A Look Inside Flatbush Homes In 1978, Through The Lens Of Dinanda Nooney
New York history and interior design lovers alike got all excited yesterday over Messy Nessy Chic‘s article featuring a selection of The Nooney Brooklyn Photographs–a set of shots documenting the home lives of Brooklynites in 1978.
All of the photos are fascinating, be it the people in the frame or the decor at hand (which looks strangely at times like what you might find in certain Brooklyn homes today), but we noticed a few photos that particularly intrigued us as Flatbush fanatics.
As it turns out, Dinanda Nooney photographed longtime area realtor and resident Mary Kay Gallagher in Gallagher’s Marlborough Road home, among other Flatbush residents in theirs. Below, you’ll find photos of Mary Kay and other former (and likely some current!) neighbors, as well as what Mary Kay had to say about her experience with Nooney.
“Dinanda Nooney was all you figured her to be,” says Mary Kay, who calls her “a very charming person.” Nooney photographed hundreds of people in their homes across the borough, often being referred to her next subject by a former one–so one would figure she had to be a charismatic soul who put people at ease.
Come to think of it, Mary Kay says she’s not exactly sure how Nooney found her–though it might have been through the Brooklyn Museum, where Mary Kay was an active member at the time.
“But we had a a very pleasant day together,” she says, “and we kept in touch for quite a while.” Nooney donated her collection the the NYPL in 1995, Messy Nessy Chic says, before passing away in 2004.
Mary Kay says she also still has the photos somewhere around her house. She admits, “My desk is pretty much the same!”
Below are photos of families in various homes around our area–but they’re just a sampling of the treasure trove that is The Nooney Brooklyn Photographs. Recognize anyone–or surprised to see your home was featured?
Marie Greco and children, 494 Rugby Road
Family of Robert Sandoval, 499 Rugby Road
Ruth White, 651 Marlborough Road
Susan Fried and children, 501 E 17th Street
Erskin and Eleanor Agee, 165 Argyle Road
The Gert and Sylvia Thorn family, 305 Rugby Road
Larry and Margery Nathanson, 1423 Albemarle Road
Ken and Jerry Friedman, 667 E 18th Street
Beatrice Cagliari, 184 Marlborough Road
Welch family, 799 E 17th Street
McAllister family, 1510 Albemarle Road
You can read more about Dinanda Nooney’s life and methods at the original article, and see the whole collection (including several other Flatbush shots) in the New York Public Library archive.
All photos by Dinanda Nooney, via the New York Public Library