Brooklyn

Brooklyn Heights Piers, with views of Manhattan skyline
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Heights_Promenade.jpg
Author: R.scholz


Brooklyn is the most populous borough of New York City. Located on the westernmost tip of Long Island, it covers 71 sq mi (183 sq km) and has a population of 2.6 million people. It is the most populous borough of New York City and the second most densely populated after Manhattan. If Brooklyn were a separate city, it would be the fourth largest city in the United States.

Brooklyn was indeed an independent city until it was merged with New York City in 1898. The whole of Brooklyn is also within the same boundary as Kings County of New York State. As with Manhattan, Brooklyn has many ethnic neighbourhoods. There are communities of Italians, Russians, Jews, West Indians, and more, each with its own enclave in Brooklyn.

As was the case with Manhattan, Brooklyn was first settled by the Dutch, who established the first settlement there in 1624. Brooklyn got its name from the town of Breukelen, in Utrecht, in the Netherlands. The village of Breuckelen was established in the Brooklyn area - then part of New Netherland - in 1646.

New Netherland was lost by the Dutch to the British in 1664. The British then reorganized the area, now called the Province of New York, into twelve counties, of which one was called Kings County. In the early days, Breuckelen was a village within Kings County, which was named in honor of King Charles II of England. Over time, its name evolved to Brockland, Brocklin, Brookline, Brookland, and eventually Brooklyn.

Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, Brooklyn
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Williamsburgh_Savings_Bank_Tower_9128.jpg
Author: Gryffindor


The early part of the 19th century saw rapid development along the waterfront of the East River facing Manhattan. Kings County had two main cities, Brooklyn and Williamsburgh. In 1854, Brooklyn annexed Williamsburgh, which thereafter is spelled Williamsburg. In 1894, the people of Brooklyn voted to join Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens and Richmond, to form the five boroughs of New York City. In the next two years, Brooklyn grew to reach the municipal boundaries of Kings County.

Today more than half the population of Brooklyn are actually working in Manhattan. Brooklyn itself receives a spillover of services industries from Manhattan, such as in financial back-office operations. Until the 1970's, manufacturing formed the backbone of the economy, which has since shifted towards services.

Holy Family and St Thomas Aquinas Church, Brooklyn
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:4th_Av_9th_St_BMT_stair_jeh.jpg
Author: Jim.henderson

Visiting Brooklyn

You can reach Brooklyn easily by subway from Manhattan and Queens. Most of the subway lines from Manhattan that continues into Brooklyn stop at the Atlantic Avenue Subway Station, the largest subway station in the network outside Manhattan.

If you are going by car or taxi, Manhattan is connected to Brooklyn by the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge and the Williamsburg Brige. Brooklyn is also connected to Staten Island by the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.

Sights in Brooklyn

Places in Brooklyn

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