If elections were about enthusiasm and not counting votes Suraj Patel would probably defeat twelve-term incumbent Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney in the June 26th Democratic primary for the twelfth congressional district, […]
Posts by Author Archives: Geoff Cobb
Geoffrey Cobb is a Brooklyn high school history teacher and writer of the blog historicgreenpoint.wordpress.com. He has lived in Greenpoint for over 20years and is the author of a book on the history of the area, "Greenpoint Brooklyn's Forgotten Past."
Posted inHistorical Greenpoint
Tom Gilbert, Greenpoint’s Prolific Baseball Historian
It is richly ironic that Tom Gilbert’s home on North Henry Street lies in what was once the outfield of the Manor House, where Greenpoint’s legendary national championship team, the […]
Posted inHistorical Greenpoint
NYC’s Famed Gourmet Food Purveyor Balducci’s Began with a Pushcart in Greenpoint
Last week Andrew Balducci, the man who built Balducci’s into the premier produce store in the city, died at ninety-two years of age. Balducci achieved his fame and fortune in […]
Posted inHistorical Greenpoint
The Great Blizzard of 1888 in Greenpoint
Monday, March 12th marks the hundred and thirtieth anniversary of the greatest storm ever to hit Greenpoint: The Great Blizzard of 1888. Snowfalls of 20–60 inches fell locally, and sustained […]
Posted inHistorical Greenpoint
A Stroll Down Historic Huron Street
Huron was originally just called H Street, but it was changed to Huron in the 1850s, possibly in honor of a locally built steamship the U.S.S Huron, or it could […]
Posted inHistorical Greenpoint
Oil, Philanthropy, The Astral and Art: The Mixed Local Legacy of Charles Pratt
Perhaps there is no person in the long history of Greenpoint who had a bigger effect on our area than Charles Pratt. Pratt’s legacy, though is a mixed one: a […]
Posted inHistorical Greenpoint
The Fascinating and Tragic History of The Wythe Hotel
The Wythe Hotel at North 11th Street and Wythe Avenue is a symbol of cool in trendy Williamsburg. The building is a combination of old and new, with a three […]
Posted inHistorical Greenpoint
The Story Behind Brooklyn’s Iconic Water Tanks
PARIS has its world famous Eiffel Tower. Pisa, of course has its leaning tower and London has its ancient tower. What about New York? We have towers, too, but here, […]
Posted inEat & Drink
The Miracle on Manhattan Avenue: Viking Fever at Lake Street
None of the Vikings fans crowded into the bar will ever forget Sunday January 14th on Manhattan Avenue, and the football miracle that happened that day. Lake Street (706 Manhattan […]
Posted inHistorical Greenpoint
The Greenpointer Who Led a Prison Break from Sing-Sing
For years his wanted poster had hung in the Meserole Avenue Police station, but there was not a trace of Charles Bergstrom to be found. Bergstrom was wanted for being […]