Announcing "Ask the Brooklyn Borough Historian"
We’re pleased to announce that Ron Schweiger, the official Brooklyn Borough Historian, will be taking questions from readers on all matters of Brooklyn’s past, and a few on its future, too. He’s particularly knowledgeable about Coney Island, Sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach and Victorian Flatbush — from their famous inhabitants to the developers who first plotted…
We’re pleased to announce that Ron Schweiger, the official Brooklyn Borough Historian, will be taking questions from readers on all matters of Brooklyn’s past, and a few on its future, too. He’s particularly knowledgeable about Coney Island, Sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach and Victorian Flatbush — from their famous inhabitants to the developers who first plotted out the areas — and about the history of our street names and neighborhoods.
Ron was appointed by Borough President Marty Markowitz in 2002. Raised in Gravesend, Schweiger moved to Victorian Flatbush after graduating from Brooklyn College and getting married. He taught science for 31 years at P.S. 219 in East Flatbush and, after retiring from the Board of Education, began teaching science to grades three, four and five at Yeshivah of Flatbush. He’s been instrumental in helping landmark several Brooklyn locations, from Fiske Terrace to the Avenue H subway station on the Q line.
Please leave questions for him in the comments below or email them to us.
I misread it.
Ron, how can i find out the origin of “HAVENS PLACE’, a block long street in east new york, btw atlantic and herkimer?
Chris Havens
that’s what he said.
11233, Wouldn’t that make them tumbleweaves?
I have to give credit to BedStuyBlog for that one. (Shout out to Petra!)
I love it!
Hairlarious. (I know, I know.)
11233, NO YOU DI’INT just go there, did you? That’s absolutely hilarious.
MacD: For future reference, those hairballs are called tumbleweaves. (Yes, former hair weave pieces that end up as tumbleweeds.)
Dear Mr. Schweiger:
Thank you for making yourself available for questions. Mine are not historic in nature, but point more toward the future of a particular stretch of land. I hope you have some insight to share, but if not, I’ll look forward to learning from your exchanges on this forum just the same.
I live in Bed-Stuy, so am particularly invested in the future of both Atlantic Ave. and Fulton St. between Bedford Ave. and Stuyvesant Ave. — both the streets themselves, as well as commercial and residential development.
There is proposed rezoning, which is needed, but do you know of any specific revitalization plans for this area?
I don’t know about anyone else, but I find driving on Atlantic Ave. to be potentially fatal (I mean really, you have to make a left-turn through giant potholes inbetween the LIRR rafters in order to get onto a little stretch of road so as to make a left turn onto Troy Ave. — and a number of other streets). There are no visable signs, no warnings, and no time for people to make mistakes and remedy them before there is an accident — especially in the dark or bad weather. People also park on the far right and far left hand sides of the Ave. creating enormous traffic, and all of this is just “normal.”
Also, Fulton St. is just plain … nasty (for lack of a nicer word). There are hairballs racing down the sidewalks like tumbleweeds, and the litter is ankle deep around Nostrand Ave. Again, traffic is very bad.
I’ve also seen plans for Restoration Plaza. Are these plans just talk, or will they really happen? Any chance a Baby Gap and and Old Navy can be enticed to take residence? Now I digress …. although I do think it would be a neat spot for these stores.
Okay, I’m done for now. Thank you for your time.