History At Home: This Day In The Brooklyn Daily Eagle

As we wander about our modern neighborhood, caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to ignore the long and vibrant history of our community. Let’s remedy that. Every weekend, we’ll take a step back, with the help of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle archives, and explore what was happening around South Slope over a century ago.

On September 21, 1902, NYC’s deputy police commissioner was ready to wage war on sidewalk spitters (a law passed in 1896 made it illegal). Technically, the law was never repealed, so keep that in mind the next time you’re thinking about hocking a giant loogie on 5th Avenue.