Tourist Information
Now more that ever, Brooklyn Heights is a prime tourist destination for new visitors, seasoned travellers and residents of the Tri-State area.
Here’s a primer. Feel free to leave comments and suggestions below.
The Brooklyn Heights Promenade
Hatched as a compromise between the neighborhood and New York’s master builder Robert Moses, the Brooklyn Heights Promenade opened to the public in October 1950.
The 1,826 foot long span is not only a testament to the tenacity of the Brooklyn Heights Association but also an homage to Hezekiah Pierrepont’s 1820s vision of a vista point in Brooklyn to rival Manhattan’s Battery. The site of Pierrpont’s home “Four Chimneys” is now marked by a plaque at the Montague Street entrance to the Promenade.
The Promenade offers the most spectacular views of the New York City skyline. There are many comfortable benches to sit on and enjoy the view. Kids can play at the wonderful playground located at the Montague Street entrance.
The Hotel St. George
Now part coop apartments and part student housing the Hotel St. George on Clark Street between Hicks and Henry Streets was once the largest hotel in New York City. It also once housed a luxurious salt water pool — the largest in the world.
Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims 75 Hicks Street
Henry Ward Beecher was once considered The Most Famous Man in America. The preacher and abolitionist’s church was also “the Grand Central depot” of the Underground Railroad.
70 Willow Street, Adrian van Sinderen residence
Built in the late 1830s, this home is one of the largest remaining Greek Revival style houses in New York. Its original occupant was a prominent attorney. When it was the home of 8 time Tony Award winning scenic designer Oliver Smith, Truman Capote lived here in the basement apartment. The author wrote his masterworks Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood there as well as his short story about the neighborhood, A House on the Heights. Tony Award winning director Tyrone Guthrie lived on the top floor for several years as well. You can also spend the night there.
142 Columbia Heights
Another of America’s greatest authors, Norman Mailer, lives around the corner from Capote’s former digs. Mailer and Capote were neighbors for a time and folklore says the two hated each other. The Naked and the Dead writer occupied the building’s top 3 floors until his death in 2007.
102 Pierrepont Street
Mailer also lived here at this Heights hotbed of literary luminaries. Arthur Miller, writer of Death of a Salesman, lived here from 1944 - 1947. He wrote his breakthrough play All My Sons here. Mailer later wrote a biography of Miller’s famous wife, Marilyn Monroe.
62 Montague Street
Miller lived with Monroe here before moving to Manhattan with the actress. This is also where Miller wrote Death of a Salesman.
82 Pierrepont Street Herman Behr residence
Wealthy industrialist Herman Behr commissioned architect Frank Freeman to build New York City’s finest Romanesque Revival house. Now apartments, this storied building has been many things including a brothel, the Palm Hotel and Franciscan House of Studies.
24 Middagh Street Eugene Boisselet residence
This c.1824 Federal Style woodframe house is typical of the early days of Brooklyn Heights.
3 Pierrepont Place A.A. Low residence
Built for New York Chamber of Commerce President and king of 19th century China trade, Abiel Abbot Low. His son, Seth, grew up to be mayor of Brooklyn, mayor New York City and president of Columbia University. The home appeared as the “Godfather’s” residence in the film Prizzi’s Honor.
Comments
Comment from ruth nordenbrook
Time: February 8, 2007, 12:06 pm
i think your information re arthur miller’s residence in BH is quite inaccurate. as far as i’ve been able to tell this is his brooklyn related chronology:
Arthur Miller in BH:
1938- Moved to Brooklyn to work on the Federal Theatre Project @ Brklyn Navy Yard
1940 -62 Montague = 1st home in BH [Married Mary Grace Slattery & moved to 62]
1944-47–Lived @ 102 Pierrepont Street; wrote All My Sons here
1947- AM bought 31 Grace Court, where he completed Death of a Salesman
1951 -bought 155 Willow St./ sold 31 Grace Court to WEB DuBois who lived there ‘51-‘61
1955 - divorced Mary
1956- married MM
death of a salesman opened, i think in ‘49. AM was still married to Mary at that time. did not marry MM until ‘56
Comment from Homer
Time: February 8, 2007, 12:37 pm
Thanks for the info. Miller’s timeline is reported differently in different sources.
Comment from liljoan
Time: March 23, 2007, 10:07 am
please tell who is seth in story death of a salesman?
Comment from Faith Mendlinger
Time: April 15, 2007, 5:00 pm
Was there ever a hotel called the Franklin Arms Hotel on Orange Street I believe that had a wonderful italian restuarant Armandos, I think that was the name. I have searched and found nothing. Can anyone help?
Comment from Claude Scales
Time: April 15, 2007, 5:34 pm
For Faith Mendlinger,
Clay Lancaster’s Old Brooklyn Heights does not mention a Franklin Arms Hotel. The index entry “Hotels” lists the Bossert, Margaret, Palm, Pierrepont House, St. George, Star and Towers. The only one of these that faced Orange Street was the Margaret, which was at the corner of Orange and Columbia Heights, and was destroyed by fire while undergoing conversion to apartments in the 1980s. It was replaced by a building of equal size that was purchased by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
There is an Armando’s Restaurant at 143 Montague Street that has been there for many years. I await anyone’s advice as to whether it was ever in a different location.
Comment from Homer Fink
Time: April 15, 2007, 5:44 pm
The Franklin Arms Hotel is the building at 66 Orange Street. It was renovated/converted by Bruce Eichner in the 1970s. Can\\\’t find info on a restaurant.
Comment from Bklynred
Time: June 29, 2007, 8:38 am
There was indeed a hotel at 66 Orange Street named the Franklin Arms. Dear friends of ours owned it until the 1970s when they sold it and it became an apartment building.
Comment from Jacqueline Jones
Time: July 14, 2007, 8:08 am
Hi. I live in London, England and will be in Manhattan first week in December 07. I hope to visit Brooklyn during that time as my great uncle came to live there in 1921/2 He was a bricklayer who was employed to build in and around Manhattan. Unfortunately, his wife died upon ariving at Ellis Island in 1923 and with two small children he had to return to London as there was no-one to look after the children while he worked. Does anyone have ideas on where I could visit in Brooklyn/places of interest etc…. Thank you.
Comment from John Eadeer
Time: August 9, 2007, 10:39 am
I am a current resident of 62 Montague St. and am attempting to put together a history of this building and am asking for contributors who might have any photos (internal as well as external).
Thank you
John Eader
Comment from mike
Time: August 13, 2007, 10:12 pm
Does anyone remember the Towers and Pierpont hotels in brooklyn heights back in the mid to late 60’s ? The towers with its sidewalk height bar and elegant dining etc. The greasy spoon cafe in the pierpont and the little club back by the alley? If so, would you please tell me what they are like now. I have not been there since 1969 and am planning on coming back, also how many flights of subways did the St. George hotel house? Thanks, Mike7720@aol.com
Comment from jeanmarie
Time: August 25, 2007, 7:28 pm
john eader — what would you like to know?
Comment from Gaynor Wilkinson
Time: August 30, 2007, 12:07 pm
Hi there
My partner and I are visiting New York early October and would ideally like to rent a self catering/vacation apartment in Brooklyn as we’ve heard lots of great things about the area. Does anyone know of anywhere available?.
Any help greatfully appreciated!
Comment from Emily
Time: October 2, 2007, 1:23 pm
Visiting Brooklyn….Always a good time! Visit the Brooklyn Heights. It’s an unbelievable view of Manhattan. Try walking along Montegue, Atlantic and Joralemon Streets. Atlantic Street (near Henry Street) has a great British Eatery and an amazing Syrian Food Place (tons of different oils, olives etc). Also try Joya for amazing Thai food!
Comment from Emily
Time: October 2, 2007, 1:24 pm
Visiting Brooklyn….Always a good time! Visit the Brooklyn Heights. It’s an unbelievable view of Manhattan. Try walking along Montegue, Atlantic and Joralemon Streets. Atlantic Street (near Henry Street) has a great British Eatery and an amazing Syrian Food Place (tons of different oils, olives etc). Also try Joya for amazing Thai food!
Comment from Placido Flamingo
Time: October 17, 2007, 12:27 pm
The Franklin Arms Hotel is the H in this Sesame Street alphabet film:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WRizPAydpW8
Comment from Bill Casselberry
Time: December 27, 2007, 4:14 pm
My bride and I, a Navy Lieutenant, spent 10 wonderful days and nights at the Franklin Arms, room 304, June 2 through June 12, 1957. We had the room that looked across Orange Street at the small, but beautiful RC church. $40.24/night also covered the cost of a small kitchen. I parked my new, red Chev BelAire convertible with Hawaii tags in a nearby garage that had a very creaky elevator to take it to the 3rd level. We saw great shows, ate at the old “Cattleman’s Club” … it was all wonderful. We are now in our late seventies, have 4 great kids and many grandkids, still enjoying our special life together. We were delighted to learn that others have a special regard for that small hotel! Thanks.
Comment from Christine
Time: January 12, 2008, 12:18 pm
Comment from Faith Mendlinger
Time: April 15, 2007, 5:00 pm
Was there ever a hotel called the Franklin Arms Hotel on Orange Street I believe that had a wonderful italian restuarant Armandos, I think that was the name. I have searched and found nothing. Can anyone help?
——————-
My Aunt lived at 34 Monroe Place and I stayed at One Clark for many years in the early 1960s. The Franklin Arms did indeed exist and there was a restaurant/bar on the first floor. To me, as a kid, it looked like an olde whore house with its dim lights, red embossed and textured wall paper and small intimate candle lit black tables and the baby grand where a pianist turned out wonderful olde croony tunes by the hour. I thought, at the time, that is was a residential hotel rather like an SRO.
Comment from Christine
Time: January 12, 2008, 12:21 pm
AND does anyone remember the Church fire at the corner of Monroe Pl and Clark? What was the name of that Church? See? I lived there before the ugly Cadman Plaza buildings went up and when the building where Whitman published Leaves og Grass was a structure not a sign eading ‘Whitman Close’.
Comment from Ginty
Time: February 1, 2008, 12:36 pm
We are visiting Brooklyn in March and staying in the Ocean Avenue area looking for the best route to get us there using Airtrain and Subway from JFK airport - many thanks
Comment from Janis Gagliardi
Time: February 20, 2008, 10:14 am
Visiting the Brook,lyn Heights area this week,from FLorida. Just in time for snow flurries!!! Any recommendations on good eats in the Carroll ST or Cobble Hill areas. How far is this from the Promenade?
Comment from Mike Mc Glon
Time: February 27, 2008, 11:01 pm
Does anyone have any recollection regarding my great uncle Madison Weeks, who performed in Vaudeville in New York back in the 1920’s? As well, Maddy played a mean piano in New York movie houses during the silent-film era, and was quite a comedian. I’m told that among his many close friends were Fanny Brice, Buddy Ebsen, Al Jolson, Helen Morgan, Judy Canova, Mayor Jimmy Walker, etc. Beginning in the early 1930’s and continuing throughout the 40’s, he managed the Cranlyn Apartments at the corner of Cranberry and Henry Streets in Brooklyn Heights. I have an autographed baseball, dated 1939, signed by all the Brooklyn Dodgers, many of whom lived at the Cranlyn, and were Maddy Weeks’ good buddies. An article I read from the N.Y. Times in 2004, stated that the Cranlyn had fallen into disrepair. I do not know if it’s still standing in 2008? Again, I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who remembers my uncle during the 20’s, 30’s, or 40’s, during his time on the stage, or as General Manager of the Cranlyn. Thanks Much.
Comment from Mark Mills
Time: March 2, 2008, 7:51 pm
This page should be updated to relfect that Norman Mailer died on Nov. 10, 2007
Comment from Homer Fink
Time: March 2, 2008, 7:53 pm
Thanks for your input. BHB is a community run site and if you’d like to pitch in let us know! webmaster AT brooklynheightsblog.com
Comment from Josie
Time: May 14, 2008, 4:42 pm
Visiting Brooklyn in June and would like to find a B&B or small hotel close to Brooklyn Heights. Does anyone know of a reasonably priced, clean, comfortable place to stay? thanks so much!
Comment from hazel
Time: June 8, 2008, 12:44 pm
For tourist coming to Brooklyn Heights, I suggest a stop at the reatively new tourist info office on the ground floor of Brooklyn Borough Hall 209 Joralemon Street. It is near all the subway line at Court St. For those of you seeking historic facts, try the Brooklyn Historical Society on the corner of Pierrepont and Clinton. Also , I hear there is a comprhensive Brooklyn history collection at the main Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza.
Comment from jodi
Time: August 13, 2008, 2:39 am
Hi - I am looking for information on the Towers Hotel which was at 25 Clark Street in the early 1910’s. Anything would be helpful.
Comment from jd
Time: August 13, 2008, 8:09 am
I believe you’re referring to this building?
Comment from mike
Time: August 23, 2008, 1:22 pm
Can anyone tell me if the Cranlyn Apartments at the corner of Cranberry and Henry Street - is still standing? If so, is it occupied or abandoned? Also do any old photos of the Cranlyn exist? I know it was built in 1930-31. Any info would be helpful. Thanks
Comment from pat
Time: September 10, 2008, 3:06 am
I lived at 49 Willow Street in the 80’s, I believe between Cranberry, Orange. Is the apt. bldg. still there and is it still a a rental?
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