A Look At 1920s Flatbush Via The Valentine’s City Of New York Guide Book

We recently got a look inside the Valentine’s City of New York 1920 travel guide book via Gothamist, which we thought had some sweetly-worded passages about Flatbush. Pages 381-382 begin from the reference point of Park Slope and Grand Army Plaza:

“Directly through Prospect Park from the plaza is the fair and enticing suburb of Flatbush, which has been frequently spoken of as the most beautiful of any suburb in the United States, excelling the famous suburbs of old Boston. Perhaps the only thing to criticise is its newness, may of the fine old Dutch houses having disappeared.

“The America of today, with its merchant princes and its palatial homes, is quite in evidence here, but not, however, to the exclusion of the more modest cottages and dwellings of that class which has made Brooklyn the city of homes. A walk along Ocean Avenue [shown above, including the Melrose Hotel, at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue circa 1915] is a delight and may be continued all the way to the ocean.”

A non-palatial home at 2243 Church Avenue (between Flatbush and Bedford Avenues) circa 1915, via the Museum of the City of New York

“One of the old landmarks of Flatbush which still remains and is cherished is the old Erasmus Hall, a school of ‘ye olden time.’ It is enclosed now by the great buildings of Erasmus Hall High School, a seat of learning which ranks perhaps first among New York’s public schools.”

Erasmus Hall circa 1905, via Brooklyn Visual Heritage

“The great, massive tower on the principal building makes on think of the old college towns of Europe. Opposite Erasmus is the Dutch Reformed Church, the oldest on Long Island.”

Flatbush Reformed Church circa 1900, via Brooklyn Visual Heritage

As we would expect in any guide book–but especially one from nearly 100 years ago–the description of our area is charming if a bit silly (although, it’s not the last time someone has praised our “suburbia”). But what if you were putting together a chapter on Flatbush nowadays–what spots that visitors shouldn’t miss would you make sure to include in your book?

Top photo Ocean and Flatbush Avenues via the Museum of the City of New York