TODAY, Sunset Park, located fairly neatly between the Brooklyn waterfront, 10th Avenue/Fort Hamilton Parkway, 39th and 65th Streets, is divided fairly neatly between a Latino/Hispanic section nearer the water and an Asian/Chinese section east of about 7th Avenue. However, a group of people who immigrated from a different part of the world occupied the area in the 20th Century: the Scandinavians, from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Indeed, Scandinavian influences can be detected, if you know where to look, as far south as Bay Ridge and as far north as Brooklyn Heights. Scandinavians flocked to waterside and dock jobs in the U.S. and lived in homes near the waterside.
For example, the blocks between 40th and 44th Streets near 8th Avenue were home to a substantial Finnish population. Finland is in Scandinavia (with Norway, Sweden and Denmark), but its language is from a different root and is unlike Danish, Swedish or Norwegian. In Finland, the country is called Suomi; the word doesn’t resemble other Scandinavian country names’ English counterparts such as Sverige, Norge and Danmark.
When I passed this 4-story building on 4th Avenue and 51st Street awhile ago, I didn’t know what I had found. There were chiseled signs on the avenue side: “4th Avenue,” “Parkway”, “Garage” and “1907.” However, in a Facebook group called “Everyone Who Loves Brooklyn,” I discovered that this was called Scandia Hall and it hosted meetings and parties catering to the Norwegians in the neighborhood. After several years of moribundity it is being redeveloped. Since it still looks remarkably like when it was built in 1907, I hope they don’t change it much.
Looking at the old photo, its identity as a garage is easier to discern, with two large arched doors. “Parkway” likely referred to the word in its literal sense, a place to park. Automobiles were still rather rare in 1907, so the garage is truly an artifact. The building also hosted a car dealership and furniture store in its later years.
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12/5/23