Emerald Meteors Over Brooklyn

Here are some people admiring the view of Manhattan, still a small city, though growing fast, from a rural-looking Brooklyn Heights in 1849 - a little more than 160 years ago, and another altogether different world from the New York of today.

And here are a few vignettes from the Brooklyn Heights of 1849, which the people in the picture would be walking back towards after they had gazed at Manhattan long enough (all culled from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle):

- M. and Mme. Berteau were running a Boarding and Day School for young ladies at 23 Pierrepont Street, with lessons given in both French and English (Sept. 28, 1847, p. 2).

- W.B. Van Voast, proprietor of the Gothic Saloons in Brooklyn Heights, announced in 1846 that he had ``taken the large, airy building on Columbia Street, near Pierrepont, and fitted it up in the most modern style, for BILLIARD AND BOWLING SALOONS.`` There was also be a Refreshment Saloon in which he served - so he said - the choicest refreshments of the season - whatever they were. (July 14, 1846, p. 3).

- In September 1843, in the Heights - near where the people in the above picture were standing - the Colonnade Garden and Saloon held a Grand Day and Evening Gala for the benefit of Messrs. Barnett and Codet - not related to my great great grandmother Barnett though, for she was still living in the East End of London and would not arrive in Brooklyn until 1848. There would be a Grand Concert featuring a Chinese Pas de Quatres, songs and piano music, and a Hornpipe in Fetters (!) performed by Master B. Yates. It would last all day and end with splendid fireworks in the evening, featuring Affghanistan Lights, Rockets of Carmine, Emerald Meteors, the Pride of Aurora and Rockets with Saucissons (which must have been quite something).

The writer of the advertisement also promised (and I am not sure what to make of this) the ``Ascension of MY GRANDMOTHER in her Montgoffier Balloon, 35` high and 70`across. `` (September 9, 1843, p. 3).

I think I`ve said in earlier posts that I`d like to have access to a Time Machine and go back to see this or that in old New York. I would like to add the Gala on the Heights in September 1843 to my imaginary itinerary. I want to see some Emerald Meteors -  and see for myself whether someone`s grandmother really did go up in a balloon over Brooklyn.

Image from NYPL Digital Gallery.

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 Many thanks to my friend Melissa Bellanta of The Vapour Trail, for including my last post (about the Brooklyn Jail Gazette) in the latest History Carnival - do go check it out, there are all sorts of fascinating articles linked over there.