"She is a dangerous woemen"

Ahh the wonders of Google. I found this Newsday article about Lady Deborah Moody. Like most of her fellow immigrants Lady Moody moved to the New World to escape religious persecution in England. However the life she found amongst the Puritans in 1639 Massachusetts Bay Colony was just as oppressive. She believed in Anabaptism which stated that baptism should only occur when one is an adult believer. This didn't fly with the Puritans and it got her excommunicated. The quote above came from some official who thought she was rocking the boat too much. Along with other followers she moved to New Amsterdam (NYC today). The Dutch were either a little more understanding or perhaps just wanted to get rid of her and granted her her own town patent in 1645, which also gave her and her fellow members complete religious freedom. But Lady Moody did not stop there. According to the Newsday article the first Quaker (another much persecuted group) meeting in the colonies occurred in Gravesend thanks to her invitation. I feel her story is worthy of a book! The Newsday article is much more detailed: http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs304a,0,5912509.story,

People do live here!

I swear! I just noticed that every photograph I have taken has not a living soul in it. LOL. Like I said before I am only around the neighborhood at odd hours of the day but there is life here...

A little bit of Herstory

Gravesenders are really proud of their history and they won't let you forget it. I finally stopped to read what I thought was a WWII memorial and saw this written on the back. I wonder when they will open the time capsule and what horrors from the 80s it might contain. Rhinestone denim jacket anyone?

I heart Pigeons

It feels like ages since I have been able to spend a leisurely morning at home. As I drank my coffee and stared out my kitchen window I noticed a flock of pigeons flying in circles in the sky. I know that is not an unusual sight. What surprised me was actually seeing them all land on somebody's roof where I saw a number of pigeon coops. A man was there feeding some of the pigeons and checking the cages. Apparently my neighbor raises or trains pigeons which to me is pretty cool. I wanted to take a picture but thought better of it. I am not sure if it's legal to raise pigeons and I wouldn't want to get him in trouble. I know to a lot of people view pigeons as just rats with wings but I am a pigeon sympathizer. Every time I see one hurt, if I can, I try to bring it home and help it heal. It's nice to know I am not the only one who admires them around these parts. You have to admit they are the ultimate NYC survivors. So kudos to the roof top man and the lady next door who feeds them like clockwork every morning. Oh and if you heart pigeons too check out this site: nycprc.org/

With Halloween Just Around the Corner...

While doing research about Gravesend Cemetery I found this event on the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation:

Sunday, Oct 28, 2007
Haunted NYC: Gravesend Cemetery
7:00 p.m.
GRAVESEND TRIANGLE
GRAVESEND NECK RD, E 2 ST & AVE V
Category: Concerts, Performances, and Films, Culture and Art, Education, Free, Kids

I am quite a sucker for haunted tours. They are fun and hopefully I will learn tons more about the area.

A forgotten part of history

The first time that Gravesend's history piked my interest was when I came upon a cemetery on one of my walks. It is located on Village Road S. and Lake Street about a block away from the Avenue U stop on the F train. Surrounded by picturesque homes, the cemetery almost takes up a whole block with a few houses bordering it. Through the gates one can see that most of the gravestones have been worn down by time, the most recent ones appear to be from the 1930s. Although not open to the public broken bottles and plastic bags still managed to find their way inside the grounds. Two plaques explain the cemetery’s history. The latest plaque being from 1976. I think it is time for an upgrade. But that is besides the point. I was really struck by the fact that Gravesend was established in 1643! Not only that it was founded by a woman: Lady Deborah Moody. I felt like I had found a forgotten and important part of history.

Sunday Stroll

In between work and school it has been very hard for me to appreciate where I live. Most of my week is spent commuting between Manhattan (where I work) and Queens (where I attend school). I am hoping that this blog will motivate me to take some time out to just walk around and explore the area. Today was the first such opportunity in a long time and I decided to take my camera with me. This shot I took off the Avenue U stop on the F train. Far away you can see the top of the Verrazano Bridge and right below is a great Italian restaurant: Joe's Of Avenue U. I think it is well known. On Sundays they are closed but next time I go I will be sure to copy down the names of some great dishes. Nothing fancy, just good comfort food.

From Hell's Kitchen to Gravesend

Having grown up in Hell’s Kitchen (oh excuse me, Clinton) Manhattan it came as quite a shock to me to realize that I could not actually afford to live there anymore. After failing to convince my parents to move to the suburbs and my husband nixed the idea of paying $1,500 for a closet-sized studio (it’s doable) I grudgingly agreed to settle in Brooklyn, near the second to last stop to Coney Island on the N line, in a neighborhood called Gravesend. My commuting time jumped up to an hour, make that two after 11 p.m., and I waved goodbye to late night takeout. But, having lived here for a little over a year now, I’ve finally stopped thinking of this neighborhood as the end of the world (although friends and family make it seem like it when you ask them to visit) and I’ve started to appreciate all that this working class immigrant neighborhood has to offer: great history, good food and stores with character. So this blog is to you Gravesend!