Flatbush, Brooklyn

[[Image:RPDC Flatbush jeh.JPG|thumb|[[Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Flatbush]], founded in 1654]] '''Flatbush''' is a community of the [[Political subdivisions of New York State|Borough]] of [[Brooklyn]], a part of New York City, consisting of several neighborhoods. The name ''Flatbush'' is an Anglicization of the [[Dutch language]] ''Vlacke bos'' (vlacke = vlak = flat; "flat woodland" or "wooded plain"). The Flatbush Post Office is assigned postal zone ([[ZIP Code]]) 11226, but the area understood as included in Flatbush extends into other postal zones. The Flatbush community has been receiving an influx of immigrants from the [[Caribbean|Caribbean (West Indies)]], mostly from [[Haiti]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]], [[Jamaica]], [[Grenada]], [[Guyana]], [[Barbados]], [[Saint Lucia]], [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]], [[Dominica]], [[Antigua and Barbuda]], [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]] and [[Belize]],{{Citation needed|date=June 2008}} since the 1980s, as well as immigrants from India and African countries like Ghana, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Kenya. Haitians are the largest ethnic group in Flatbush. Prior to the arrival of these groups, the Flatbush community had already been diverse, with many Italians, African-Americans and Jews. Flatbush is patrolled by the [[NYPD]]'s 67th and 70th Precincts. ===Pre-1900=== Flatbush was originally chartered as the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] [[New Netherlands|Nieuw Nederland]] colony town of ''Midwout'' in 1651. Both names were used in the Dutch era, and Midwood was an alternative name for Flatbush into the early 20th century. [[Midwood, Brooklyn|Midwood]] now describes the area immediately south of Brooklyn College. Midwood's residents predominately feature a mix of [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jews]] and [[Irish American]]s. Flatbush and the five other towns of what was to become Kings County were surrendered to the English in 1664. The influence of Dutch [[merchant]] and [[farm]]ing families remained strong in the area until after consolidation into the [[City of Greater New York]] in 1898, after which the development of Flatbush as a [[suburb]], and then an integral part of the larger city, proceeded apace. [[File:Flatbush Public Library, Brooklyn, 1915.png|thumb|Flatbush Public Library in 1915]] Before it was incorporated into the [[Brooklyn#History|City of Brooklyn]] in 1894, ''Flatbush'' described both the [[Political subdivisions of New York State#Town|Town]] of Flatbush, incorporating a large swath of central Kings County extending east to the [[Queens|Queens County]] border, and the [[Political subdivisions of New York State#Village|Village]] of Flatbush, formerly the heart of the current community. Many of the remaining early Dutch structures are in the [[Flatlands, Brooklyn|Flatlands]] and [[Marine Park, Brooklyn|Marine Park]] neighborhoods. ===Post-1900=== In the first half of the 20th century, Flatbush had a sizable population of Irish-Americans, Italian-Americans and Jews. Much as it is today, it was a working class neighborhood. A vast portion of Flatbush residents closely followed the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]], which at the time were not only the team of Brooklyn but also of Flatbush in particular. [[Duke Snider]] was known as “the Duke of Flatbush”. However, by 1958 the Dodgers left Brooklyn, and [[Ebbets Field]] was eventually torn down. Due to shifting neighborhood boundaries, Ebbets Field today would technically be in [[Crown Heights, Brooklyn|Crown Heights]], as the ballpark was located just north of Empire Boulevard. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Flatbush [[White flight|experienced a shift in demographics]] as it went from being a mostly White, Irish, Italian and Jewish community to a mostly Black, West Indian community. While most sections of Flatbush were working class before the demographic shift, there were a few affluent areas. Prospect Park South had a sizable number of more affluent homeowners, and more than a few doctors resided on a stretch of Parkside Avenue immediately adjacent to Prospect Park. However by the mid-1980s, there were a number of abandoned or semi-abandoned buildings in the community, with a number of apartment houses falling into a state of disrepair. Many of the affluent residents left Flatbush and were replaced by lower income residents. While crime had generally always been a problem in the community (e.g., a number of stores on Flatbush and Church Avenues were looted during the [[1977 blackout]]), a [[Crack epidemic (United States)|drug epidemic]] ravaged Flatbush during the 1980s and early 1990s. The area around the Parade Grounds was particularly notorious for drug turf wars and shootouts. Street gangs were also prevalent in Flatbush. [[Columbia Pictures]] shot some of the 1974 film ''[[The Lords of Flatbush]]'' here, and [[CBS]] aired a short-lived [[sitcom]] named ''Flatbush'' in 1979, based somewhat on ''[[The Lords of Flatbush]]'', but set in contemporary times. ==Demographics of zip code 11226== The following are [[U.S. Census Bureau]] figures for the principal zip code area of Flatbush, 11226. ''They exclude major portions of Flatbush that extend into other zip code areas.'' As of the 2000 U.S. Census, there were 37,132 housing units with 106,154 people living in zip code 11226. Of those 79.8% were [[Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 14% were [[Hispanic]] or [[Latino]], 6.5% were [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.8% were [[Asian people|Asian]], 0.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 5.7% were some other race and 4.9% were two or more races. Of the population 25 and older 64.5% are [[High School]] graduates or higher and 12.4% have a [[Bachelor's degree]] or higher. 39.9% speak a [[language]] other than English at home. The median [[family income]] in zip code 11226 as of 1999 was $30,985, the median [[per capita income]] was $13,052. 23.2% of residents in this area were below the [[poverty]] level. ==Flatbush today== [[Image:Flatbditmasjeh.JPG|thumb|Victorian Flatbush, at Ditmas Avenue east of Coney Island Avenue]] While Flatbush today is predominantly African American and West Indian, there are sizable numbers of Caucasians, Latinos and Arabs living within its borders. While a majority of residents are working class, there are also middle-class and wealthier residents who call Flatbush home. The primary commercial strips are Flatbush, Church and Nostrand Avenues, with Coney Island Avenue also emerging as a major strip. One can find [[Caribbean]], [[Soul food]], [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese]], [[Cuisine of Mexico|Mexican]] and [[South Asian]] restaurants. Most of the businesses are small ones, with some larger businesses also present, such as Old Navy, Rite-Aid, Stop & Shop, Staples, GameStop, and Target. Flatbush housing varies in character. It generally features apartment buildings, though some rowhouses are also present. Victorian-style (albeit older) housing can be found in Prospect Park South, and brownstones in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. ==Notable institutions== Well-known institutions within Flatbush include [[Erasmus Hall High School]], [[Parade Grounds]], the [[Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church]], [[Brooklyn College]], and [[Ebbets Field]] (demolished in 1960), the last Brooklyn home of the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] baseball team, as well as [[Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin]] and the [[Mir yeshiva (Brooklyn)|Mirrer Yeshiva]]. Due to imprecisely defined, shifting boundaries, the Ebbets Field site would be considered today by some to be in Crown Heights. ==Location and neighborhoods== [[Image:Ebbets Field aerial.JPG|thumb|Though it existed in what is arguably now Crown Heights, [[Ebbets Field]] will likely forever be linked with the borough of Brooklyn and the community of Flatbush.]] Flatbush includes the southernmost portion of [[Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York|Prospect Park]]. The neighborhoods of Flatbush extend south from the old Brooklyn City Line north of the southern edges of Prospect Park, the [[Brooklyn Botanic Garden]] and Empire Boulevard. The southern border of Flatbush neighborhoods is approximately on the line of the [[Long Island Rail Road]]'s Bay Ridge Line, which runs to the south of Avenue H, the campus of [[Brooklyn College]], and "The Junction" where [[Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn)|Flatbush]] and Nostrand Avenues intersect. "The Junction" is also the location of [[Brooklyn College–Flatbush Avenue (IRT Nostrand Avenue Line)|Brooklyn College–Flatbush Avenue]] station, the southern terminal of the [[IRT Nostrand Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS Nostrand}}) of the [[New York City Subway]] and the Junction Mall. Flatbush's eastern border is roughly around New York Avenue , while its western border is [[Coney Island Avenue]]. Neighborhoods within Flatbush include the planned communities of [[Prospect Park South]], [[Beverley Square West]], [[Beverley Square East]], [[Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn|Prospect-Lefferts Gardens]], [[Ditmas Park, Brooklyn|Ditmas Park]], [[Fiske Terrace, Brooklyn|Fiske Terrace]] and [[Albemarle-Kenmare Terrace]]. Bordering Flatbush on the north are the community of [[Crown Heights, Brooklyn|Crown Heights]] and the former neighborhood of [[Pigtown, Brooklyn|Pigtown]]. On the east, within the old town of Flatbush, is [[East Flatbush, Brooklyn|East Flatbush]], on the west are [[Kensington, Brooklyn|Kensington]] and Parkville (formerly Greenfield), and on the south is [[Midwood]]. Many consider Midwood to be a part of Flatbush, but historically it was part of the neighboring former towns of [[New Utrecht, Brooklyn|New Utrecht]], [[Gravesend, Brooklyn|Gravesend]] and [[Flatlands, Brooklyn|Flatlands]]. ==Transportation== [[Image:Flatbush brooklyn subway.jpg|thumb|[[Brooklyn College–Flatbush Avenue (IRT Nostrand Avenue Line)|Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn College) Subway Station]]]] Flatbush is well served by public transportation. The Brighton Line, with its {{NYCS service|B}} and {{NYCS service|Q}} trains, has a number of stops within the community. The stretch of stations from Prospect Park to Avenue H is in Flatbush. Service to Manhattan can take as little as half an hour. All stations of the Nostrand Avenue Line ({{NYCS service|2}} and {{NYCS service|5}} trains) south of President Street are also within Flatbush. Several bus routes run through Flatbush. The [[B6 (New York City bus)|B6]], [[B8 (New York City bus)|B8]], [[B35 (New York City bus)|B35]], [[B41 (New York City bus)|B41]], [[B44 (New York City bus)|B44]] and [[B49 (New York City bus)|B49]] are major routes that serve the neighborhood. Some of these lines have limited-stop runs. The B23 was discontinued in 2010. The [[Q35 (New York City bus)|Q35]] connects Flatbush with [[Rockaway Beach, Queens|Rockaway Beach]], while the [[B103 (New York City bus)|B103]] provides a relatively rapid limited-stop connection from Canarsie and Flatbush to Downtown Brooklyn. ==Education== In addition to a number of elementary and intermediate schools, Flatbush has one high school within its borders. [[Erasmus Hall High School]], located near the intersection of Flatbush and Church Avenues, is one of the oldest high schools in the city. With its relatively unique architecture and long list of famous alumni, Erasmus Hall has been a mainstay in Flatbush for centuries. Additionally, Flatbush shares [[Brooklyn College]] with [[Midwood]]. While located in what traditionally has been considered Midwood, shifting neighborhood boundaries have caused at least part of the institution to be located in Flatbush. Brooklyn College is a member of the [[CUNY]] system. ==Cultural references== *''[[The Lords of Flatbush]]'' (1974 film set in 1958) *The [[Aerosmith]] song "Bone to Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy)", from the album [[Night in the Ruts#Side two|Night in the Ruts]], includes the lyric: "Flatbush boy, cruisin' Sheepshead Bay". *According to [[Mel Blanc]], the character's original voice actor, [[Bugs Bunny]] has a Flatbush accent. *In the animated TV series ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!]]'', as well as the [[Super Mario Bros. (film)|Super Mario Bros.]] Hollywood movie, Mario and Luigi's business, "Mario Brothers Plumbing Services", operated out of Flatbush. *[[Philip J. Fry|Fry]] from [[Matt Groening]]'s [[Futurama]] is originally from Flatbush. In one episode, another character, [[Bender (Futurama)|Bender]], carries Fry on the abandoned New York Subway, dubbing himself "the Brooklyn Bound B-Train". The B Train actually does stop in Flatbush. *The community of Flatbush is one of the principal locations featured in William Styron's novel ''[[Sophie's Choice (novel)|Sophie's Choice]]''. The protagonist, Stingo, took up residence there in 1947. *In the German city of Hamburg, at the end of the 90s, young Hiphop-lovers from the Eimsbüttel quarter started to refer to their multicultural quarter as "Eimsbusch", and a local Hiphop record label also went by the name "Eimsbush", referring to Flatbush.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} *Mentions of Ocean Avenue and the neighborhood in [[The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay]] and [[Brother, I'm Dying]]. *In [[The Incredible Mr. Limpet]], Mrs. Limpet says, "If you paid half as much attention to me as you do those fish, I'd be the happiest wife in Flatbush" ==Notable residents== Notable current and former residents of Flatbush include: {{Div col|cols=3|small=no}} *[[Michael Badalucco]], actor *[[Joseph Barbera]] *[[Dane Clark]] *[[Al Davis]] *[[David Draiman]] *[[Cella Dwellas]] *[[East Flatbush Project]] *[[Patrick Fitzgerald]] *[[Fu-Schnickens]] *[[Sid Gordon]], 2-time All Star baseball player *[[Sonia Greene]], writer and [[H.P. Lovecraft]]'s wife *[[Susan Hayward]] *[[Leona Helmsley]] *[[Hurricane G]] *[[Eric Kaplan]] *[[Talib Kweli]] *[[Norman Mailer]], novelist, author, journalist *[[Jimmy McMillan]], political activist *[[Joe Paterno]] *[[Jayson Paul|JTG]], WWE entertainer *[[Rampage (rapper)|Rampage]] *[[Red Cafe]] *[[Busta Rhymes]] *[[Chubb Rock]] *[[Dmitry Salita]] *[[Shaggy (musician)|Shaggy]], reggae musician *[[Special Ed]] *[[Michael Showalter]] *[[Shyne]] *[[Peter Steele]] *[[Barbra Streisand]] *[[Angela Yee]], radio personality {{Div col end}} {{Commons category}} ==External links== *[http://longislandgenealogy.com/histflat.html Early history of Flatbush, pre-1842] Accessed 2008-11-17 {{Brooklyn}} {{coord missing|New York City}}