BARTEL-PRITCHARD SQUARE, Park Slope

by Kevin Walsh

Maps show there has  always been a traffic circle in this spot since the park opened, and the apartment buildings on Bartel-Pritchard were built along the gentle curves of  the circle. The square was named in 1923 for Emil Bartel and William Pritchard, two young Brooklyn natives who were killed in combat in World War I. Bartel was a Windsor Terrace native while Pritchard was from Bushwick. The polished granite memorial to Windsor Terracers killed in combat was placed here in 1965.

A side note: most major NYC intersections are called “squares” even though they take many shapes: circles, triangles, rhomboids, or other multisided figures. In Britain, many traffic circles are called “roundabouts” and, while in NYC we do have traffic circles, traffic is controlled by stoplights, as it is here. Technically, a “roundabout” has no traffic lights at all; NYC did not have any of these until one was installed in Longview, in the Bronx, at Intervale Avenue and Dawson Street.

9/3/15

 

 

7 comments

jack September 4, 2015 - 8:23 am

Grew up in Brighton Beach and took the Coney Island street car to the SQUARE then walked to the ball park(sometimes we took the train home and got off at Ocean Parkway)got the street car at SeaBreeze and 2nd Street….

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William Mangahas September 4, 2015 - 6:08 pm

Going back to the mid 1960’s, I remembered the Mack C-49 buses on the B-68 with the name Bartel-Pritchard Sqaue on the red colored front roll sign.

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Don Gilligan September 6, 2015 - 8:34 pm

There are two roundabouts in Pelham Bay Park. One on the road to City Island. The other is on the Shore Road, south of the Pelham-Split Rock Golf Course.

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Mary Ann Sawka-OFarrell November 1, 2015 - 5:46 pm

I have so many memories of hanging out at Bartel-Pritchard Square .I lived on Sherman St and I am my 2 girlfriends could be found on the Parkside every night. We went to the Sanders movie all the time. We had soda’s in the Icecream parlor which was on the corner by the movie house. I had my first under age drink in the Irish Bar there. There were many gangs there in the early 60’s. The Jokers was just one of them. All the guy’s had Harleys. I remember their names. I can almost remember their faces !!! That specific place was a constant in my youth . Wonderful memories !!!!!

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Walter T June 9, 2017 - 10:09 am

I remember Park Slope, I was born their in 1946. My family lived 10th Ave and Prospect Ave, we are The Bilotta family. My Brother Richard was Killed in action in Vietnam . We attended Holy Name Church. Spent a lot of time at Bartel Prichard Square, drank beer at Farrells Saloon it was a Saloon back in the early days. Went to the sanders theater. I remember the jokers. Played ball at Prospectacular Park. Talk with me on this site.

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Steve I December 20, 2017 - 11:37 pm

In Pete Hamill’s 1969 article “Brooklyn: The Sane Alternative” he mentions that ‘we played [stickball] in the old skating rink at Bartel Pritchard Square’. Does anyone have recollection of where this was located, I couldn’t find any evidence of it during a quick web search.

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Yellow March 7, 2022 - 12:47 pm

I think Mr. Hamill was remembering a skating rink at Park Circle. A smaller roundabout at the southern end of Prospect Park. There were horse riding stables there, too. Grand Army Plaza was at the opposite end of the park and was encircled by
large apartment buildings. A much classier effect than Park Circle. You

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