Brooklyn Heights is a neighborhood located in the borough of Brooklyn, New York City and physically located on the western end of Long Island, New York. It is part of Brooklyn Community Board 2. Brooklyn Heights borders Cobble Hill and Caroll Gardens which stretches from Atlantic Avenue to Fulton Street and from the East River to Court Street. It occupies a bluff that rises sharply from the river’s edge and gradually recedes on the landward side. Brooklyn Heights is only a ten-minute ride away from Manhattan on the subway, and the area is prime real estate. After suffering defeat in the Battle of Brooklyn, George Washington’s troops escaped the British by crossing the East River here under cover of fog.
As of 2010 census, there were 19,754 people residing in the area. The median income for a household in the village is $111,067. Elevation is 85 feet.
In 1814, development began in the area after the start of ferry service to Manhattan. Before the Dutch settled on Long Island in the middle of the seventeenth century, this promontory was called Ihpetonga “the high sandy bank” by the native Lenape Native Americans. It is historically descended from its predecessor Town of Brooklyn and became New York’s first commuter town in the early 19th century when a new steam ferry service provided reliable service to Wall Street. After many years of lobbying, the neighborhood became a historic district in 1965. This was instrumental in preserving its character. During the economic boom times of the 1980s, many of the neighborhood’s old hotels and rooming houses were converted to co-ops and condominiums. Brooklyn Heights was heavily fortified prior to the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War also known as The Battle of Long Island.
Notable people living in Brooklyn Heights include Harry Chapin (singer, composer), Tennessee Williams (playwright), Truman Capote (author), and W. H. Auden (poet). It has been home also to several famous personalities, including director Paul Giamatti and the late Pulitzer Prize winner Norman Mailer. There are several schools in Brooklyn Heights such as Brooklyn Heights Montessori School, Grace Church School, Packer Collegiate Institute, Plymouth Church School, St. Ann’s School, and St. Francis College. In fact, three of the top private schools in New York are in Brooklyn Heights.
At 1,826 feet, the Brooklyn Heights promenade stretches along the East River waterfront and is the main attraction in the area. Everyone can stroll down the walkway for breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline and the area’s most famous structure the Brooklyn Bridge. This 1600 feet long suspension bridge was completed in 1883 and was the longest suspension bridge in the world at that time. Brooklyn Heights was the first neighborhood protected by the 1965 Landmarks Preservation Law. Plymouth Church of Pilgrims is a beautiful landmark in the neighborhood. It is also a world headquarters for Jehovah Witness. Brooklyn Heights has tremendous nineteenth-century brownstones with high ceilings and fireplaces, and great apartment buildings.
