Bay Ridge Culture

From The Peopling of New York City

The Peoples of Bay Ridge, The Majority of Immigrant Cultures

Dutch Immigrants	Irish Immigrants	German Immigrants	Italian Immigrants
Norwegian Immigrants	Swedish Immigrants	Danish Immigrants	Greek Immigrants
Russian Immigrants	Asian Immigrants	Hispanic Immigrants	Arabic Immigrants

During the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, many Norwegian and Danish sailors emigrated to Brooklyn. Nordic heritage is still apparent in some sections of Bay Ridge. Bay Ridge High School was the only New York City public school to offer Norwegian as a second language. The area also publishes a Norwegian weekly Nordisk Tidence, and many churches still hold services in Norwegian. Annually, the Constitution Day Parade features thousands of people in folk dress who parade along Fifth Avenue, ending in Leif Ericson Park where "Miss Norway" is crowned at the statue of Ericson donated by the Prince of Norway in 1939.

The community has since expanded to include newer Irish, Greek, Asian and Middle Eastern residents. This variety engenders a host eating opportunities for both local residents and visitors. In addition, the residents have joined together to form the Bay Ridge Community Council that includes PTAs, civic, trade, and block associations working together to maintain a strong neighborhood feeling.

The majority of the residential styles are one- and - two family brick, brownstone or limestone frame houses. The Bay Ridge Special Zoning District was established in 1978 to maintain housing construction at three stories or less on residential streets, and no greater than eight stories on the avenues.

Dyker Heights, near Fort Hamilton Parkway, has attracted several generations of Italian immigrants to its one and two family houses. This area now includes popular Dyker Park with athletic fields and tennis courts, and the city-owned Dyker Beach Golf Course.

The imposing Verrazano Narrows Bridge that joins Staten Island and Brooklyn was opened in 1964 as a memorial to Giovanni de Verrazano, who explored the entrance to New York Harbor in 1524. At its completion, the Bridge was the world's longest suspension bridge.

Walking Tour of Bay Ridge

Borough of Churches: O.L.A.	Borough of Churches: Green Church	Borough of Churches: St.Patrick's	Borough of Churches
Bay Ridge and the Armed Forces	Bay Ridge and the Armed Forces	Bay Ridge and the Armed Forces	Bay Ridge and the Armed Forces
Other Famous Historical Sites	Other Famous Historical Sites	Other Famous Historical Sites	Other Famous Historical Sites
Piece of History	Bay Ridge	Walking Tour	Walking Tour