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Theobald Engelhardt assisted his father in the construction of the building and apprenticed to William Ditmars during the design and construction. By 1917 or earlier, the building was used as a synagogue.

Driggs Avenue

Excerpt of 1886 Robinson map showing Driggs (Fifth St.) Street.

Place

In the original Williamsburgh Street grid, Driggs Avenue was Fifth Street, running from Division Avenue to the Williamsburgh/Greenpoint line. By 1879, Fifth Street extended as far north as Leonard Street in Greenpoint. North of Leonard Street the street continued to Meeker Avenue as Van Cott Street.

Patriot Names

Painting of the toppling of a statue of King George on July 9, 1776 at Bowling Green NYC.

Article

There were 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 43 of whom have (or had) streets named for them in South Williamsburg and Bed-Stuyvesant. These streets were mapped and named around 1846, when this area of the city of Brooklyn (then generally called East Brooklyn) was just being developed. The 13 signers not commemorated in East Brooklyn already had streets named for them elsewhere in Brooklyn (or streets that coincidentally had the same name, and thus conflicted). Here are the 56 signers and the streets named for them:

Swedish Immanuel…

1940 tax photo of Immanuel Swedish Lutheran Church, 519 Leonard Street.

Building

Immanuel Swedish Lutheran Church, located on Leonard Street between Driggs and Nassau, was founded in 1894. In April of 1898, the church purchased the property on Leonard Street and constructed a one-story wood-frame church.

Williamsburgh Turn…

1860s view of Turn Halle on Meserole Street in East Williamsburg.

Building

The Williamsburgh Turn Verein, or Turner Hall, was the "oldest and most prominent German society" in Brooklyn in the second half of the 19th century. The organization was founded sometime before 1858, and the building pictured here was probably constructed around 1860.

St. James Cathedral…

View of St. James RC Church, Brooklyn Heights

Building

St. James Cathedral Basilica is the second church building to serve this parish. The first church was constructed in 1822 and was the first Roman Catholic church on Long Island. In 1852, St. James became the cathedral parish for the newly-established Diocese of Brooklyn under Bishop Loughlin.

Wesley M. E. Church

Building

The Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church of East New York was established in 1883. Shortly thereafter the congregation purchased a property on Berriman Street near Eastern Parkway (?) and constructed a church, only to find out that the title on the property was not clear.

Louis H. Voss

Rendering of the Huron Street public baths, 1905.

Person

Louis H. Voss was active in Brooklyn municipal architecture in the early 20th century. A graduate of Pratt Institute, Voss had a partnership with P. J. Lauritzen starting the in the 1890s. Voss is credited with the design of two public baths in Brooklyn as well at least one police precinct.

Public Bath #4

Drawing elevation of the Huron Street baths.

Building

In the early 20th Century bathhouses were constructed throughout Brooklyn to provide hygiene to residents in areas that lacked baths, and sometimes even plumbing, in their homes. The Huron Street bathhouse was the fourth of seven public baths constructed in Brooklyn between 1900 and 1910.

BVM Help of Christians…

St Mary Winfield, rendering of Meissner church

Building

Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians parish was founded as Holy Angels parish in 1854, and was the first German national parish in Queens County. The parish was later named St. Mary's, then St. Mary's Winfield and is now known as Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians. Until 1949, this area of Woodside was called Winfield.

John O'Malley

Person

John O'Malley was perhaps the most prolific Catholic church architect in the New York area from the 1950s until his death in 1970. Working primarily in Queens and on Long Island, O'Malley designed dozens of churches.