The Hole: Cowboys and Bodies in Brooklyn/Queens
The Hole, a section of Lindenwood along the Brooklyn-Queens border, could be an extremely unflattering name, except that the area truly is a hole: the land is 30 feet below grade, meaning the area is marshy in places and homes are built only a few feet above the water table, so they must use cesspools…
The Hole, a section of Lindenwood along the Brooklyn-Queens border, could be an extremely unflattering name, except that the area truly is a hole: the land is 30 feet below grade, meaning the area is marshy in places and homes are built only a few feet above the water table, so they must use cesspools instead of the municipal sewer system. Nathan Kensinger compiled a photo essay of this neighborhood, which is famous for bodies and for horses: bodies because it was an old mob dumping ground, and horses because they used to roam the fields of The Hole. Some horses still reside there, as does The Federation of Black Cowboys. Kensinger’s essay captures a piece of New York that is both ancient and timeless, and it reminds us how diverse the land is within the boundaries of New York City. It’s a city with an island of pick-up trucks and lobster shacks, massive skyscrapers and financial juggernauts, beaches, forests—and The Hole, a neighborhood that harks back to the Wild West.
The Hole [Nathan Kensinger]
Meet ‘The Hole,’ [Curbed]
An Urban Frontier [NY Times]
Have it designated as a wetland and make it un-buidable.
We live pretty close to this. I think I’ve seen it from the car, not sure. Parts of the area where Cypress meets the graveyards looks similar. I love to think about how back around 1880, Cooper St. was a highway going through farm fields, and it must have looked like this, with just that one red wood-sided building that’s now for sale serving as a general store-inn along the way.
BTW, there’s a really bizarre Hamptons Inn or something for truckers (and maybe crack addicts — I don’t know I never went there) on Wyckoff just before Cooper — in case you need a place to stay between explorations.
There’s not one human in any of those pictures. But, mopar, I think I found the kitchen you’re dreaming of.
I can’t believe this guy found the Hole. This is one of my old haunts, between East New York and Howard Beach. The nearest actual bar is in Howard Beach (I imagine). Closer by is the Lindenwood Diner, one of the great classic Brooklyn diners, with the jukebox on the table.
This is part of the ENY of my youth. It was very spread out, remote, far from the “city” (Manhattan) and undeveloped. As I mentioned some time ago, I grew up across the street from an operating horse stable, and many of the streets were unpaved. It was a great area to grow up in as a boy, there was always a sense of adventure and exploration about the place.
Rob, you can go there and probably be OK, but I’d advise taking the dog along and leave the Hannah Montana hat at home.
yes- definitely not like his Crown heights post.
Oh, this area is so cool…I’ve explored it several times en route out to L.I. along Linden Blvd. (although only in the car, I confess). I call it “Where the Streets Have No Name” (they do, technically, but you get the idea). Folks do look at you funny if you tool around down there, but there aren’t many folks around anyway. On foot, I think I’d like to maybe have a friendly pit bull on a leash as a companion. (Or maybe Rob on a leash?)
By the way, Jscheff, nice writing job: good cadence, evocative, well-balanced!
rob, why not just take your pit to protect you?
santa- obvious to whom?
The important question is:
Is there a bar/lounge/karaoke place in this nabe for a PLUSA outing?