Vinegar Hill

Vinegar Hill is a tiny, quirky remnant of a neighborhood hidden away between DUMBO and Wallabout. You have to know it's there; there's no public transportation or main thoroughfare that passes through it.

It was originally developed in the late 18th century by a landowner named John Jackson. He named the area after the 1798 Battle of Vinegar Hill, the last battle in the Irish Rebellion against the English, in order to appeal to Irish immigrants. For many years, it was known as "Irish Town," and during Prohibition the area was a major producer of moonshine. Later, it became home to an influx of Lithuanian immigrants.

It's now only about six blocks, but it used to be much bigger. The construction of the BQE and the Manhattan Bridge destroyed the bulk of it, and the closure of the nearby Brooklyn Navy Yard in the 1960s further lead to its decline. Today, there are still cobblestone streets (technically, "Belgian Block" streets), and century-old Federal- and Greek Revival-style buildings, and old storefronts that have become residences.

The old garage above is an example of old, untouched architecture. Below is an old, abandoned truck, hidden away in a small lot. I'm pretty sure it's a 1960 B 61 Mack Truck (Fun fact: Mack Trucks was founded in Brooklyn!). Who knows how long it's been there. There's a logo on the door for "Chelsea Dem Co," which I could find no record of, and an address which is now a building for NYU Tisch School of the Arts.