Brooklyn was an independent city until January 1, 1898 when, according to the Charter of Greater New York, Brooklyn was consolidated with the other boroughs to form the modern City of New York. It continues to maintain a distinct culture, independent art scene, and unique architectural heritage. Many Brooklyn neighborhoods are ethnic enclaves where particular ethnic groups and cultures predominate. Brooklyn’s official motto is Eendraght Maeckt Maght. Written in the (early modern spelling of the) Dutch language, it is inspired by the motto of the United Dutch Provinces (currently the official motto of Belgium) and translated “Unity makes strength”. The motto is displayed on the borough seal and flag, which also feature a young robed woman bearing fasces, a traditional emblem of Republicanism. Brooklyn’s official colors are blue and gold.

Brooklyn Heights:

The neighborhood is largely composed of block after block of picturesque rowhouses and a few mansions. A great range of architectural styles is represented, including a few Federal-style houses from the early 19th century in the northern part of the neighborhood, brick Greek Revival and Gothic Revival houses, and Italianate brownstones. A number of houses, particularly along Pierrepont Street and Pierrepont Place are authentic mansions. Brooklyn Heights was the first neighborhood protected by the 1965 Landmarks Preservation Law of New York City.  Brooklyn Heights stretches from Old Fulton Street near the Brooklyn Bridge south to Atlantic Avenue and from the East River east to Court Street and Cadman Plaza.

Points of Interest:

Brooklyn Bridge Park: Spans 85 acres of the East River waterfront in the Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO neighborhoods of Brooklyn. The park is divided into eleven sections: Piers 1 through 6, Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn Bridge Plaza, Empire Fulton Ferry, Main Street, and John Street. Each of these sections features unique topographies, plantings, amenities, and cultural artifacts and installations. Piers 1 and 6, Empire Fulton Ferry, Fulton Ferry Landing, and Main Street are currently open to the public. Two Civil War-era structures, Empire Stores and the Tobacco Warehouse, have also been integrated into the park.

New York Transit Museum: Is a museum which displays historical artifacts of the New York City Subway, bus, commuter rail, and bridge and tunnel systems; it is located in a decommissioned Court Street subway station in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of New York City. There is a smaller satellite annex in Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan.

Brooklyn Historical Society:  128 Pierrepoint Street, is a museum, library, and educational center preserving and encouraging the study of Brooklyn’s rich 400-year past. Founded in 1863, it is located at the corner Pierrepoint and Clinton Street in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. It houses materials relating to the history of Brooklyn and its people. These holdings supply exhibitions illuminating the past and informing the future. Brooklyn Historical Society hosts over 9,000 members of the general public at its exhibitions each year.

Park Slope

The neighborhood takes its name from its location on the western slope of neighboring Prospect Park. Park Slope features historic buildings, top-rated restaurants, bars, and shops, as well as proximity to Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and the Central Library (as well as the Park Slope branch) of the Brooklyn Public Library system.Park Slope is roughly bounded by Prospect Park West to the east, Fourth Avenue to the west, Flatbush Avenue to the north, and Prospect Expressway to the south, though other definitions are sometimes offered.  Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue are its primary commercial streets, while its east-west side streets are populated by many brownstones. Park Slope is considered one of New York City’s most desirable neighborhoods. It was ranked number 1 in New York by New York Magazine in 2010, citing its quality public schools, dining, nightlife, shopping, access to public transit and creative capital.

Points of Interests:

Prospect Park:  95 Prospect Park West, Is a 585-acre urban oasis located in the heart of Brooklyn, New York City’s most populous borough. The masterpiece of famed landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who also designed Central Park, Prospect Park features the 90-acre Long Meadow, the 60-acre Lake and Brooklyn’s only forest. The nation’s first urban Audubon Center, the Prospect Park Zoo, and the Celebrate Brooklyn! Performing Arts Festival are just a few of the cultural attractions that make their home here at the Park.