"Historic Photos Of Brooklyn": A Must Have For Brooklyn Lovers

Grand Army Plaza in the early 1900's sans library and houses.
Brooklyn Museum is in the distance

Brooklyn Heights Promenade in the 1950's

Looking North on Court Street in 1942

There are three things Ms. Pardon Me is passionate about: history, photographs and Brooklyn. Combine the three, and this blogger is in heaven.
"Historic Photos Of Brooklyn" is a wonderful new book by John B. Manbeck, who was the Brooklyn Borough Historian between 1993 and 2002. He writes the "Historically Speaking" column for the Brooklyn Eagle and served as a consultant for the PBS production on Coney Island.
Compiling the most wonderful historical photos from several archives including the Library of Congress' and the Brooklyn Public library's, Manbeck delves into Brooklyn's past from 1852 through 1982. The photographs tell the story of how Brooklyn grew and matured. Manbeck's captions provide wonderful details and background information. Yes, the book includes great shots of landmarks and streetscapes, but included are also amazing photos of factory workers, school children and visitors to Coney Island. Most are very touching and truly beautiful. The book is published by Turner Publishing. Here is the book's description on their site.

Brooklyn, a magical name, both fantasy and enigma. Yet despite its reputation, Brooklyn consists of provincial, suburban neighborhoods, a small town. For over 300 years, Brooklyn suffered growing pains; but throughout, it offered hospitality, jobs, and recreation, as the photographs in this volume show. So millions crossed the East River and worked hard to build a city.

Brooklyn’s image grew and took hold: the sounds of the streets and factories, the heroism, the loyalty, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Brooklyn Dodgers. Historic Photos of Brooklyn shows how Brooklyn’s pride has traveled from decade to decade, and with this continuity, how Brooklyn has matured, building farmhouses, frame houses, skyscrapers, classrooms, brownstones, libraries, mom and pop stores, department stores, restaurants, theaters, ships, elevated trains, airplanes. Today’s residents carry on a tradition started centuries ago and highlighted in Historic Photos of Brooklyn.

I have spent a few hours already enjoying the book. So get yourself a copy. If you love Brooklyn, this one should be part of your library.

You can buy it directly from Turner Publishing here.

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