Forgotten NY: History of Sheepshead Bay Road

Ned Berke -
Sheepshead Bay Rd. and Jerome Avenue in the early 20th Century and now (St. Marks in the background) (Courtesy of Forgotten NY)

Did you know there are two Sheepshead Bay Roads? One of our favorite amateur historians, Kevin Walsh, took a historical stroll down Sheepshead Bay Road in his latest update to Forgotten NY.  He explains the formation and original paths of one of Southern Brooklyn’s few remaining original roads, existing before the grid pattern confined our streets to boring, practical layouts.

Walsh also takes a look at the character of the current Sheepshead Bay, comparing it to the racetrack and hotels of past eras. When you see the article, you begin to understand why roads like Voorhies Avenue and Jerome Avenue strike out where they do, and can get a sense of what our area may have felt like back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While you’re at Forgotten NY, don’t forget to check out his 2006 three-part series exploring more of Sheepshead Bay.