11 Things You Didn't Know About BROOKLYN

[Music] everyone's flocking here and with a newly acquired reputation for being cool hip and trendy they all want to get a piece of the action today we're gonna be talking about none other than Brooklyn the only New York City borough most tourists as well as Manhattan i'ts will dare to leave Manhattan for known for its historic brownstones its iconic Brooklyn Bridge the ever-popular Coney Island as well as New York City's hipster central Brooklyn is a bar oh rich in culture greenery historic landmarks and eclectic neighborhoods sitting in the shadow of Manhattan's swanky downtown community Brooklyn has gained much notoriety in the recent years due to its youthful artsy and dynamic atmosphere today many parts of Brooklyn are neck-and-neck with Manhattan as one of the most desirable as well as one of the most expensive places to live in New York City some will even go as far as calling it the new Manhattan but I'd have to say that with its less crowded neighborhoods a laid-back lifestyle and a bounty of shady tree-lined streets it's a far cry from it with all the hype and popularity these days you're probably wondering what else is there to say about Brooklyn that hasn't already been said perhaps not too much but I did manage to find a few things about this marvelous borrow that will make it stand out much more than it already does by the way borrow why I couldn't pronounce it any other way that how it's spelled borough borrow no it's borrow so without further delay here are 11 things you didn't know about Brooklyn New York number one it's the birthplace of many things you won't believe the amount of common everyday objects and foods that come straight out of Brooklyn let's start with air conditioning invented during a heatwave in 1902 in a Williamsburg print shop you kind of have to wonder if that's the reason why Brooklyn is so cool now let's move on to the concept of the credit card and plastic thingies we all carry around with us nowadays they got their start in 1946 at a small bank that existed right here on Flatbush Avenue then we have teddy bears which were invented in 1902 in a bedford sky candy shop and named after their then current President Teddy Roosevelt for refusing to shoot a bear while on a hunting trip we can add Benjamin Moore paints to the list founded by brothers Rodger and Benjamin Moore and in 1883 opened their first store in Brooklyn Heights speaking of paints there's also Minwax which was invented in Brooklyn in 1904 by author B Harrison we also have mr. Potato Head which was invented in 1949 by George Lerner and how about brillo pads which were invented in 1917 in DUMBO then we have the many famous streets hailing from Brooklyn as well they're sweet lo which was invented in 1957 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard then there's bazooka gum which was invented in 1947 in south slope how about Nathan's hot dogs which came out of Coney Island in 1867 and then there's tootsie rolls which were invented in 1896 somewhere in Brooklyn we also have Domino's sugar which got its start in 1857 in Williamsburg Palio cheese also got its start in Coney Island in 1899 and last I'm not sure if this should be considered a treat but even X lakhs was invented in Brooklyn in 1906 in Boerum Hill number two Brooklyn Bridge Park this new urban oasis will totally blow you out of the park there's so much to see and do here that you could spend days coming back and still not get to experience all that it has to offer Brooklyn Bridge Park is an amazing park spanning 1.3 miles of the Brooklyn waterfront starting at Dumbo and continuing south way beyond the Brooklyn Bridge it sits on former industrial ground and incorporates some of the original structures and a set of six piers into the mix and the place just seems to keep getting bigger and bigger each time you go back there you'll find an abundance of attractions to keep you entertained for many future visits to come they've got flower gardens bites lawns for spreading out on picnic groves shopping venues restaurants playgrounds sports fields common odds a carousel a boardwalk a marina access to the New York City ferries concerts special events and so much more this only scratches the surface and it's all among a gorgeous backdrop of the downtown Manhattan skyline the Brooklyn Bridge and all of New York Harbour Brooklyn Bridge Park alone is what makes the Brooklyn we know of today such an exciting place to visit and one of the most enticing places to live [Music] number three Smorgasburg let's face it New Yorkers love their outdoor food markets and street fairs and Smorgasburg is a New York foodies wildest dream come true this weekly open-air food market got its start on Williamsburg's waterfront back in 2011 and has since become a weekend staple for many New Yorkers and tourists alike it features a curated selection of food vendors serving the most remarkable foods from pizza cupcakes to Lobster nachos Japanese fried chicken kombucha pops prickly pear lemonade spaghetti doughnuts and so much more the food options are totally unique and out of this world the outdoor market runs from April through November and currently operates in two locations in Brooklyn Saturdays as usual in East River State in Williamsburg and Sundays in the beautiful Prospect Park number 4 Greenwood Cemetery most people shy away from cemeteries feeling they're too depressing but let's have a look at Greenwood Cemetery in south flow maybe still a tad creepy but far from depressing with its koi and turtle ponds meandering paths awesome landscaping gothic architecture fun events and Trolley Tours it's practically a botanical garden and a favorite destination for locals and tourists alike in fact many couples will choose to say their I do that Greenwood Cemetery the adorable chapel and the stunning backdrop makes for some of the most amazing wedding pictures and if you're a New York City history buff or just looking to spend a quiet time away from the hustle and bustle and this massive cemetery is definitely worth checking out you'll end up spending hours here number 5 Brooklyn Botanic Garden now if you're a sucker for Botanical Gardens then you have to experience the Brooklyn Botanic Garden at least once I know they say the one up in the Bronx is amazing and it is don't get me wrong but the Brooklyn Botanic Garden can give them a good run for their money any time this is Prospect parks baryon Gardens located right beside the park along the northeastern edge it features an eclectic collection of some of the most pristine gardens you'll ever see in New York City open all year round it looks spectacular in every season it's a place to bring your camera along because at every turn you will find something beautiful to feast your eyes upon my favorite is the Japanese Hill and pond garden which actually was the first Japanese garden to be created in an American public garden another favorite is the cherry Esplanade in the spring a time when the rows of cherry blossoms turned into a cotton candy pink extravaganza the garden has more than 200 cherry trees making it one of the best cherry blossom viewing sites in the country this is the prize of all Brooklyn and you'll find it hard to leave once you see what I'm talking about number six Dyker Heights Christmas lights every year thousands flock to Dyker Heights to witness the holiday extravaganza this is where the homeowners from 83rd to 86th Street between 11th and 13th Avenue go all out with the Christmas lights and decorations and these folks ain't playing they've got lights flashing in every nook and cranny and on every available surface of their home yes the homes are massive the decorations are over-the-top and the crowds go wild over some of the most dramatic displays but that's what makes it all a sight to the hole when it comes to Christmas at Dyker Heights the homeowners never disappoint number 7 America's first roller coaster though the roller coaster was invented in Europe the first one to open in America was in none other than Coney Island at the time it was known as the Switchback railway and traveled only at a speed of 6 miles per hour it was an instant hit with everyone the cyclone the current wooden roller coaster in Coney Island's Luna Park wasn't introduced until 1927 this later roller coaster is capable of reaching maximum speeds of 60 miles per hour and with an 85 foot drop it is one of the country's oldest roller coasters in operation today in 1988 the cyclone was declared a New York City landmark and in 1991 it was placed on a National Register of Historic Places number 8 the transit museum New York City prides itself for its widespread transportation system and in the heart of downtown Brooklyn you will find a museum dedicated to just that the New York transit museum is the largest museum in the country devoted to the history of urban public transportation and happens to be one of the best institutions of its kind in the world this off-the-beaten-path museum is actually built within a retired subway station which makes it all the more authentic and you actually get to enter the museum like you would normally enter any subway station once inside you'll travel through time and experience the subway cars buses of the olden days somewhat the ad still up on the boards you'll see the progression of the subway and bus system in addition to the different signage ah's and the maps that were used throughout the years the museum also has on display some of the old trolley cars that ran up and down the streets of New York back in the earlier 20th century for those of you who grew up in New York and are so used to the current trains and buses you'll be amazed at the striking contrast between now and then and all the history this museum has to offer number nine the world's first Parkway you may know Eastern Parkway for hosting the annual Labor Day Caribbean Day Parade but did you know that it is also the world's first Parkway in fact this 4.2 mile Boulevard was conceived by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Bois and constructed between 1870 and 1874 these are the same two guys who designed Central Park and Prospect Park the turn Parkway was also coined by Olmstead info basically a Parkway is a non-commercial landscaped road built specifically for pleasure riding driving and walking while leading to a park and in the case of Eastern Parkway it leads to Prospect Park this is why most of the parkway is lined with shady trees grass benches and pedestrian walkways it's practically a park leading to a park Eastern Parkway was meant to be the Brooklyn nucleus of an interconnected park and Parkway system for the New York area unfortunately Olmsted and Vaux's plan was never completed number 10 Grand Army Plaza so many go past Grand Army Plaza every day without realizing its significance we know it has a huge traffic circle connecting multiple neighborhoods to some of Brooklyn's biggest cultural destinations such as Prospect Park the central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Brooklyn Museum we also know it as an open space hosting our favorite weekend farmers markets but did you know that Grand Army Plaza is built on the site of the Battle of Long Island this was the first major battle in the American Revolution in addition the giant soldiers and sailors arch that sits in the middle of the plaza serves as a monument to those in the Union Army who fought in the American Civil War some of the streets extending from the plaza are a good giveaway another detail that you might like to know is that both the IRT and the BM t train lines meet right smack underneath the plazas fountain therefore from 1915 to 1920 the plaza had to be cut open to make room for the underground tracks the original fountain was removed and later replaced with the Bailey fountain that we know today and a grassy oval and last but not least number 11 it's Beach neighborhoods what's unique about Brooklyn is that some of its beach communities are like regular neighborhoods you have neighborhoods like Coney Island and Brighton Beach where the beach is just a few steps from the main drag and your apartment building for those fortunate to live in these communities there's no need to pack the car and check all the way out to the Rockaways for instance take a look at the street in Brooklyn would you believe me if I told you that the beach was just two blocks away if you're a die-hard beach lover and want to live close to the beach you won't even need to buy one of those expensive new york beach houses unless you want to of course simply get an apartment in brighton beach change into your swimsuit and you'll be good to go every single day now that's what I call easy breezy beach living in New York City [Music] that's it for this episode on Brooklyn New York if you have a love affair with Brooklyn or if you hail from Brooklyn and you have some things you'd like to add to the list be sure to share it with us in the comments below we're always happy to hear from you and be sure to like and subscribe if you'd like to see more on New York City on favorite city that never sleeps anyway thanks for watching and we'll see each other next time [Music]

Channel: ALL NYC

Views: 387,987

Rating: 4.8065476 out of 5

Keywords: new york city, nyc, new york travel, nyc travel, moving to new york city, moving to nyc, living in nyc, living in new york, brooklyn, brooklyn bridge park, DUMBO, smorgasburg, green-wood cemetery, brooklyn botanic garden, dyker heights, dyker heights christmas lights, coney island, coney island cyclone, nyc transit museum, eastern parkway, grand army plaza, prospect park, brighton beach, frederick law olmsted, brooklyn facts, brooklyn hipster, cyclone roller coaster, allnyc33

Id: EO9MfijLR6s

Length: 14min 41sec (881 seconds)

Published: Sun Oct 06 2019