THE “HOODOO” BURGLAR OF BEDFORD (1904)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** “In the arrest of Roy Hyden, a 25-year old Austrian, early this morning, Brooklyn’s most active burglar was run to earth and a heavy load lifted from the police mind. “Henry F. O’Connell, a special officer, who is employed by the residents in the neighborhood of Jefferson and Marcy avenues to watch their homes at night, caught the man shortly after 3 o’clock this morning, “with the goods on him.” O’Connell espied Hyden coming down the stoop of the home of Mrs. Maria C. de Porozo, at 254 Jefferson avenue, staggering under a weight, with his pockets bulging; the bay parlor window was wide open. Before Hyden reached the bottom of the stoop he was in the firm grasp of O’Connell. The latter lost no time in calling a patrol wagon and the prisoner was hustled to the Gates avenue police station. There he was joyfully received by Detective McGann, who relieved him of his burden. “No less than sixty-four pieces of silver, including knives, forks, spoons and other small diningroom articles, weore fished out of his commodius pockets. But what pleased the police more than all “the silverware, was a steel case-opener and an electric flashlamp, which were carefully stowed away in the lining of the prisoner’s overcoat. Hyden gave […]
THE LAST SOLAR ECLIPSE SEEN IN NYC (1925)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** “Not since the coming of the white man to America,” the Brooklyn Daily Eagle specified in January of 1925, “has a total eclipse been visible from … New York City.” The Eagle then went on to describe what to expect from the phenomenon. “A great black disc slowly blotting out the sun. The rush of a gigantic shadow across the earth abruptly turning day into night. The sudden flashing of a streaming pearly halo around the darkened sun. Outbursts of blood red light from the circumfrerence of the sun. Stars shining in the daytime. A sudden chill in the air.” The Eagle‘s words may have sounded overly dramatic, but they were true. And New Yorkers were about to find out just how true. “The most majestic and awe inspiring spectable that man can witness is the total eclipse of the sun. Millions of people will have the opportunity of observing the eclipse to occur on Saturday, Jan. 25. “No total eclipse of the sun has been visible in the northeastern part of the United States since 1806 nor will such an opportunity come again until 2024. Now THAT’s a scientific pedigree! Enjoy the Solar Eclipse! Follow @BrownstoneDetec Share ———————————————————————————————————————– The Brownstone Detectives Brownstone Detectives is an historic property research agency. Our […]
WAS THAT AN EARTHQUAKE? IN NYC!?! (2024)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** Startling! At a magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter Scale, the earthquake we just experienced in New York City was the 4th largest in history, according to Columbia University. Only three were bigger: 1) A 5.2 magnitude in 1844 – whose epicenter was determined to be located in Brooklyn – accounts varied from broken crockery to an actual claim of death from fright; 2) a 5.2 magnitude in 1737 – terrified New Yorkers reported cracked chimneys and plaster, broken windows and objects thrown from shelves throughout the city; and 3) a 4.9 magnitude in 1783 – although this earthquake awoke many people in City of New York, George Washington, who was staying at the Fraunces Tavern at the time, was not one of them. Each of these three earthquakes reportedly “threw down chimneys!” Take a look at this graph from Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Observatory. Follow @BrownstoneDetec Share ———————————————————————————————————————– The Brownstone Detectives Brownstone Detectives is an historic property research agency. Our mission is to document and save the histories of our clients’ homes. From our research, we produce our celebrated House History Books and House History Reports. Contact us today to begin discovering the history of your home.
NEW YORK’S MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN (1901)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** (From the Akron Daily Democrat, Sat., 16 November 1901.) Miss Harriet Sewell Smith, formerly of No. 177 Putnam Avenue & presently of No. 481 Franklin Avenue, who was selected by a committee of portrait painters as “THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN NEW YORK” and who lives with her father, Dr. E. F. Smith, in Brooklyn, tells the story of a perilous trip she made across the frail foot-bridge of the new East River bridge a week ago. Miss Smith made the journey from one shore to the other in less than an hour. Her companion and guide was Dr. Orville D. Westall, a dentist, of No. 98 Lafayette ave., says she: “Dangerous? Yes, just dangerous enough to be interesting. I heard Dr. Westall mention some time ago the fact that he had crossed the footbridge, and I immediately became possessed of a desire to perform the hazardous feat myself. I proposed that he be my guide, and he accepted, after some persuasion. “I did not tell my folks what I was going to do. We started from the New York side at 5:30 in the evening. I had a leather belt fastened about my waist to which a strap was attached. Dr. Westall kept a firm grip on this strap and […]
“LIFE IS BUT A DREAM” (1894)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** (From The New York Herald, Wed., 7 March 1894.) “LIFE IS BUT A DREAM.” So wrote Morris Cohen to his mother before he killed himself. Morris Cohen, thirty-five years old, committed suicide at his residence, No. 109A Bergen street, Brooklyn, yesterday afternoon by shooting himself in the heart. For a weak past, Cohen has complained of not feeling well. He believed the grip had attacked him. At noon yesterday he returned to his home from his place of business, No. 143 Smith street. He was met at the door by his mother, to who he said that he was going to his room to lie down. He asked her to call him at two o’clocl. At that house his mother went to his room and foudn him on the bed. In his right hand, tightly clutched, was a .38 calibre revolver. His clothing was covered with blood. The suicide had sent but one bullet into his body and this, from all appearances, had caused instant death. On the dressing case in the room was a letter written by Cohen to his mother as follows: “Life is but a dream.” My dream is o’er. I am going crazy to lie in a silent tomb. Dear mother, don’t shed a tear or wear […]
THE FARMS LINES OF BROOKLYN (1874)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** Brooklyn was once one giant farm. At some point, as the farms began to be split up to be sold to developers – those who wanted to build rows of prized brownstones – companies also began to pop up which developed maps showing what types of buildings existed on every “lot” within the city. Although no longer used for fire insurance purposes, they are great tools for those owners wishing to research the histories of their properties. If you own a home in New York City, these maps can help you to determine how old it is, what else had been built in the area when your house was new, and, on some maps, the name of the farmer that had once owned your land. Find yours HERE. Follow @BrownstoneDetec Share ———————————————————————————————————————– The Brownstone Detectives Brownstone Detectives is an historic property research agency. Our mission is to document and save the histories of our clients’ homes. From our research, we produce our celebrated House History Books and House History Reports. Contact us today to begin discovering the history of your home.
