A major battle in the American Revolutionary War took place on Brooklyn soil. And Brooklynites pay tribute to the heroes of the war with neighborhoods, parks and streets in their names, as NY1's Jeanine Ramirez reports.
The Old Stone House in Park Slope is a replica of a Dutch farmhouse — central to one of the largest battles of the Revolutionary War: The Battle of Brooklyn.
"Thanks to a regiment of Maryland soldiers who attacked the British here right around the surroundings of the Old Stone House, the Americans were able to keep an escape route open," said Kim Maier, executive director of Old Stone House.
American troops managed to escape to fight another day, and eventually won the war, a war that continues to leave its mark on Brooklyn. Take Fort Greene and Fort Greene Park, where remnants of fortifications remain, as do the remains of American prisoners of war.
"Fort Greene was named after Nathaniel Greene who was one of the American generals in the American Revolutionary War," said Brooklyn Historical Society director of public history Julie Golia.
Revolutionary War heroes are well represented in Brooklyn. Beyond George Washington, there are avenues for commanders Horatio Gates, Baron DeKalb and the Marquis de Lafayette, who's also depicted in a Prospect Park statue.
In Bay Ridge there's a park named for John Paul Jones — known as the father of the American Navy. And, by the Navy Yard, a park named for that other father of the Navy, Commodore John Barry, known as the first to fly an American flag during battle. There are bridges too.
"Pulaski and Kosciusko you have two bridges and streets named after these Polish Revolutionary heroes," said Brooklyn College professor Jerome Krase.
The Revolutionary War-era patriotic feel doesn't end there. Brooklyn boasts a street named for founding father Benjamin Franklin.
"The biggest community of historical names is in Williamsburg — the signers of the original Declaration of Independence are named in all the streets there," said John Manbeck, author of "The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn."
There is one for Edward Rutledge one of the youngest to put his name on it. There were 56 signers including Harrison and Heyward, Lee, Ross, and Wythe.
However, there is one mistake — here on Keap Street. It is named for Thomas McKean, another signer of the Declaration of Independence. But, because of his poor penmanship, the 'n' looks like a 'p'.
So Keap ended up being the keeper.