PortSide NewYork acknowledges that we are are land and waterways that are the homeland of the Lenape, a place they call "Lenapehoking."  The Lenape were displaced by European settlers and forced to move as a group multiple times to several US...

The Red Hook Art Project (RHAP) is a tutoring and mentoring project that organizes professionals to volunteer to provide gifted, under-served children and youth with free classes and tutoring in visual art, music and homework help. "An Arts Tutoring...

During Spring semester 2024, PortSide is working with a Pratt Institute graduate student class on "participatory plannning" taught by Beth Bingham. We recommended Wally Bazemore as a resource for the class, and he came to speak during a session...

Henry R Stiles in his 1867 history of Brooklyn references a 1755 census of slaves in Brooklyn: “ from which we learn that there were then in Brooklyn 133 slaves (53 of whom were females), owned by sixty-two persons, among whom John Bargay and...

Aerial View, looking north, of the Port Authority Grain Terminal and the Columbia Street Pier, June 25, 1950. In the photograph, the Grain Terminal, is the large rectangular cement building, located at the right mid-section. Behind it to the right...

The Brooklyn Bridge is a suspended by four main steel wire cables. It became the first major bridge of its kind when it opened for service in May 1883 and it's unique design remains essentially the same today. The concept of suspending a bridge with...

NOTE: 7/9/2024  Mat Blak announced will be leaving Red Hook: After 9 years in business, unfortunately, Mat Blak New York is leaving the neighborhood. I have grown to love this neighborhood and all of the amazing people that have supported me,...

Divine Burtis, Jr, born in 1802 near Huntington Long Island and died in Brooklyn on October 7, 1896 a respected ship builder.  He is buried in Greeenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn. In the historical record, there a bit of inconsistency as to whether...

GBX-Gowanus Bay Terminal is on a historic maritime site which has had several significant iterations. More on those below. GBX’s website says it is a multi-user industrial facility with an emphasis on community, environment, and sustainability."...