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A 19th Century Real Estate Covenant has Shaped Brooklyn Heights and Incited Litigation

A very big hat tip to readers “Karen and Chad” for putting a link to this New York Times article, co-written by Brooklyn Heights Association President Jeremy Lechtzin and Times correspondent Aliza Aufrichtig, on last week’s OTW. The portrait, from Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, is of Hezekiah Beers Pierrepont (the name was […]

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Jeremy Lechtzin New Brooklyn Heights Association President

The Brooklyn Heights Association has announced that Jeremy Lechtzin is the new President of its Board of Governors. His President’s Message is here. According to the BHA: He is an architectural historian and technology lawyer. Jeremy focuses his history work on early Brooklyn, currently writing a data-driven analysis of every house built in Brooklyn Heights […]

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47 Story Building to Rise at Montague and Cadman Plaza West

According to New York YIMBY developer Jonathan Landau has filed for permits to construct a 47 story mixed commercial and residential building at 205 Montague Street (see photo from Google Maps). While the building now there fronts on Montague, it extends along Cadman Plaza West to Pierrepont Street. It presently houses TD Bank’s branch. Word […]

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Brooklyn Art Song Society Presents “February House” at First Unitarian Friday Evening

This Friday evening, March 1, the Brooklyn Art Song Society will present “February House”, a collection of songs by artists who lived at or were associated with the house at 7 Middagh Street, later demolished to make way for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which got its name from the fact that several of its inhabitants had […]

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Spoke at Plymouth Church 61 Years Ago, Calling for Peace and Brotherhood

In February of 1963 the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a guest sermon at Plymouth Church, then called Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, in Brooklyn Heights. He spoke at the invitation of Plymouth’s then Senior Minister, the Rev. Dr. Harry Kreuner. In his sermon, which called for brotherhood and world peace, Dr. King […]

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Do You Hear What I Hear? Two Chances this Weekend—and a Few More Before Christmas– to Hear Plymouth Church’s Delightful Minister of Music, Raymond Trapp—and Sing Along Too

Before I ever met Raymond Trapp, I asked him a favor. I was hoping he could help me with a sing-along after the 175th Anniversary celebration dinner of Plymouth Church last November. He was the recently-named interim Minister of Music. “Just a few songs, we could sing around the piano,” I’d said. He quickly agreed. […]

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Grace Church Celebrates 175th Anniversary

This morning Grace Church, 254 Hicks Street (corner of Grace Court) celebrated the 175th anniversary of the first service held in its building, which was on December 10, 1848. The service, officiated by The Reverend Dr. Allen F. Robinson, fifteenth Rector of Grace, shown preaching in the phoro above. used the same liturgy and music […]

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For Barbra Fans: Center for Brooklyn History Presents a Panel Discussion of Her Book, Followed by a Musical Tribute

Brooklyn native Barbra Streisand’s “chatty and candid” (the New York Times) autobiography, My Name Is Barbra, is the subject of a panel discussion, moderated by filmmaker Ethan Fuirst with panelists Maris Kreizman, Soraya Nadia McDonald, and Jonathan Tolins at the Center for Brooklyn History, 128 Pierrepont Street (corner of Clinton) this Wednesday, December 6 from […]

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Halloween Memories in Brooklyn Heights, the return of Plymouth Church’s Yankee Fair and a Plan for Saturday’s Packed Community Calendar

I suppose we could have a debate, but I’d win: there’s really nothing more Fall than Halloween in Brooklyn Heights. And with a world going sideways, we need community, small humans and canines in costumes, Fall lovers and spectators, pumpkins, homemade treats and gratitude in this harvest home. This Saturday, October 28th, is shaping up for a […]

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Plymouth Church Hosts Panel on Food Justice Tomorrow; Yankee Fair Saturday, October 28

Tomorrow (Sunday, October 15) from 12:30 until 2:00 PM Plymouth Church will present a panel discussion on Food Justice in recognition of World Hunger Sunday. [W]e will gather in our Reception Room to share a simple lunch of rice and beans and talk about food insecurity in our own city. Last year, the mayor’s office […]

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