I came across this photo posted in a local history group - the only information provided was the caption, "Leonard Street 1916". Based on the photo and caption, there was not a lot to go on. A stern gentleman - let's call him Nathan - standing in front of a rowhouse. Judging by the ironwork and windows, the buildings to the right appear to be 1850s transitional Italianate/Greek Revival. Nathan's building - based just on the ironwork (nothing else is visible) - is not part of the same development and is probably early 1840s. So where is this photo?
New Entries
Building
Pair of transitional Greek Revival/Italianate stores and residences, probably circa 1850.
Building
Constructed in the early 1830s as a single-family residence. The original building was probably two-and-a-half stories and enlarged to three stories by the 1840s. As early as 1870, the building had been converted to multi-family use, with a Chinese laundry located in the basement. Other uses in the 19th century included an oyster bar.
Building
A rare (and perhaps early?) non-ecclesiastical building designed by Thomas Houghton.
Place
Also called the "Gothic Church", the Second M. E. Church of Williamsburgh was organized on 4 September 1845 with ten members. The cornerstone for the church was laid on 4 December 1845 and the church was dedicated on 26 November 1846. The original trustees included Daniel Maujer, Lemuel Richardson, John F. Luther, Robert G.
Place
The Zion A. M. E. Church of Williamsburgh was organized in 1832 by Thomas Watson, in his house on Third (Berry) Street between North 4th and North 5th Streets. The church later rented rooms on North 4th Street between Third and Fourth Street (Berry and Bedford). The congregation numbered 12 members at this time, and retained Rev.
Place
Organized on 18 June 1842 and Incorporated in 1844. William Harden, a blind Black preacher was the first and only leader of the church. The first place of worship was in a rope walk, and after that burned the congregation met in private houses.
Place
Organized in 1839 by a group of parishioners from Washington Street M. E. Church who were dissatisfied over the appointment of a preacher. Originally called the Centenary M. E. Church in honor of the centenary of Methodism in 1839, the congregation changed its name to the Johnson Street M. E. Church in 1868.
Place
The first effort to organize the Dekalb Avenue M. E. Church began in the fall of 1836 with private services at the home of John Robb on Flushing Avenue near Classon Avenue. The first sermon was preached on 18 June 1837 in a school house on Classon Avenue, and the Sabbath school was established on the same date.
Place
This congregation was a spin-off from Sands Street M. E. Church. On 18 January 1818 the church was incorporated as a satellite of the Sands Street M. E. Church, after the number of Black congregants at that church exceeded the capacity of the "colored gallery" there.
Building
Constructed in 1851 at a cost of $13,000, this was the second church for the York Street M. E. Church.