Matthew Scarpa Livres

Bay Ridge was once a quaint and rural pocket of suburban Brooklyn. With the establishment of Ovington Village in the 1850s, the area became a haven for artists and businessmen alike. The area still bears remnants of its artistic and historic past. The beautiful Narrows that so inspired this guild served as a vital point of defense in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Throughout the past two centuries, Bay Ridge has thrived with a diverse immigrant population living alongside Brooklyn elites like Henry C. Murphy, whose opulent estate is now scenic Owl's Head Park. Local author Matthew Scarpa reveals the extraordinary places, people and events in Bay Ridge history.

Bay Ridge, located on the southernmost western point of Long Island, was once a small rural community along the banks of the Lower New York Bay. When the Township of New Utrecht, which governed and included Bay Ridge, was annexed to the City of Brooklyn in 1894, its rural character changed dramatically, growing into a thriving urban center, both diverse and prosperous, complete with fine country day clubs for social and cultural refinement. A unique glimpse and intimate portrait of this rural part of Brooklyn is provided through the picture postcards of the early 20th century. These beautifully illustrated postal prints feature many of Bay Ridge's finest attractions, exploring the picturesque beauty of its country-style landscape, its back roads and stately homes, and its urban city-dwelling environment with mass transportation systems connecting it with Brooklyn and Greater New York.