IN JEOPARDY: RYDER-VAN CLEEF HOUSE, Gravesend

by Kevin Walsh

RYDER-Van Cleef House, constructed in 1840 by Lawrence Ryder, stood at 26 Village Road north before it was moved to #38 in 1930. A Ryder daughter married a Van Cleef, giving it a hyphen. Village Road North has unofficially been called Ryder Place in the past, and many Ryders have lived in the area. Ryder Street in Marine Park, Ryder Avenue in Midwood, and a now-vanished road also in Marine Park also named Ryder Avenue attest to the influence of the Ryders in Kings County in a bygone era.

Incredibly, in 2022 this historic building faces demolition: See story in Brownstoner.

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10/5/22

5 comments

John V. October 5, 2022 - 10:25 am

Before I even read this, when I saw “IN JEOPARDY”, I was saying to myself “here we go again”, and instantly became disgusted. I can only hope the outcome will play out differently. Also, thanks for the Brownstoner link.

Reply
Edward F. October 5, 2022 - 11:13 am

The Ryders were a longtime local family in the Gravesend area. Bernardus I. Ryder served as Gravesend Town Supervisor from 1844 to 1854.
Ryder Street in Marine Park may have been named for John L. Ryder, Flatlands Town Supervisor (1855 – 1883), member and secretary of the Kings County Town Survey Commission, which between 1869 and 1874 laid out the streets in the Towns of Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots and New Utrecht.

Reply
Anonymous October 11, 2022 - 6:46 pm

Check out the recent condition of the Wycoff-Bennett Homestead at 1669 East 22nd street in Brooklyn. It’s a
disgrace.

Reply
Meir Chaimowitz October 12, 2022 - 3:33 am

What happened?

Reply
Tal Barzilai October 16, 2022 - 11:46 pm

If this was anywhere else in the country, this house would have been saved and preserved, but being in NYC, it’s almost never the case unless there’s a good, convincing reason to save them.

Reply

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