The Brooklyn Encyclopedia

Deep History

Geological, cultural and urban evolution of Brooklyn

From the Wisconsin glaciation and the Canarsee of Lenapehoking to Dutch settlement, slavery, war and industry, this volume traces how Brooklyn was formed. It ends with the razor-thin 1894 vote that made Brooklyn part of Greater New York.

10 chapters
28 min read
2 tables
83 sources
Updated Friday, October 9

Start reading

Introduction: Brooklyn Across Deep TimeFrom Pleistocene ice sheets to the consolidation of Greater New York, this volume follows the long arc that made Brooklyn.1 min read
Geological Foundations: The Legacy of the Wisconsin GlaciationIce, meltwater and rising seas shaped the ridges, plains and coasts on which Brooklyn would be built.3 min read
The Indigenous Era: Lenapehoking and the Canarsee CultureLong before European contact, the Canarsee lived within Lenapehoking, shaping the paths, seasons and waters of Brooklyn.3 min read
European Colonization: The Dutch "Six Towns" and the Wyckoff HouseDutch purchases created the Six Towns of Kings County, from the Wyckoff House to Lady Moody's tolerant Gravesend.5 min read
The Dark Engine of Prosperity: Slavery in Kings CountyBrooklyn's farms fed Manhattan, but that agricultural output depended on the brutal exploitation of enslaved African labor.2 min read
The Revolutionary War: Battle Pass and the Prison Ship MartyrsThe Battle of Long Island and the prison ships of Wallabout Bay left Brooklyn with a lasting memory of sacrifice.3 min read
Weeksville: The Architecture of Black LiberationFounded in 1838, Weeksville became one of the largest independent free Black communities in the pre-Civil War United States.3 min read
The 19th Century: The "City of Churches" and the Civil War EraIn the mid-nineteenth century Brooklyn became a dense, influential city whose civic energy powered the Union war effort.2 min read
The Industrial Colossus: Shipyards, Sugar, and SuperfundsShipyards, refineries and factories made Brooklyn an industrial giant, and left a heavy human and environmental legacy.3 min read
The 1894 Consolidation: The Razor's Edge of Greater New YorkA referendum won by just 277 votes ended Brooklyn's life as an independent city and fed its fierce local pride.3 min read

All 83 sources of this volume

← All volumes

Contents

Stay in the loop