Brooklyn, aka Kings County, is first among firsts. It is the largest borough of New York City by population, and the second-most-densely-populated county in the United States (after New York County, aka Manhattan). All by itself, Brooklyn would be the third-largest city in the United States, after Los Angeles and Chicago.
Geographically, Brooklyn is one of the smallest counties in New York State. Yet, dozens of distinct neighborhoods are crammed into its 71 square miles.
So much for statistics. Breuckelen began in 1646 as a Dutch settlement on the eastern shore of the East River, named for a village in the Netherlands. Less than two decades later, the British took over; after another two decades the British created Kings County as a distinct political entity. Over the next two centuries, independent villages and cities within Kings County divided and recombined to form a City of Brooklyn. Finally, in 1894, a slim majority of the country’s third-largest city voted to become a part of New York City, effective January 1, 1898.
Brooklyn’s architectural diversity belies the borough’s small geographic footprint. Along the East River and Upper Bay shores are the expected piers, warehouses and factory buildings. Facing Manhattan, a skyscraper-studded downtown blooms where the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges converge. South shore “Beach” communities, once resorts and suburbs, are now residential. And of course central Brooklyn is primarily residential. The landlocked neighborhoods around Prospect Park have some of New York City’s most beautiful homes.
- Wikipedia: Brooklyn
- Official Website: www1nyc.gov
- Official Website: www.brooklyn-usa.org
- Tourism Website: nycgo.com/boroughs-neighborhoods/brooklyn
- Google Map
- Related: Discover New York City Landmarks
- For Your Bookshelf: Walking Brooklyn: 30 walking tours exploring historical legacies, neighborhood culture, side streets, and waterways
Brooklyn Photo Galleries
Much more to come!