Building of the Day: 670 Bushwick Avenue
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy. Address: 670 Bushwick Avenue, corner of Willoughby Avenue Name: Originally the William Ulmer House, then the Dr. Frederick A….
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy.
Address: 670 Bushwick Avenue, corner of Willoughby Avenue
Name: Originally the William Ulmer House, then the Dr. Frederick A. Cook House, now private
Neighborhood: Bushwick
Year Built: 1885
Architectural Style: Romanesque Revival
Architects: Unknown
Landmarked: No
William Ulmer was a successful brewer here in Bushwick. In fact, his brewery and office, on nearby Beaver St. is the only remaining brewery building complex left in Bushwick, and was recently landmarked. This large mansion suits a successful man such as Ulmer, and must have been spectacular in its day.
It was later owned by Frederick Cook, the arctic explorer who claimed to be the first man to reach the North Pole, but he later lost his case in court to Admiral Robert Peary. As the years passed the house eventually became a clinic, and was then abandoned.
When I first came to Brooklyn, this house was boarded up, the grounds a mess, and I was sure it wouldn’t survive. Another large mansion directly across the street did not, and that lot is now being marketed for a 5 house development.
Fortunately, the Ulmer house has been rehabbed, and is a four unit dwelling. I wonder if there is any period detail remaining inside.
[Photos by Suzanne Spellen]
Thanks for clearing up several mysteries about this place, Montrose. I didn’t realize it’s apartments now, thought maybe they had a caretaker. As for the chain link fence, it’s probably necessary. If memory serves, this place abuts a busy fast food restaurant.
I usually think I know my way around Brooklyn/NYC fairly well – but admit to clueless when comes to Bushwick and eastern Brooklyn. next spring I’ll get myself a bicycle and explore these areas. You’ve piqued my interest.
Its called “Through the First Antarctic Night”
I once read abook about Dr. Cook getting caught in the Antarctic, it was called the first polar winter or something – he and his shipmates got frozen into the sea ice and were the first people to spend the winter in the Antarctic. They all got depressed. And something happened to the ships cat if I remember correcty. I bet he was glad to get back to Brooklyn.
A more recent urban myth was that this house was once owned by Louis Farrakhan.
Don’t know if there was ever any validity to that claim.
I always liked this house, it must have had beautiful interiors.
And like buttermilk channel stated the WWI monument across the street that occupies a small triangle is one of those
small reminders of a more civic minded past. It seems to be lovingly maintained which is nice to see.
Beautiful.
But that chain-link fence has got to go.
Glad to see that this house has survived. There’s a nice WWI monument across the street, up Bushwick a bit.
Frederick Cook was quite a con artist. He would raise money for his expeditions but never set foot anywhere near the North Pole. He was also one of the first Ponzi scheme con men.