Ferry Riders, ca. 1880
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Historical Chronology, 1642 - 2000
Industrial Boom Years
1836: Bulkhead line along the East River Shore is
established under the recommendation of General Swift.
1839: The New York and Fulton Ferry Company is organized,
uniting the South Ferry with Fulton Ferry.
1844: The Brooklyn Union Ferry Company is formed
by Henry E. Pierrepont.
1850: The Third Landfill: The area between the old
Plymouth Street and the shore (present site of the park has been created
by landfill at some point between 1834 and 1850. Warehouses occupy the
site.
1853: Brooklyn City Railroad Company is incorporated.
Twelve lines, which converge on Fulton Ferry, extend out to the towns
and village of: Greenpoint, Green-wood, East New York, Fort Hamilton,
Hamilton Ferry, Powers Street, and to Fulton Myrtle, Gates, Flushing,
Flatbush, and Graham Avenues.
1854: The Fulton, South, Main, and Hamilton Avenue
Ferries merge to form the Union Ferry Company of Brooklyn.
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DUMBO Industry List
Ajax Iron and Wire Co.
American Tea Co.
Arbuckle Coffee Mill/Sugar Refinery
E.W. Bliss Machine Works/Foundry Boorum & Pease Co.
Boss Manufacturing Co.
Brillo
Brooklyn White Lead Co.
E. Burt Shoe Co.
Campbell & Thayer Linseed Oil Factory
W.B. Conrad & Co.
Dan W. Feitel Bag Co.
Electrose Manufacturing Co.
General Typewriter Exchange
Howard & Fuller Brewing Co.
Hubbard & Carpenter Steam Pumps
Improved Mailing Case Co.
Ketchum & McDougall
Kirkman & Son Soap Co.
Lightfoot-Schulty Co.
Matchless Brass Co.
Mercereau Tin Box Manufacturing Co.
Miller & Van Winkle
National Licorice Co.
Phillips-Doup & Co.
Louis B. Prahar
S. Rawister & Co.
Roy Watch Case Co.
S. Sternau Co.
Union Lead & Oil Co.
A. Zaracas Sons Macaroni
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1854: By this date, the site has grown into an industrial
and manufacturing area. The brick Empire Stores (perhaps the first) occupy
about half a block west of Main Street between Water Street and the shore.
Adjacent to them on their immediate west is Litchfield’s storage and a
couple of other stores. To the west further (starting at about the line
of Dock Street) is a line of small framed dwellings along Water Street.
Behind these dwellings is the Marston and Powers Complex which includes
a wood yard, marble yard, and huge coal yard. Birbeck’s Iron Foundry complex
is located across Water Street from Marston and Powers.
1855: James Nesmith begins to acquire the major portion
of the land on which the Empire Stores stand.
1869: By this date, the Empire Stores occupy the
entire block between Main and Dock Streets on the north side of Water
Street. The area between Dock Street and Fulton Landing is occupied by
the Fulton Stores and a coal yard.
1869-70: Nesmith begins construction of the four
four-story warehouses (the eastern section toward Dock Street).
1869: Construction of the Brooklyn tower of Roebling’s
great bridge begins.
1870: By this date, the two five-story and one one-story
Tobacco Warehouses have been built. The warehouses seem perilously close
to the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge.
1883: On 24 May, the Brooklyn Bridge is formally
opened with great festivity.
1885: James Nesmith’s son, Henry Nesmith, commissions
Brooklyn architect Thomas Stone to design and build the 5-story section
of the Empire Stores (toward Main Street).
1886: By this date, the Empire Stores occupies the
entire block between Main and Dock Streets and Water and Plymouth Streets.
West of Dock is the five-story Brooklyn Tobacco Inspection Warehouse and
north of that is the huge one-story tobacco inspection warehouse. Adjacent
to the five-story warehouse is a curious little office building and the
long, thin, wood framed coal shed belonging to Marston and Powers.
1889: On April 20, the entire block between Dock
Street and Main and Water and Plymouth Streets is transferred from James
Nesmith and George Baxter to James Nesmith and his son, Henry (1828-1901).
1895: James and Henry Nesmith sell their property
to the Brooklyn Wharf & Warehouse Company.
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