Discovering Brooklyn: Williamsburg – Part 2
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Williamsburg is so huge it had to be covered in two parts for our monthly neighborhood series.
I traveled Saturday on the B44 bus to the Southside on Flushing Avenue. There were many Hasidic families enjoying sabbath. The Williamsburg Bridge, from its construction, spurred the Manhattan exodus for many a Jewish family. According to Facts on File, Leffert Lefferts Buck, born 1837 in New York, was chief engineer for the Williamsburg Bridge Project of 1896. Buck had assisted John A. Roebling and his son Washington on the impressive Brooklyn Bridge construction twenty-seven years earlier. The bridge which crosses the East River in Brooklyn to Lower Manhattan in NYC took seven years to complete and slightly over twenty-four million dollars to build. To some, the Williamsburg Bridge is not especially aesthetically pleasing. Nonetheless, it is strong and has been vitally important to the growth and development of this large neighborhood. Just wondering out loud – why isn’t there a L.L. Buck Place or Court in Williamsburg?
From Flushing Avenue you must take Select Bus Service to the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza Station. This station is a bus transfer hub where you can connect to other buses and the J, Z, and M trains. There I met an ole rocker who sells jewelry on the street in between gigs. I talked to a young creative who has “gone green” using light bulbs, bottle corks, and just about everything else, as planters. I saw a beautiful newly wed couple jump out of a vintage Filmcars cab just to get a quick cup of espresso. Diverse groups of people were simply enjoying Williamsburg and the Brooklyn air.
After some sightseeing, Fortunato Brothers was my first stop in Brooklyn’s “Little Italy” section. I sat down and indulged in some cappuccino and cannolis – oh so good! Three brothers from Italy opened this pasticceria thirty-eight years ago this October. Very old school, Fortunato Brothers has survived the modern world staying committed to making and serving the best quality products. If you don’t have time to eat in; take some pastries home with you.
The neighborhood butcher shop today is a rarity. Wanting to know how Mario Zollo survived nearly sixty years in this business, I ventured into his shop. Zollo, the owner of Mario & Son’s Meat Market is very personable. He jokingly said, “I have remained opened despite the economy because I own the building.” Mario’s father was a butcher in Italy and two older brothers were butchers. I would venture to say, meat is in his blood. As I stood there talking to Mario, he greeted customers, answered questions, and proudly cut succulent pieces of meat. Brigitte S. writes on Yelp, “Mario is sent from meat heaven.”
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Life is truly divine in Williamsburg! Clementine Midwifery and Natural Birth Center on Graham Avenue is there to ensure it. Clementine offers holistic prenatal care and home-birth services. The holistic approach takes into consideration the whole person – mind, body, emotions, and spirit to achieve wellness. She offers a variety of services including fertility consultations and insemination. Her home-birth services focus mainly on the Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Long Island City communities.
Next, it was off to 90 Meserole Street to see where Freeman Murrow lived. Murrow, an African American inventor, was born in 1833. According to Pursuit of Freedom, he invented the adjustable paint brush – Patent Number 8,911, April 27, 1852. He also founded the Brooklyn Brush Manufacturing Company in 1855 despite the overt racism and prejudice he had experienced.
There is something for everyone in Williamsburg. There is so much to do and so much see: have a beer or some wine, have a meal or just desert, buy vintage or state-of-the art, stroll through a park or peddle down the street. Whatever you do in this neighborhood – have fun doing it!
Be sure to check us out next month in Bushwick.
* Utilized “Ten Historic Walking Tours: The Big Onion Guide to Brooklyn by Seth Kami. And Eric Wakin, New York University Press, New York, 2005.
Must Attend Current Exhibition— “Brooklyn Abolitionists/In Pursuit of Freedom” — Brooklyn Historical Society pursuitoffreedom.org/
Judith C. Lovell
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