A week from tomorrow, August 1, the Town of New Lots passes out of existence. After thirty-four years of unparalleled prosperity, it becomes the Twenty-Sixth Ward of Brooklyn ...
... A brief history of the town is given:
New Lots was made a town on the
12th of February 1852, having previously been a part of the Town of
Flatbush, and was known as "the New Lots," to distinguish it from "The
Old Lots" near the present Village of Flatbush. The town thus organized
in 1852 comprised the villages of Brownsville, East New York and Cypress
Hills.
photo: 612 New Lots Avenue, 1940. Courtesy of the NYC Municipal
Archives.
East New York was, and at the present time, is the largest village of the three. Before the year 1935 the residents of the territory now embraced within the limits of the town were farmers, and most of the dwellings were situated on the New Lots road. In that year there were but three or four houses where East New York now lies, one of which was known as the "Half Way House," and kept for many years by the Howard family. This house, which was built over a century ago, still stands at the junction of Broadway and Jamaica Turnpike, and at present bears the title of "The Hunter's Home." During the Revolutionary War a part of the British Army marched past its doors to the eventful battlefield of Log Island. For many years since, this old house has been the favorite stopping place for the farmers on their way to market, and many a merry tale has been told within its walls, mute witnesses of the many changes in the several generations that have passed away. A three-story building, built of stone and known as "the old stone building," stood as a landmark for many years on the corner of Atlantic and Pennsylvania Avenues.
This is is a brief description of the Village of East New York in 1835, which the late John H. Pitkin passed through it. The land being level, with just enough grade to Jamaica Bay, made the problem of sewerage easy of solution. Its close proximity to the cities of New York and Brooklyn, and the handsome appearances of the place impressed Mr. Pitkin so favorably that the idea of founding a city to rival New York came up in his mind. He purchased the Livingston, Wyckoff, Stoothoff and Van Siclen farms, containing a track of land two miles in length and one mile in width. He laid out streets and lots and named the place East New York. At that time lots which at the present time are worth $3,000 to $5,000 were then sold for from $10 to $25 each.
The panic 0f 1837 overcame the enterprise of Mr. Pitkin, and he was obliged to return all the property to its original owner, except that portion lying between Alabama and Wyckoff Avenues. In July 1833 the late Horace A. Miller and James Butler purchased about fifty acres of land lying east of Wyckoff Avenue and commenced the erection of comfortable dwellings, which they sold at reasonable prices and on easy terms, thus increasing the population and growth of the village, which contained, according to the census of 1860, about 8,000 inhabitants. A few years later, when the Fulton Street cars ran to Bedford, a line of stages was put into operation to East New York by Montgomery Queen. In 1800 steam was taken from Atlantic Avenue and horse cars were substituted, which ran every half-hour. This line was so badly managed, however, that it was worthless as far as practical results were concerned, until Deacon Richardson took hold of it. The Fulton Street horse cars were then run into the town, and the Broadway horse car line was built. This improved the village somewhat, but it was not until 1877, when rapid transit was replaced on Atlantic Avenue, rapid transit connection with the 34th Street Ferry, by way of the Manhattan Beach Railroad, four lines of horse cars, one connecting with Fulton Ferry, one with Grand and Roosevelt Streets, one with Cypress Hills, and the other with Jamaica. Then there is the elevated railroad.
The Village of Brownsville comprises the western portion of the town. It takes its name from Charles S. Brown, who purchased the original land title twenty years ago, laid the land out in city lots and sold them to the present owners. Its streets all have a uniform width of fifty feet. There are fully five hundred frame dwellings in the village, most of them comfortable cottages occupied by an industrious class of mochanics [sp]. During the past few years a number of fine stores have been erected, and its business interests largely increased. Its present population is about four-thousand.
The Village of Cypress Hills is situated in the northeastern portion of the town. The nucleus of the village was formed around the once famous hotel of John I. Snediker, the celebrated horseman, forty-two years ago. His hostelry was the resort for years of some of the most noted horsemen of America ... The old house is now the Truant Home ...