It's a Boy's Life: Scenes From Flatbush a Century Ago (Photos)
The Flatbush Boys Club has had a presence on Bedford Avenue for more than 100 years.
A giant ball is presented by merchant Jack Schaeferm to Dr. Talbot H. LeBlanc of the Flatbush Boys Club in 1951. Photo via Brooklyn Public Library
We’ve uncovered a few images showing what life at the Flatbush Boys Club was like for Brooklyn youngsters of yore. The club, located at 2245 Bedford Avenue in Flatbush, gave young Brooklynites development programs and got them involved in sports and recreation to keep them off the streets.
The club is still going strong today. In its current Flatbush incarnation, it is known as the Thomas S. Murphy Clubhouse. It is run by the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club of America.
In this image from 1936, Club President Ralph Annis sits with members, who show off a train made out of old tin cans, part of their annual exhibition of crafts.
This shot from around 1910 to 1929 shows the Flatbush Boys Club clubhouse at 2245 Bedford Avenue. This building is no longer standing, but there is still a clubhouse on the site.
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