The Old Days: 1893 Hurricane in Brooklyn Heights and Downtown Brooklyn

Here's the beginning of an article published in the New York Times in 1893 which gives a fascinating look at the damage caused in Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn and the "sparsely settled suburbs" from a monstrous hurricane (called a cyclone by the paper) that swept through the independent city of Brooklyn.

The subhead reads: "Many Cellars Flooded -- Houses Dismantled -- Streets Caved In"

According to Wikipedia, winds from the storm exceeded 50 mph. At Coney Island, the storm completely destroyed many buildings, walkways, piers, and beach resorts. Brighton Beach was also hit hard. Houses were dismantled and uprooted trees blocked streets.

Click to enlarge.

Read the rest of the article here.

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