Construction of The Atlantic Dock - a massive, man-made harbor for deep water ships, began on June 3, 1841.  The erection of stout stone warehouses and towering grain elevators that could handle products coming down the Erie Canal began in 1844; and four years later, a line of warehouses was completed.  

The vision of Atlantic Dock becoming a major hub of trade for grain, sugar, coffee and other goods was realized. 

Grain and other produce from inland farms traveled down the Erie Canal to the Atlantic Docks, where it was warehoused and then sold both locally and put on big ships and sailed along the coast and accross the ocean.  The official end of slavery in the United States was still over 20 years away when the Atlantic Docks opened.  As cotton, sugar and mollasses were all largely the product of slave labor, the storage, trading and profiiting from these products was not innocent as it might seem. 

Atlantic Dock's success spurred further development including Red Hook's Erie Basin.  Soon after it was built, the Atlantic Dock Basin was teaming with small canal boats, large ocean going vessels, and, to a lesser extent, pleasure yachts.    

The man-made harbor was called "Atlantic Basin" and the piers and warehouses that surrounded it, was named "Atlantic Dock." From early on, either name might be used to refer to both water and land, although Atlantic Dock was initially more common. Today, with the original warehouses and finger piers gone, the place goes by Atlantic Basin.    

Atlantic Basin was also once home to passenger ships lines, notably, the point of arrival for the Puerto Rican community in New York in the first half of the 20^th Century.

Today,  Atlantic Basin, is a much smaller, modernized remnant of the former grandeur of Atlantic Dock. Much of the basin has been filled in to form a parking lot for trucks and in the 1950s, long metal sheds replaced the stone warehouses.

Atlantic Dock is a home for two MARYs.  The QUEEN MARY 2, docks at the outside of the basin, and inside is PortSide NewYork's MARY A. WHALEN. 

This is just an overview of the history of Atlantic Dock's.  Click here for a curated tour through Red Hook WaterStories' collection about Atlantic Basin. 
There are several other was to find Atlantic Dock waterstories: see "Subjects" and/or  "Tags" or do a search.

Text from an Advetisement in Doggets New York City Directory for 1847

FORTY ACRES WATER SURFACE WITHIN THE DOCKS, ON WHICH THE WAREHOUSES ARE BUILT.

This location, convenient to the City of New-York, being now in successful operation, for the economical Warehousing of Merchandise, especially the articles named above, the subscribers would call the attention of Shipping Houses, in New- York and elsewhere, to the decided advantages which can be secured by direction of property, if to be warehoused, to be landed at the Atlantic Dock, Brooklyn, where vessels of the largest class can be berthed with greater safety than in the City of New- York. Some of the advantages of this situation are: 

First. — In the great saving of carting in and out of stores, as all goods can be taken directly to and from the vessel. 

Second—In the reduction of Storage and incidental charges, and ultimate reduction of Insurance, the stores being built of stone which has been tested, and walls 30 inches at the foundations, and 20 inches at the roofs ; iron doors, iron shutters, front and rear ; two water-fronts ; and the protection of property against fire under the POLICE REGULATIONS of the Company are intended to be perfect. No smoking allowed on the premises in charge of the subscribers. 

Third —All merchandise sold by sample, can be placed in store at the Atlantic Dock, and sold at the difference of 30 to 50 per cent, of the expenses over goods warehoused in the City of New- York. 

For Grain and Flour the location is not equaled, being open to the sea breeze, and the stores are lined with boards, and the Docks are planked. 

Every facility for the prompt and energetic dispatch of business at this location —Measurers, Weighers, Coopers, "on the premises. 

With the advantages of a Steam Elevator, grain is received and delivered with great dispatch. 

The Hamilton Ferry landing at Whitehall, New York, and at the Dock, Brooklyn, affords a direct, quick and easy communication with the business art of the city of New-York. 

Storage, also, in the City of New- York, for all descriptions of Merchandise, in good convenient Warehouses, Separate and distinct Storage provided for Extra Hazardous Goods. 

Application, personally or by letter, can be made to the subscribers at the head office.
WADSWORTH & WELLS,4. Jones Lane New-York & 14 Atlantic dock Stores, Brooklyn