Strolling Through Bushwick
Last Saturday, I had the good fortune to attend the walking tour of Bushwick that Jeremy advertised in an earlier posting. Led by Adam Schwartz, curator of the Up From Flames exhibition at the Brooklyn Historical Society, the tour also featured fascinating commentary by John A. Dereszewski, who was a community leader in Bushwick during the worst of the arson and looting of ‘77.
Some walking tours have the feel of a not-particularly-exciting history dissertation, but this was not one of them. Schwartz and Co. mainly focused on the turbulent history of the neighborhood, from the slow decline of the late 60s and early 70s to the rejuvenation that followed in the wake of the crack epidemic and the inevitable gentrification that seems to be the fate of many a Brooklyn neighborhood.
Though we did not visit some fairly notable sites like St. Barbara’s Church (one of New York’s greatest houses of worship, in my opinion), the tour explored neighborhood stalwarts like the Hope Gardens housing project, described as “highly successful,” and the reorganized Bushwick High School, both of which point to better things for the residents of Bushwick. At the same time, the hideous condo development on Grove St., which was another stop on the tour, suggests that many of these residents won’t be around to enjoy the improving quality of life.
I am not a resident of Bushwick, but I do work here, and I am very curious about what readers think the future holds in store. Will the new residents and those who survived Bushwick’s lowest points find a balance, as has been the case in Fort Greene (where I reside) and Ditmas Park (where I used to teach)? Or will the tide of new development simply erase the past — as it has in Puerto Rican pockets of Park Slope or countless ethnic neighborhoods in Manhattan?
Please note that the photographs below were taken by the excellent photographer, and good friend of mine, J. Murray Fox. Click on each one for a larger view.
Don’t forget the next walking tour, a collaborative tour of Northern Bushwick on August 11th.
And despite the lack of resources new arrivals had, many of them were still able to find descent sources of income and buy homes (or even several homes, becoming landlords themselves). But there simply have not been enough opportunities for everyone, or even most people in the area, and many of the opportunities that did exist have systematically been removed.
Is the Bushwick walking tour still on 8/11? If so what time and where does it start? Thanks.
Lori, here’s the info.
hi jeremy - when I go to that link you provided, I still cannot see what time this walking tour starts and exactly where it starts other than the author saying “we would like to start at Central Avenue station on the M line”.
Sorry to be such a nudge but I don’t want to miss it. I was also not able to respond to the author of that link for some reason and just ask him the question myself so that is why I am bugging you again-apologies.
Here, Lori, try this link. Reading down the thread it looks like the start time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
While I enjoy his string of posts, I don’t have a clue what underlying point Chris is trying to make.
Yup, agreed on most points. And?
To make that clear:
1PM Saturday August 8th (2007)
Corner Irving and Starr, NE corner of Maria Hernandez (knickerbocker) park.
thanks for the clarification Adam - looking forward to it
Adam, I believe you meant Sat 8/11?
yep…11th
Hey! We just saw you strollers a bit ago! Corner of Central/Jeffy. I almost stopped the car in the middle of the street to yell at you but dind’t want to cause an accident
Sidebar: we were drivng back from the farmer’s market at McCarren park. The farmer’s market at Maria has been a dissapointment so far, but woah Nelly the W’burg market is of the charts right now. amazing!
It was a great tour. Small enough for almost everyone to have a say in it and for people to meet each other! Seeing English Kills was really a trip. Learning about the different types of architecture and the backstory to some areas was interesting.
Glad you could be a part of it, Armstrong. It succeeded in the participatory aspect, I agree. Also, to leave the northern part of Bushwick out of the tours would be a shame, since that is where the community’s future lies.
Just a note that I really enjoyed the walking tour and learning about my new neighborhood last Saturday. Really fantastic you guys are doing this.
chris you are a publically funded racist. why not quit you publiccally funded job and open a factory in Bushwick that will employ and bring money into the community, ignorant and educated. I nknow whny you wont same reason no one else will. Do you know why?
i just wanted to know if there were any good german restaurants in the area and googled “bushwick german restaurants” and this blog came up. I couldn’t find the post that had to do with the german restaurant.
However, I am currently experiencing something that may be of interest to some who posted here. although, it seems the last post was just about a year ago and no one will probably even read this.
But first I will share some of my personal history
My grandparents grew up here, on farms. Then they were pushed out and they moved further out into Long Island. A LOT of the Germans who left Bushwick settled out in Yaphank, Suffolk County, Long Island not just Florida or whatever the hell someone here wrote. Look a little closer to home why dont ya for christ sake and you might find some great historical accounts of this area back when it was german; my grandmother and all her knitting pals for effin instance! theres this huge illusion amongst nyc residents in general that Long Island is completely 100 percent rich white people and that its history is somehow magically completely seperate from that of nyc proper. I’m here to dispel these myths first. I am from a poor white family from Long Island, I grew up in a nieghborhood of blue collar working class people. The Hamptons do not consititute all of Long Island AT ALL AT ALL AT ALL AT ALL!!!!! I am so sick of that perception first of all you have no freakin clue, jesus christ goddamn it!
anyway. in terms of white working class people being accepted into the current community I have to share my experience since I am a white working class (of german-bushwick descent even) person who has recently moved back to where his grandparents first lived after immigrating from Bavaria, Germany. There will be people here who will be fine with you and not care really as long as you dont bother them or interfere in how they put food in their stomachs. Then there are people who think that driving you out is their manifest destiny and that they will be hailed as a legendary hero of ages for doing so (I actually think “hipsters” and affluent white people who want so desperately to run away from their priveleged backgrounds (which I also do not comprehend) have a lot to do with the creation of these peculiar personalities); these people CANNOT be reasoned with and will not comprehend any type of rational thought for they are comeplete and utter racist psychopaths. For them white=rich automatically and they are likely true racists as well.
May I remind people that 1 in 100 is a verifiable actual psychopath as defined by the american psychological association or whatever that org is called. And crazy people (not trying to be facetious here) will more likely be found in economically depressed areas, for such areas can literally drive people insane under the right conditions.
Where was I? I think I got a little sidetracked. Theres just SO much to unpack here and So much that I can speak directly to from my life experience its ridiculous. lol
Yes. Ok. So I have found that, as I’ve noted, there are people who wont care as long you as leave them alone. There are rational sane people capable of logical thought who will be friendly and welcoming. Then there are the literally crazy racists who think it their divine duty to drive all the white devils out. Do not fool yourself into thinking these people do not exist. Dont be naive; its not becoming of a new yorker frankly. The trick really is distinguishing between these personality types and then avoiding the people who have unfortunately succumbed to mental illness for various reasons. What you have to watch out for are con-artist types who will pretend they are friendly, but who really worship farakhan or some other similiar racist/homophobic/mysogynic(sp)leader. This can be difficult depending on the given con-artist’s acting and lying abilities (sometimes I muse and think hollywood should come to the ghetto if it wants some really astoundingly talented actors and actresses lol)
anyway I am currently being subjected to the abuse of racists who are want me out to the area because I am white. I dont like to do this to a whole group of people, but frankly the truth should and needs to be told. In my experience, the Jamaicans and people of carribean descent in the area are most likely to be racist and will most likely not be willing to entertain rational thought. A lot of these people have truly bizarre beliefs measaured by the standards of your average nyc resident. Many of them will not even speak to you if you are white. They will not listen to anything you have to say. There is truly NO TALKING to a lot of these people. I dont know why this is and I dont care, but its true. So in my estimation, and from my experience, if you are a white working class person, you should avoid areas heavily populated by people from Jamacia and the Carribbean, for many of them are complete and utter racists who will have no respect for you AT ALL, will try and make your life hell and drive you from the area simply because you are white.
so are there any german restaurants left here? lmao
IT IS NICE TO SEE A MAJESTIC CHURCH STILL STANDING AFTER ALL THE CRIME FIRES IN THE 1970S SAINT BARBARAS R C CHURCH OUTSTANDING INTERIOR AND ARCHITURAL DETAILS NEW YOURK TIMES SAID ONCE ITS THE VATCAN OF BROOKYN I CAN’T AGREE ANY MORE!!!!!SANG THERE 50S 60S TILL 1971 WENT TO SCHOOL THERE AS WELL THE AREA WAS GERMAN ITALAN IRISH POLISH DECENTS WHAT GREAT MEMORIES I HAVE OF THIS BEAUTY OF A CHURCH!!!THEY DID THE INTERIOR AND EX TERIOR IN 1993 100TH YEAR STANDING AND IN 1955 THEY ALSO DID THE INTERIOR OVER AS I RE CALL …..I WAS THERE FOR THERE 75 ANVS, AND 100TH ANV GOD BLESS SAINT BARBARAS YOU CAME ALONG WAY!!!!!!!!!! TO THINK THEY ALMOST CLOSED ITS DOORS FOR GOOD IN 1979 HOW SAD {FRED MEGLIO}
I was born and raised in Bushwick. My maternal grandparents lived right across the street from St. Barbara’s, on Bleeker street. My Mom and her 2 brothers wher baptized there, as was I and my 3 siblings. My parents were also married there. I lived in Bushwick in the 60’s and 70’s. I have lived in Manhttan since 1982 although I still own property in Bushwick and visit quite often. While I have seen change over the years, I still think that Bushwick has a very long way to go. It is clearly no longer the Bushwick of my youth, thank goodness, but one stills needs to watch themselves there, especially after dark. But hopefully, as gentrification continues, it will one day rival neighboring Williamsburg.
BORN AND RAISED 1403 GATES AVE BUSHWICK BROOKYN 50S 60S 70S LEFT IN 1979 FOR GOOD SAINT BARBARAS R C CHURCH OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!! BEAUTY OF A BUILDING INSIDE AND OUT SANG IN THAT CHURCH 60S 70S CHOIR SCHOOL AND WHAT GREAT MEMORYS I HAVE, IN HER GLORY DAYS I HEAR AND READ THEY CALL SAINT BARBARAS CHURCH THE VATACAN OF BROOKYN SISTER OF ST DOMNIC GREAT TEACHERS I HAVE MANY PHOTOS OF THIS CHURCH INSIDE AND OUT THE CHURCH IS OVER 100 YEARS OLD I THINK AROUND 120 YEARS OLD NOW GREAT POSTINGS I MUST SAY FRED~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~