East Brooklyn

The parish of St. Patrick was founded in the early 1840s, prior to the establishment of the Diocese of Brooklyn. The origins of the church are a bit obscure, but it appears to have been founded as a parish for Irish Catholics in East Brooklyn (Wallabout), with the first services held in private structures near Wallabout Street and Flushing Avenue. Early secondary-source references to the church call it the Wallabout Church. In 1843, Rev. Hugh Maguire was appointed as the first priest for the parish.

One of a group of three buildings built by builder John Wilson. All three are described as "brown stone dwellings", although only basement is faced in brownstone. Real Estate Record & Builders' Guide (v. 15, no. 370, April 17, 1875), 271.

Ross Street Presbyterian Church was founded in 1864 by members of the South Third Street Presbyterian Church. Early supporters included Sylvester M. Beard, Eli Beard and Halsey Fitch.

Cornerstone laid in September 1889. The current structure superseded an older chapel designed by Thomas Houghton1  dating to 1875 that was located just to the east on Hooper Street. The original chapel was built with the intention of later being converted to a school, and therefore had beam pockets built into the walls for the installation of two new floors at a future date.