Articles — Flatbush History

Calling Buckminster 4! A Telephonic History of Flatbush

When telephones were the latest new-fangled tech in Flatbush, including a rundown of old Flatbush exchange names.

A RetrospectiveJennifer BoudinotMay 7, 2024Flatbush thingsComment

Then and Now: Rogers Ave Firehouse

The picturesque firehouse on Rogers Ave looks almost identical in this rare color photo from 1947.

Was the Credit Card Really Invented in Flatbush?

How Flatbush Ave became the first place in the US someone walked into a store and used a credit card.

Stuff You Should KnowJennifer BoudinotNovember 13, 2023Flatbush people, the 1940s, advertisingComment

Then and Now: 836 Coney Island Avenue

This building on Coney Island Ave has changed a lot since the 1940s.

Then and NowJennifer BoudinotOctober 7, 2023then and now photos, nostrand ave, Flatbush places, the 1940sComment

A Flatbush Ave Street Scene

A typical day on busy Flatbush Ave in the 1940s…colorized!

Then and NowJennifer BoudinotSeptember 8, 2023then and now photos, nostrand ave, Flatbush places, the 1940sComment

Then and Now: Rogers & Newkirk Aves

The street corner of Rogers and Newkirk in the 1940s and today.

Then and NowJennifer BoudinotAugust 14, 2023then and now photos, the 1940s, newkirk ave, rogers ave, old businessesComment

A Turning Point in Grocery History

Three “self service” groceries from 1940s Flatbush, and why they’re called that.

A RetrospectiveJennifer BoudinotJuly 29, 2023old businesses, the 1940s, Flatbush things, kensington, cortelyou rd, rogers aveComment

Then and Now: The Mansions on Ocean and Newkirk

One of these mansions on Ocean Ave has been preserved while the other is falling into disrepair.

Then and NowJennifer BoudinotJuly 15, 2023then and now photos, nostrand ave, Flatbush places, the 1940sComment

Then and Now: New Construction Tucked Into an Old Building

A Then vs. Now comparison of an old building on Flatbush with a new residential space peeking out from above.

Then and NowJennifer BoudinotJune 30, 2023then and now photos, flatbush ave, Flatbush thingsComment

A Compendium of Miss Flatbushes

A look back at the various winners of Miss Flatbush beauty pageants from the 1920s to 1950s.

Flatbush CultureJennifer BoudinotJune 8, 2023Flatbush peopleComment

Photo of the Day: Cortelyou Rd, 100 Years Ago

A rare photo of the short-lived Cortelyou Rd trolley.

A Quick PhotoJennifer BoudinotApril 25, 2023cortelyou rd, trollies, Flatbush thingsComment

That Time They Made "Lords" Into a TV Show

A short history of an even shorter TV show.

Weird StuffJennifer BoudinotMarch 26, 2023Flatbush things, the 1970sComment

Then and Now: Nostrand Ave near Fenimore

Some old buildings on Nostrand Ave, including an intriguing advertisement.

Then and NowJennifer BoudinotMarch 2, 2023then and now photos, nostrand ave, Flatbush places, the 1940sComment

Photo of the Day: Flatbush Ave, 1890

Two girls stand beside a Dutch house typical of rural Flatbush.

A Quick PhotoJennifer BoudinotFebruary 9, 2023flatbush ave, dutch history, the 1890s, Flatbush thingsComment

How the Last Ice Age Shaped Flatbush

What Flatbush was like before humans existed and how its geology has shaped our lives.

Stuff You Should KnowJennifer BoudinotJanuary 16, 2023prospect park, nature, Flatbush things Comment

Skating at the Steenbakkery: Winters in Wartime Flatbush

A magical skatepond on the Lefferts Farm, the Steenbakkery was a pivotal part of village social life for more than 100 years, especially during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

The British Occupation of Flatbush

The Battle of Brooklyn has just been lost, people are close to starvation, and soldiers well-versed in brutality are camped out in Flatbush homes. This is the story of what happened during the seven-year occupation of Flatbush.

Ebbets Field, the Best Ballpark There Ever Was

Ebbets Field was the heart and soul of Flatbush for 40 years. Here’s what it was like to be the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers, with lots of photos.

Then and Now: A Unique Building on Cortelyou

I thought this quirky building on Cortelyou Rd was gone. I was wrong.

Then and NowJennifer BoudinotFebruary 15, 2020the 1940s, cortelyou rd, then and now photos Comment

When the Circus Came to Flatbush

The circus pitches their tents at the future site of Kings County Hospital.