Mr. Junkersfeld’s Omnibus Returns 6/11/10

By on June 10, 2010 11:02 pm in Architecture, History, Video

This week’s video focuses on the PS8 Paddlewheeler Festival, as well as changes to Heights locations over the years, including many churches that have been demolished (and one, Plymouth, that has not). It’s good preparation for this Saturday’s BHA-sponsored historic church tour.

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  • since47

    Karl, Once again, thank-you for a wonderful presentation. It might just be me, but I couldn’t read the titles, because they drifted off to the right.

    I grew up in the neighborhood and remember the church on the corner of Monroe Place and Clark Street. You say that it was razed to make way for Cadman, but I seem to remember that the church was destroyed by a fire. Does anyone else remember that? (Yes, you have to go back aways…)

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    since 1947,

    I suggest you click on the bottom right of the screen to enlarge to full screen.

    Also, with respect to the church on Monroe and Clark. The following excerpt was taken from Francis Morrone’s excellent book entitled “An Architectural Guidebook To Brooklyn”:

    Lafaver’s Church Of The Restoration, later known as Church of the Neighbor, was built on the southeast corner of Monroe and clark in 1848-1850. It was among the ninety or so buildings removed for Cadman Plaza in 1964. ( In the film I use another name it was given, “Church Of The New Jerusalem”)

    There may have been a fire but I can assure you, it was part of the blueprint for Moses’s demolition for Cadman Plaza.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    Fellow Brooklyn Heights Bloggers,

    I have been looking for the last half hour via google for information about the fire at the Church on Monroe and Clark and the only reference i see regarding it is from bloggers for the BHB.

    If this beautiful church burnt to the ground in the early 60’s, there must be a picture or at the very least, a report from the Brooklyn Eagle. Can anyone out there help me out? I’m very curious.

  • John Wentling

    There was also a church at the corner of Henry and Clark – before my time, recall seeing it in a photo a some point.

    I remember the fire, surely the historical society has some photos of it?

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    John, my friend,

    The Church on Henry and Clark is mentioned in the film. Sands Street Memorial M.E. Church. lol

    Unfortunately, the Brooklyn Historical Society has a dearth of digital photographs to peruse. I’m intimately familiar with the New York and Brooklyn Public Library collections and don’t believe there is a picture of an extensive fire at this church.

    I’ll keep on looking, though.

  • bornhere

    Wasn’t there a discussion here of the fire, which I agree beat Moses to the punch, some time ago? Maybe Benita Berman will stop by and provide some eyewitness insight.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    Could you possibly be confusing the Ovington Warehouse Fire nearby on Fulton and Clark?

    The damage to the church from this fire was minimal. In fact, the entire insurance cost for the insurer to the Church Of The Jerusalem was $1000.

  • bornhere

    Karl — yes, I think you’re right; but I am still in agreement with since47 on the church fire.

  • nabeguy

    Speaking of the Ovington, here’s an interesting link

    http://tinyurl.com/3yohcgr

  • martinlbrooklyn

    Thanks for yet another contribution to history by Karl. As to the church on Monroe and Clark, that was not burned but was demolished under the Cadman Plaza slum clearance program. The fine brownstone next to it which served as its rectory was also taken. The fire idea might have come about because, in fact, there was a nearby major fire at the time around the corner on Fulton Street (now CadPlazWest) at the Ovington Studios building. Ovington was famed as the base of Rudolf Abel, Soviet spy. But at one time it also housed Jules Pfeifer, Norman Mailer, Norton Juster and sculptor Moise Marrans (sp?) among others.

  • AEB

    Terrific as usual, Karl!

    But I was upset to note in the map section that my plumbing has not changed since 1905.

    Will inform the DHCR….

  • John Wentling

    Ah, Sands Street Memorial on Henry and Clark – makes perfect sense. :)

    Rather odd to teardown a church in those days, thought another congregation might have made use of it.