the 1940s — Articles — Flatbush History

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: 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

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

A Cortelyou Rd Street Scene

What did people do on Cortelyou Rd in the 1940s? A glimpse at a Flatbush shoppers visiting a restaurant, bike shop, and laundromat as seen in some photos taken by NYC for tax purposes.

Now GoneJennifer BoudinotJanuary 20, 2020Flatbushthe 1940s, Flatbush people, old businesses, cortelyou rd, Flatbush placesComment

Still Missed: The Flatbush Macy's

The now-gone twin of the Art Deco Sears, the Flatbush Macy’s (on the corner of Flatbush Ave and Tilden) had some innovative features and a lot of fans.

Then and Now: Flatbush Ave Billboards

The frames for these billboards still stand on Flatbush Ave across from Erasmus Hall.

Then and Now: A Cortelyou Market

Remnants of a large market called Bowman’s can be seen on Cortelyou Rd. Here’s what it looked like back in the 1940s.

Then and NowJennifer BoudinotJanuary 20, 2020Flatbushthe 1940s, old businesses, cortelyou rd, then and now photos, Flatbush placesComment

Then and Now: Coney Island Ave at Newkirk

The building shown in this 1947 photo of Coney Island Ave at Newkirk is still standing, but much changed.

Bickford's: Dimestore Art Deco on Flatbush Ave

Above this bank sign, you can still see the sign and design work of Bickfords, a popular cafeteria chain in the 30s and 40s.

1300 Flatbush Ave: The Oil-Burner Building

This Flatiron-y building near Flatbush and Bedford will always be “the Oil-Burner Building” in my head after seeing a 1940s photos of it as a furnace store.

Then and Now: This Building on Church Has Seen a Lot

When you can hear a building sigh.

Then and NowJennifer BoudinotJanuary 20, 2020Flatbushold businesses, church ave, then and now photos, Flatbush things, the 1940sComment