Flatbush CultureFrom The Peopling of New York City
CultureLandmarksErasmus Hall High School   Erasmus Hall High School is located on Flatbush and Church Avenues. It was referred to as the “Mother of High Schools”, and began as a small all-boys academy in 1787. This original 18th century building survives in the current day Erasmus courtyard, and the now co-ed school is made up of three additional buildings of Collegiate Gothic design. These additional buildings were designed by architect C.B.J. Snyder in the early 20th century. A bronze statue of Desiderius Erasmus stands outside the old academy. Erasmus Hall High School has many famous Alumni. The list is extensive, and includes actors and actresses such as Barbara Streisand, Neil Diamond, and Beverly Sills. Writers such as Mickey Spillane and Bernard Malamud, artists such as Frederico Castellon and Joseph Barbera, and sports figures such as Sid Luckman and Bobby Fischer graduated from Erasmus Hall High. Other famous graduates are the Barbara McClintock, who won the prize in the category for Physiology or Medicine, and former New Jersey governor Jim Florio. [1] Flatbush Town Hall Flatbush Town Hall is located at the end of Snyder Avenue. It was built in between 1874 and 1875. The building has a Victorian Gothic structure, and it was built around the same time as Prospect Park was being built. It was, in a way, built in response to the building of Prospect Park, because the town felt it had something to prove. P.S. 90  P.S. 90 was originally known as the Flatbush District No. 1 School, since it was built in the 1870’s. After Brooklyn annexed the town of Flatbush in 1894, the name was changed to P.S. 90. The building was declared a New York Landmark in 2007. The 129-year-old building is a reminder of the beginning of an educational system in the agriculturally based town. The building is located at the intersection of Bedford Avenue and Church Avenue. After it was closed in 1951, P.S. 90 became the home to Yeshiva University Boy’s High School until 1967. After that it served as the Beth Rivkah Institute for boys and girls until the late 1990’s. [2] Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church The Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church is located on the corner of Flatbush and Church avenues. It was built in the 1790’s and was the third church that the congregation had built in the area. The Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church is easily recognized because of the surrounding graveyard that it has. This graveyard shows the how long ago the church was built, because of most churches built after 1950 do not have graveyards attached to them. This is due to a law that graveyards attached to churches are not allowed within city limits, and now the only churches with graveyards are the ones that were grandfathered in. Unofficial Landmarks The publicized landmark of the Flatbush area is the fairy tale like three story house at 111 Clarkson Avenue. Herman Raub built it in the early 1990's, and its owner Raphael Berger has preserved it inside. Unfortunately, like so many old and wonderful things in New York, it was put on the market for sale last year. The owner declined offers to have the house made as a landmark, and refused an interview. This beautiful throwback to the last century will be missed in the community, and by those who felt it brightened the street. Places of the PastThe Flatbush Theatre- The Flatbush Theatre was located at 2207 Church Avenue. It was opened in 1914 and closed in 1952. The theatre was designed by architect Robert Rasmussen and it featured vaudeville entertainment, plays, and movies. Sadly, the theatre closed, and the marquee has since been removed. Currently it is a carpet and rug store.[3]  Loew’s Kings Theatre- The Loew’s Kings Theatre was located at 1027 Flatbush Avenue. The King’s theatre was one of five “Wonder Theatres” built by Loew’s in New York City, and opened the same day as the Loew’s Paradise Theatre in the Bronx. It opened on September 7th 1929. The theatre originally offered live theatrical performances, but let on stuck to only film. When Barbara Streisand was a teenager, she worked at the theatre as an usher. While it was popular in its prime, the theatre faced a decline in business in the 1950’s and closed in the1970’s. Loew’s abandoned the theatre officially in 1977. Since then it has sat, damaged by water, graffiti, and time. Recently, though, there has been talk of the theatre reopening. The city is looking for a developer to bring the theatre back to life. The theatre is going for an estimated $70 million, and there is speculation that the deal could include the rights to build some residential space, a boutique hotel, and retail shops. 
 Places of the PresentBrooklyn Public Library, Flatbush Branch - The Flatbush Public Library is located on Linden Boulevard in between Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue. It was constructed in 1905 and renovated in 1989. The multilingual materials include Spanish and French. Recently a Caribbean Literary and Cultural center was added on, which is an indication of the type of people in the community and an example of an establishment changing to meet the needs of the people in its community. Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College- The Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts is a part of the CUNY School, Brooklyn College. It includes beautiful performance spaces such as the Walt Whitman Theatre, the Gershwin Theatre and the Sam Levenson Recital Hall. The Center offers dramatic, dance, choral, orchestra, and even cinematic performances. Ethnic FoodsFlatbush has a diverse ethnic makeup, and the cuisine in the neighborhood reflects this. There are many Caribbean, African, and Latino Food joints. Some popular ones include: Culpepper’s- Culpeppers is a Bajan (Barbadian) takeout place that has dishes like jerk chicken, spicy rice, fried plantains, and Bajan style cooked vegetables. (Location: 1082 Nostrand Ave) Mirage African Restaurant – Mirage is a Nigerian restaurant where you diner is given the option of eating with cutlery or eating with their hands. Some of the very not American dishes served there include egusi, fufu, or a plate of assorted feet, skin, and tripe. (Location: 2143 Cortelyou Road between Flatbush Avenue and East 22nd Street)  Nio’s Trinidad RotHouse of Seafood Shack- Nio’s is a Caribbean fast food restaurant that offers breads, pastries, and dried fruit candies. They serve roti wraps, filled with stewed chicken or shrimp with chans (boiled chickpeas in gravy). There are also a number of curry and rice dishes, and the restaurant plays Caribbean music while customers eat. (Location: 2702 Church Avenue at Rogers Avenue) Enduro- Enduro is a Mexican restaurant that sells Tex-Mexican cuisine. (Location: 51 Lincoln Road between Flatbush and Ocean Avenues) There are a number of small, individually owned Caribbean bakeries and Spanish and Caribbean take out places in Flatbush. Franchise FoodFlatbush is the home to a number of frequented big name fast food restaurants. By walking along Flatbush and Church Avenues alone one can find a large number them. The list includes: Burger King, McDonalds, KFC, Kennedy Fried Chicken, Golden Krust, and Pizzerias. References
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