Forgotten New York

DYKER HEIGHTS MYSTERY

As I have mentioned previously in Forgotten NY, when I lived in Brooklyn , I used to bicycle all over Brooklyn and several times extended into Queens and as far as Valley Stream in Nassau County. From Bay Ridge I would most often go through Bensonhurst/Dyker Heights to reach points further east and while heading down 67th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues, I would go past something that always confused me and to which I don’t have an answer to this day. And, it’s still there.

It’s an isolated trolley pole carrying electric wires to #1160 67th Street, which is considerably set back from the street. I recognized it as a trolley pole, originally carrying overhead wires that powered trolley cars, from its simple cylindrical iron construction and knob at the apex. Until about a decade ago, Surf Avenue in Coney Island still had a couple of dozen.

My theory was that this was an impromptu arrangement and that the pole was rescued from scrap and forced into duty here. There was never a trolley line on 67th Street or a yard; the closest line was on Bay Ridge Avenue (69th Street) two blocks away and there was also another line on New Utrecht Avenue, but nothing close to this location…

Your guess is as good as mine. Comments are open.

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12/23/23

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