Brooklyn, New York

Since the turn of the century New Yorkers have been escaping to Coney Island to enjoy the amusement rides and beach. Some of the more popular attractions at Astroland include the Cyclone, a wooden rollercoaster built in 1927, the Wonder Wheel, the world's tallest ferris wheel, and the B and B Carousel.

A replica of a Dutch stone farmhouse with a very rich history stands in the Park Slope/Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. The Old Stone House was built by Nicholas Vechte beside the Gowanus Creek in 1699 and now serves as the Historic Interpretive Center in J.J. Byrne Park.The walls are two-feet thick, made of fieldstone and brick with heavily shuttered windows that protected the family.By the 1890s the house had been demolished, but was rebuilt in the 1930s with the original stones, and also received two more restorations in the 1970s and 1990s. Inside the replica of the original house is an educational center offering changing exhibits on the first floor and a community room on the second floor. The Old Stone House Historic Interpretive Center is operated by the First Battle Revival Alliance, named in honor of that "first battle" of the newly formed United States, the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn.

The Verrazzano Narrows Bridge spans New York Harbor between Brooklyn and Staten Island. Construction on the bridge started in 1959 and was completed in 1964 at a cost of $325,000,000. The bridge itself is 4,260 feet (1,298 meters) long, weighs 60,000 tons, and is supported by four 10,000 ton cables. It is the second longest suspension bridge in the world, the Humber Bridge in England was the first. The bridge is a toll bridge and fees are charged one way. Great views of the spectacular bridge span can obtained from several locations. One option includes the Dyker Heights shoreline where the Belt Parkway bike-pedestrian trail follows the shoreline.

Located just south of the east end of the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights neighborhood has a wonderful view of lower Manhattan. Thus it attracted many well-to-do Victorians who built rich houses in the area making it a delightful place to stroll and take in the wealth of architecture. A boardwalk along the East River adds focus to the community.The area also has a place in history as 2 Pierre Pont Place in Brooklyn Heights ws the site of George Washington's headquarters for Battle of Long Island in August 1776.

The City Reliquary Museum in Brooklyn highlights the history of New York's the boroughs. The collection includes a 1939 World's Fair exhibit, Statue of Liberty memorabilia, and architectural remnants of city buildings.The museum is also noted for the "Community Collections" storefront window which captures the attention of passerby. Some of the items on display include vintage thermoses, commemorative Presidential plates, and the Zucker Family's Antique Pens.

The Brooklyn Children's Museum was founded in 1899. Today it is housed in an underground building and is comprised of a series of interconnecting passageways leading to four levels of hands-on, interactive exhibits to teach children about the planets, resolving their fear, other cultures and history. The museum remains an example to other children's museums around the world.

Lefferts Homestead was built in 1783 as a Dutch-American farmhouse. Donated to New York City in 1918, the house is now located in the Children's Corner of Prospect Park. The house is now a museum featuring a working garden, historic artifacts, as well as period rooms and exhibits.

Prospect Park forms the cultural heart of Brooklyn and is the location of the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Public Library, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the Prospect Park Wildlife Center (aka Brooklyn Zoo).The northern tip touches the Grand Army Plaza with its impressive Grand Army Arch (1892) by John Duncan.

The Pieter Claesen Wyckoff House is the oldest Dutch farmhouse in New York City having been built in 1652. The house is typical of the period. The house was restored in 1982 and opened as a museum.

The WAH Center (Williamsburg Art & Historical Center) features fashion shows, photograph and painting exhibits, and other media presentations.