Some of the largest industrial firms in the nation grew here, such as Pfizer Pharmaceuticals (1849), Astral Oil (later part of the Standard Oil Trust), Brooklyn Flint Glass (later Corning Ware) and the Havemeyer and Elder sugar refinery (later Amstar and Domino), as well as D. These events would intensify mounting social ills such as poverty, racism, poor health care and inadequate education, which are still in the process of healing. The decline in manufacturing left thousands of Hispanics unemployed. In 1961, Williamsburg had 93,000 manufacturing jobs by the 1990s, the number had decreased to less than 12,000. Through the 1980s, the Hispanic community grew, with the arrival of Dominicans and other Latin Americans. In the 1960s, thousands of Puerto Ricans came to Williamsburg attracted by the abundance of factory jobs. In 1957, the building of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway cut through the Williamsburg (as well as Red Hook and Greenpoint) community, destroying huge numbers of low-income, single and two-family homes. In the 1930s, large numbers of European Jews escaping Nazism fled to Williamsburg and established an Hasidic enclave. RIGHT: Base of Williamsburg Bridge, 1899. LEFT: Humboldt Street south of Conselyea Street, 1923. New housing projects sprang up throughout Williamsburg to handle the influx of people who were now calling Williamsburg their home. Williamsburg grew so fast from 1900 to 1920 that it became the most densely populated are in all of New York City by 1917. Many of these immigrants were from Europe, and primarily settled in the town’s north side. Immigrants began arriving in Williamsburg around the beginning of the 20th Century. With the building of the Williamsburg Bridge in 1903, thousands of Lower East Side residents who were living in tenements crossed the river to a better life in Williamsburg. It would later become a part of New York City in 1898, when Brooklyn became one of the Big Apple’s five boroughs. In 1855, Williamsburg was officially annexed into the city of Brooklyn, becoming a part of that city’s Eastern District. Due to its expansive growth, it officially separated from the town of Bushwick in 1840, and dropped the “h” from the end of its name to become simply Williamsburg. Incorporation soon followed, as did the development of a post office, fire station and numerous shipyards. Williamsburgh’s location on the East River made it a major shipping hub, and resulted in numerous factories expanding there. Eventually a developer named Jonathan Williams acquired land along what is now Metropolitan Avenue, and in 1802 renamed that area Williamsburgh in honor of himself. Local farmers would gather near what is present day Grand Street to market their produce, leading to a number of other farm developments in the area. After the English takeover of New Netherland in 1664, the town’s name was anglicized to Bushwick.ĭuring its earliest days, Williamsburg was known as Bushwick or Bushwick Shore. In 1661, the company chartered the Town of Boswijck, including land that would later become Williamsburg. In 1638, the Dutch West India Company first stole the area’s land from the local Native Americans. Here’s a quick history of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Left: Williamsburg Bridge near completion 1903. Random, monitored drug testing as well as daily alcohol breathalyzing.ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF New York Historical Society. State-of-the art kitchen with a private chef who provides home-cooked dinner daily.įull membership to the Gym 4 doors down and Yoga studio two floors below us Spacious common areas to foster community. You will love our resident K9, Churchill, an English Bulldog who serves no purpose other than melting hearts. We are a dog friendly environment and allow clients to bring their pets when appropriate. Twice weekly in house recovery meetings and plenty of outside meetings to help our clients connect with the robust sober community Williamsburg has to offer. Our experience tells us that having someone with you could be the difference when temptation rises. We provide companioning at no extra charge to help out clients along the way in early recovery. We are staffed around the clock with people in recovery who have the genuine concern to help. At Williamsburg house, you're never alone.
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