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Windsor Terrace History: Vicinity of Reeve Place, Part 1

.This area of Windsor Terrace has a long history. It was the first developed in that neighborhood with homes dating back to as early as the 1850's. Some structures dating back to the 1880's are still intact. Reeve Place used to be named Adams Street. Included in this story are then and now images of the block, including survey images taken prior to subway construction, as well as articles from old Brooklyn newspapers (via NYPL) and old maps from wikipedia"Before the coming of Europeans to the New World, the area which is now Windsor Terrace was inhabited by the Canarsee Indians. Specifically, the Gowanus and Werpos tribes inhabited the surrounding area The land, which was then in the far northwestern corner of the Town of Flatbush, was purchased as a farm by John Vanderbilt. Some parts of the land were also maintained by the Martense family, who owned land in the area through 1895 This area was desirable due to its proximity to downtown Brooklyn, as well as the recent construction of the Coney Island Plank Road through the area and of the serene Green-Wood Cemetery to the southwest."

from an early 1900 era history of Brooklyn. The Vanderbilt farm was in large part the origin land for Windsor Terrace. Bell, Belknap and Murphy in turn bought the land and developed it.

.continuing the early history. The earliest homes were built on Adams (becoming Reeve) Vanderbilt and Seely. About the name change to Reeve. An older resident wrote "Reeve Place was named for James F. Reeve, who was a charter member of the (volunteer) Windsor Hose Co. No. 3, and held the position of Foreman (Captain) for a time. In October 1896 Reeve died of consumption in his early 30s. At that time the City of Brooklyn was looking to eliminate duplication of street names in recently consolidated areas, and Reeve Place had been Adams Place while a part of Flatbush Township; it now was a duplicate of Adams Street in Downtown Brooklyn. The city had proposed Fredericka Street as the new name. Residents objected, with some proposing “Acme Place”, and others Reeve Place, with Reeve Place being adopted by City Council that December. It’s also notable that the Windsor Hose Co. No. 3 had its original house at 8 Reeve Place before moving to 1288 Prospect Avenue. (both former firehouses no longer standing) When the company was merged into the paid Brooklyn FD in 1896 it was then housed in the present structure."

4 Reeve was once the location of Mahler's Hall. I don't know whether the namesake of the hall was Gustav Mahler or another Mahler.

Over the years 8 Reeve, being one of the larger buildings on the block, has housed many organizations. At times there may have been a fire company, an American Legion, masonic type groups as well social groups like the "High Hat Club."

Sunday blue laws were in effect back in 1923. Vaudeville performances "in costume" was a violation. William Cohen, of 4 Reeve Place (he also once lived at 8) was the stage manager of the theater..

The Brooklyn Eagle used to have an "Old Timers" column. This old timer remembers when the city line ended at PPSW and 16th Street (1895). He also remembers the Windsor House Company which used to be located at 8 Reeve

The big fire at Bader's hotel, the 8 o'clock mournful bell rung at Green-wood, the move of the fire company to Prospect, the big sand pit on Seely Street, the old steam engine that ran on Coney Island Ave.

There were other "High Hat": social clubs spread throughout Brooklyn back in the day.

State Senator Evans was a popular resident of the neighborhood. Here he is urging cooperation of civic groups to secure needed services. Baby clinics were financed via charities then not through tax revenues.

The "foresters" was another kind of fraternal organization that were popular around 1900.

5-7 Reeve Place in 1928.Just about every corner would have a drug store, candy store or grocery. Then after prohibition bars would be numerous.

Pat Flannery's obituary in 1926

I found a family tree of Patrick Flannery on ancestry

The houses on East 7th Street go back to the 1880's

View of Prospect Avenue looking north towards Reeve Place in 1928

View of Prospect Avenue looking east along Reeve Place in 1928

The NW corner of Reeve and Prospect in 1928

Many marriages took place of residents who lived near to each other.

2023 view of 16 East 7th. While many houses had been modernized (often lacking good taste) this house has not and is in good condition retaining its charm.

Eugene recalls many of the old families from a 1954 article. The names are mostly Dutch, German and Irish in origin. Members of the Bowen family often write about their ancestors on the current Windsor Terrace fb page. The Bowens lived on the block for almost 100 years.

a 1880 (approx) showing the earliest homes in the area. The red line points to the large Murphy home that occupied the corner of Greenwood and Plank Road. Plank would later become Coney Island Avenue and then Prospect Park SW. Thomas Murphy was the owner of much of the land and then sold lots for development. The green line points to Short Street. That would later become East 7th

A 1900 map of the same area of the 1800 map. The red line points to the Thomas Murphy house.