Flashback Friday: “The Ruins Of Dr. Talmage’s Churcn”

This lantern slide shows the ruins of the Central Presbyterian Church at Clinton and Greene Avenues after it was destroyed by fire in 1894. It was the third church built in Brooklyn by Dr. Thomas De Witt Talmage — the first two also burned down at a previous location on Schermerhorn Street in what is now Downtown Brooklyn.

Talmage was a popular Presbyterian preacher of the 19th century, known for his “dramatic” services that drew hundreds of people from across the country.

Today, the intersection is home to apartment buildings and a parking lot.