Bay Ridge

From Decoding New York

Bay Ridge. Houses along Ridge Boulevard. Photo by S. Fahme

Bay Ridge is located on the southwestern tip of Brooklyn, bound by 65th Street to the north, I-278 on the east, 101st Street to the south, and the Belt Parkway on the west. Originally called “Yellow Hook” after its yellow, clay-like soil, its name was changed, after an outbreak of Yellow Fever in 1853, to Bay Ridge, incorporating its two prominent characteristics: Upper New York Bay, and the glacial ridge that ran along Ridge Boulevard. In its early days, Bay Ridge was a “resort town” meant to be an escape from the big city; it considerably changed in 1915 upon the completion of the Fourth Avenue subway (R, N lines today) into the area. Remnants of its beginnings can be seen in the dozens of mansions on Shore Road that were built more than a century ago, overlooking the bay. While the geography of this middle-class community has remained constant throughout its existence, its ethnic makeup has continued to diversify; according to the 2000 census, over 28 languages are spoken here, the most prominent among them being Arabic, Greek, Italian, and Polish.

Bay Ridge. Common building structure found along Third Avenue. Photo by S. Fahme

Map of Bay Ridge Courtesy of Google