Brooklyn Heights History & Culture
Every block of Brooklyn Heights has reminders of the city’s past. From the pulpit at Plymouth Church, Rev. Henry Ward Beecher rallied abolitionists. On the eastern border, Borough Hall was the seat of the independent City of Brooklyn for the first 50 years of its existence — until it merged into New York City in 1898. Walt Whitman walked these streets, Thomas Wolfe lived on Montague Terrace, and Bob Dylan memorialized Montague Street in song. If all of this inspires you to dive deeper into the borough’s history, the Brooklyn Historical Society is on Pierrepont Street. Along the western edge of the Heights, the Promenade has stunning views of Lower Manhattan and New York Harbor. Below the Promenade is the most notable contemporary addition to the area: Brooklyn Bridge Park is home to public art installations, family-friendly endeavors, facilities for the aspiring athlete, and an abundance of relaxing lawns.