New York City Flatbush

Transformed by the introduction of the trolley in the late 19th century, Flatbush grew from a small town into a stomping ground for the well-to-do. You can wander around Argyle St. and Ditmas Ave. to see some of their old mansions, or go on the annual house tour in April. In the first half of the 20th century, the neighborhood was home to the beloved Brooklyn Dodgers, who played in Ebbets Field. The stadium was demolished in 1957 when owner Walter O’Malley moved the club to Los Angeles. A housing complex now stands in its place. The neighborhood is home to Erasmus Hall Academy, 911 Flatbush Ave., at Church Ave., the second-oldest high school in North America. It was constructed in 1787 with the participation of Aaron Burr, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton, and alumni include Neil Diamond, Barbara Streisand, and Barry Manilow. Its charter stipulates that no brick can be moved from the school’s central building, or a neighboring Dutch Reform Church will repossess it. Once a predominantly Jewish immigrant neighborhood, Flatbush now contains significant Jamaican and West Indian populations. On summer days, reggae music and exotic fruit stands fill major thoroughfares like Nostrand and Church Ave. The Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts lies to the south, as does Brooklyn College, the first public co-ed liberal arts college in New York City. (Bounded by Coney Island Ave. to the west, Ave. H to the south, Nostrand Ave. to the east, and Parkside Ave. to the north. S B, Q to Church Ave./E 18th St., Newkirk Ave.; 2, 5 to Church Ave./Nostrand Ave., Flatbush Ave./Brooklyn College. TOUR: ☎718-859-4868)