owned (maybe her mother’s name was Carolyn?) Yikes! And I feel like Atlantic or Manhattan aves sound familiar. I just happened across this great article & photos & wondered if anyone knew of my grandmother or great grandmother?? thought I’d throw that out there…give it a try – ya never know! Either way I so enjoyed reading about Greenpoint! So – thank you for that! My email is: jackandlil@optonline.net
My Great grandfather Claus Olandt owned a Hat store (Olandt or Olandt and Alexander) on Broadway in Greenpoint around 1880. Anyone know about the store or him
I grew up on Kingsland ave in the 1960’s and 70’s. I ‘m trying to remember the name of the store located on the corner of Kingsland ave and Herbert st. It was accross the street for George’s butcher and the barber shop.
Does any on remember ?