Wander the Streets, Landmarks and Everyday Life of 1920s Brooklyn Through Fabulous Histoircal Photos

The 1920s were marked by a fervor for jazz and blues, and Brooklyn was no exception. Jazz clubs sprang up across neighborhoods like Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, hosting legendary acts such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. These establishments weren’t just venues for entertainment; they were cultural crucibles where African American traditions met the burgeoning cosmopolitan atmosphere of Brooklyn.

Prohibition and the Underbelly

While jazz filled the air, Prohibition defined the era’s moral landscape. Brooklyn saw a surge in speakeasies and illicit activity as residents found ways to circumvent the liquor ban. Waterfront areas like Red Hook became infamous for bootlegging, as ships offloaded contraband for distribution throughout the city. This underbelly of Brooklyn not only played a role in the borough’s colorful history but also in shaping its complex relationship with law enforcement.

The Rise of Coney Island

Coney Island entered its golden age in the 1920s, becoming a playground for both Brooklynites and visitors alike. Attractions like the Cyclone roller coaster, built in 1927, and the Wonder Wheel, erected in 1920, became iconic symbols of leisure and amusement. The beaches swelled with sun-seekers, and the boardwalk buzzed with life, as Coney Island epitomized the pursuit of pleasure during the Roaring Twenties.

The Brownstone Revolution

The architectural panorama of Brooklyn underwent a significant transformation in the 1920s, most notably with the proliferation of brownstones. Areas like Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights became quintessential brownstone neighborhoods, offering a blend of urban life with a touch of suburban serenity. These structures are more than just bricks and mortar; they are testaments to Brooklyn’s growth as a residential and cultural hub.

Do you have any insights or memories related to Brooklyn in the 1920s? We’d love to hear your thoughts. If this glimpse into a bygone era has captivated you, please share this post with others who revel in the enchanting history of New York City.

#1 Choir Rehearsal at the School of Music, Brooklyn, 1920-1935

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#2 Swim Lessons for Children at Farragut Pool, Brooklyn, 1925

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#3 Worker at Pilgrim Steam Laundry Company, Brooklyn, 1925

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#4 Construction of Subway at 10th Street and 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, 1929

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#5 Flatbush Avenue View from Church Avenue, Brooklyn, circa 1927

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#6 Graham shop. Store window display of the Graham Talking Machine Co. at 75 Graham Avenue in Brooklyn, New York City, 1920

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#7 Hot Dogs at Ebbets Field Baseball Game, Brooklyn, 1920

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#8 Cleveland Indians vs Brooklyn Robins in 1920 MLB World Series, Brooklyn, 1920

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#9 BMT Elevated Train Accident in Brooklyn’s Business Section, 1925

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#10 Morris Diamond Leaving Court After Conviction, Brooklyn, 1924

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#11 Vitaphone Short Film Set at Vitagraph Studio, Brooklyn, 1925

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#12 Premier Theatre Auditorium Interior, Brooklyn, 1925

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#13 Interior of the Stadium Theatre, Brooklyn, 1925

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#14 Young KKK Ceremony in East Lots, Canarsie, Brooklyn, 1925

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#15 Exterior of Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, 1925

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#16 Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims Exterior, Brooklyn, 1925

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#17 Art in Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, Brooklyn, 1925

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#18 Brooklyn Borough Hall Exterior, Brooklyn, 1925

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#19 Pedestrians Below Fifth Avenue Line, Fulton Street, Brooklyn, 1925

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#20 Bathers at Coney Island Beach, 1925

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#21 Tommy Gibbons Training in Coney Island, 1925

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#22 Men Climbing Brooklyn Bridge for a Painting Test, 1925

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#23 Mary Mastantonis Awarded as Best Farmerette, Brooklyn, 1926

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#24 Coney Island Boardwalk Near Half Moon Hotel, Brooklyn, 1927

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#25 Men Pitching Pennies in Red Hook, Brooklyn, 1927

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#26 Sailors and Soldiers Arch in Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, 1925

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#27 Boats to Coney Island, 1928

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#28 Ferry to Coney Island, 1928

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#29 View of Coney Island from Boat, 1928

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#30 Ferry to Coney Island, 1928

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#31 Aboard the America Ferry to Coney Island, 1928

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#32 View of Coney Island Beach from Boat, 1928

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#33 South and Roosevelt Streets Showing Brooklyn Bridge Approach, 1928

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#34 Traffic at Flatbush and Atlantic Intersection Featuring Election Poster and Elevated Railway, Brooklyn, 1929

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#35 Construction of Cities Service Building Tower with East River View, Brooklyn, 1929

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#36 Billboards on Coney Island Boardwalk Featuring Sunkist Lemonade and Tally-Ho Beer, Brooklyn, 1929

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#37 Brooklyn Skyline at Night with Brooklyn Bridge in View, 1929

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#38 South Street Looking Southwest Under Brooklyn Bridge, 1929

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#39 New Paramount Theatre in Brooklyn, 1929

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#40 Lobby Outside Men’s Room at Carlton Theatre on Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, 1929

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#41 Pitkin Avenue Traffic Light Parade Led by Political Leaders, Brooklyn, 1929

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#42 Construction of Subway at Smith and 4th Place, Brooklyn, 1929

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#43 Pedestrians Walking on Brooklyn Bridge, 1920s or 1930s

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#44 Bathers on Coney Island Beach, Brooklyn, 1923

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#45 Luna Park at Coney Island at Night, Brooklyn, 1922

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#46 Brooklyn Bridge, 1920s

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#47 Coney Island Beaches Packed During Heat Wave, Brooklyn, 1927

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#48 Members of the Flatbush Boys Club Posing in Brooklyn, circa 1927

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#49 Brooklyn Sunday School Pupils in 102nd Anniversary Parade, circa 1928

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#50 Crowds on Coney Island Boardwalk on a Summer Day, Brooklyn, circa 1925

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#51 Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Flatbush Boys’ Club, Brooklyn, circa 1927

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#52 Buying Hot Dogs at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, October 6, 1920

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#53 Kings County Courthouse, an Architectural Gem, Brooklyn, circa 1920

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#54 Elevated Train Near Brooklyn’s Borough Hall, circa 1930

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#55 Festival of St. Paulino with 110-Foot Skyscraper Procession, Brooklyn, circa 1927

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#57 Brooklyn Bridge, One of the Oldest Suspension Bridges, Completed in 1883

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#58 Historic Cars in Front of Brooklyn Borough Hall

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#59 Soldiers and Sailors Arch in Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, 1920s

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#60 Babe Ruth and Harold Lloyd Greeting Orphans, Brooklyn

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#61 Vintage Photo of New York Skyline from Brooklyn, between 1900 and 1920

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#62 Heavy Traffic on Brooklyn Bridge Due to Cable Issue, 1 August 1922

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#63 SS Paris Goes Aground Off Brooklyn, 17 April 1929

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#64 Filming an auto race at Sheepshead Bay with cameramen on platforms and cowboys watching, Brooklyn, 1920s

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#65 Two sisters posing in front of their car at Coney Island’s parking lot, Brooklyn, 1920.

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#66 Manhattan Bridge connecting Lower Manhattan to Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn.

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#67 View of Prospect Park Plaza, Brooklyn, 1929.

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#68 Overlooking the East River towards the Brooklyn skyline, 1924.

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#69 Brooklyn Bridge at right, Manhattan Bridge at left, Brooklyn, 1924.

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#70 Inside the Premier Theatre, Brooklyn, 1925.

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#71 Skyline viewed from Brooklyn, 1900-1920.

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#72 Crowd at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, October 5, 1920.

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#73 Skater entertaining the crowd with hand springs, Brooklyn, January 18, 1923.

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#74 Aerial view of crowded Brighton Beach on Fourth of July, Brooklyn, 1925.

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#75 Looking down Flatbush Avenue from Church Ave, Brooklyn, 1924.

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#76 View towards Manhattan from the Flatbush Avenue Extension, Brooklyn, 1925.

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#77 Waiting crowd at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, October 5, 1920.

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#78 People approaching the new Half Moon Hotel at Coney Island’s boardwalk, Brooklyn, 1927.

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#79 Washington St. from Fulton, Brooklyn, 1900-1920.

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#80 Brooklyn Bridge spanning the East River, Brooklyn, 1923.

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#81 People on the boardwalk in front of the new Half Moon Hotel at Coney Island, Brooklyn, May 2, 1927.

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#82 Aerial view of Lower Manhattan with the Brooklyn Bridge and East River, 1929.

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#83 Governor Alfred Smith opening the new Half Moon Hotel on Coney Island’s boardwalk, Brooklyn, May 6, 1927.

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#84 The Southern Cross is the first ship in the new Todd Shipyard dry dock at Red Hook, Brooklyn, 1928.

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#85 Cass Gilbert’s warehouses at the Army Supply Base, Brooklyn, 1860-1920.

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#86 Academy of Music, Brooklyn, 1920.

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