by Geoff Cobb 
To understand the history of Greenpoint and Williamsburg you have to grasp the massive role that refining played in this heavily industrial corner of North Brooklyn. Our area became the world’s largest refiner of oil and sugarand the owners of these refineries became unbelievably wealthy. A lot of writers have told the story of local oil refining, but until now there has…
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Greenpointers has covered Greenpoint & Williamsburg since 2007 — community boards, rezoning fights, local businesses, and the people whose lives and work give the neighborhood its character. Local news is collapsing across the country, but we're still here: independently owned, no corporate backing, no paywall. 18+ years, 280k+ monthly readers and followers, funded by the community we serve.
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Do you have any info about the oil tanks fire? It was at the Mobil oil refinery. I was just a child. My dad worked there. All the employees helped battle the fire. We crowded around to watch it. That probably wasn’t very safe.