Carroll Street and Washington Ave

Subject: Carroll st and Washington Ave

Ebbets Field was actually opened around 1913 a bit before my time. We could hear the cheers from the games though. When the Dodgers left Brooklyn they really affected the area.It was all so very sad.The entire area was beautiful.We played outside while our Mom's sat on chairs.We also had the gardens right across the street.In those years the gardens, the museum and the zoo were all free.It was very safe and we could walk to all thse places without our parents and not feel like we were in danger.We used to go sledding in the back of the Brooklyn Museum where there was a steep hill.I remember my Mom taking me to the library and sometimes taking the shortcut through the gardens.If I was lucky we would stop at the swing park on the way home.The most remarkable thing I can recall were the wonderful people who looked after each other.If anyone has any questions about how it was in those years let me know.

Well I am not sure what you would like to know.I moved away from there when I was 13 and that was in 1964.I can remember the apartments being so hot in the summer and remember all of the kids would stay outside until 11 p.m. with mom's sitting on chairs. Let me tell you if anyone misbehaved it got right back to your parents so we all got along pretty well.We always had friends to play with.They painted a line on P.S. 241's wall so we all learned to play a Brooklyn version of tennis. We played punchball and spud in the concrete yard on Clara barton's property.Back then there was a concrete yard , a grassy yard and a dirt yard at Clara Barton.Sometimes we would go to little park on Classon and Washington Ave.I believe it was called Guider Park then and there was a statue of him.There wasn't anything special about the park.It was basically benches but there was a good humor man which to us was a treat.On Sundays in Winter we would go to the skating rink at Prospect Park where for 50 cents you could ice skate from 9-12.The museum also had a treat on Sunday.They had created sort of a scavenger hunt with clues concerning items in the museum.There were several pages of clues and you had to figure out what items they were and where they were in the museum.It was great to have that to do when there was nothng else going on. I never won but it kept us busy and was educational.I don't want to bore you because I can go on forever.If you can narrow down anything you would like to know I would be happy to tell you.

Subject: Prospect Park

Prospect Park was a treat.First of all I had an Aunt and Uncle who lived on Maple St. and Flatbush.He was a doctor and had his office in a huge home which was magnificent in its time.It is still there but they have long since passed away.My Grandafther would vist on Sunday and take my cousin and I to the Park on the way to visit my Aunt on Maple Street.There was a beer Garden across from the Park where people would go in and have a tsate of brooklyn brewed beer.I was too young to partake lol.Right next to the beer garden was a little kiddie park with rides so if I was lucky we stopped there.We were pretty poor so all this was a major treat.We entered Prospect Park on Flatbush not far from the train station if you know where I mean. Inside the Park po course was the zoo.Back then all the animals were in cages except for the bears.There was an elderly man who had a horse drawn cart and once in a long while we got to ride on it.I have no recollection of how much it cost.Ther were alos hot peanuts in the shells for sale for 5 cents which my grandfather always had money for.I ate some and saved the rest to toss at the elephants at the zoo.I loved seeing the Lefferts House which to me made my imagination soar trying to picture what Brooklyn had been like in the 1600's when this family owned thousands of acres.Back then there was free admission.I always loved the Merry-go-round too and it had to be on the horses that went up and down. Long meadow which is in the Park always gave me a taste of what life would be like without the concrete; the Park and the gardens was our touch of the country.It was having the country right there at your doorstep and still be in the City we loved.My brother hated school and spent many hours in the Park when he should have been learning.He would fish at the lake and one time he brought home snapping turtles which he kindly decided to put in my bath water right before I was to take a bath ( I wasn't amused and neither was my Mom).The Park had paddle boats which were too expensive at the time to rent even though I am sure it was minimal.Did you know that long meadow was still being used for sheep during World War II and they grazed there without anyone stealing them lol

I can go on and on!!!

I live in Georgia.There was and never will be anything like Brooklyn.I just wish the people that currently live there would learn to study hard, to respect others, and to achieve their goals with honesty and integrity.Please do not misunderstand what I am saying here because I am sure that all of you do that.I do know that a few years after I moved away, the streets were no longer safe.I pray that all of you will restore the area to the grandeur it once was. There was a time when "Brooklyn Was the World."

Subject: Re: ebbets field

old Brooklynite wrote: ebbets field was the baseball stadium where the Brooklyn Dodgers played before they were sold to Los Angeles.It was located on Sullivan Place near Flatbush Ave.Sullivan Place which was also where first base was, left field was on Montgomery Street Right Field was on Bedford Ave.NY had 3 baseball teams then, but the dodgers well they were ours.When the Dodgers left Brooklyn , we didn't just lose a baseball team. It really put a damper on our spirit, and I was a little girl.There are apartment buildings where the ballpark once stood.They were supposed to be luxury buildings when they first opened but they weren't renting enough so asked the city for help.The city helped with subsidies and lower income people moved in.

This is pretty interesting because I know someone who lives here right this minute. So he's living on Historical Landsite, huh? It's really interesting to hear from the mature generation and to hear how things used to be. Thanks.

sweet tea,
I do not recall anything called the Vale of Cashmere.Either we did not have a name for it or it didn't exist then.Sorry.I am sure with all my visits there I never covered all the acres lol

old Brooklynite wrote: You are very welcome.I just hope I am not boring you all with all this ancient stuff.There is a sign on those buildings stating that it was once Ebbets field.Prior to it being a baseball stadium, it was a garbage dump, so they bought the land cheap.The area was called pigtown because there were so many pig farms.The thing about getting old is you start thinking about what it was all like when you were young.There is an old woman looking back at you in the mirror, but inside you still feel young.

You are so sweet! Of course you are not boring me and I'm sure others are finding all of this so interesting. You know that is how we learn from one another and that is by listening. It's so unfamiliar and just unimaginable that the area could be so family and community oriented, a far cry from now. It's like nostalgic. Keep the stories coming and be Blessed!!!

Subject: P.S. 241

rob2sj,

hmm we probably knew each other