It turns out that Brooklyn had a “dry” or alcohol-free town decades before Staten Island’s Prohibition Park, now known as Westerleigh. While Prohibition Park was established in 1887 and strictly enforced alcohol strictures, naming streets for prohibition-favoring political candidates as well as “dry” states that did not permit the use of recreational alcohol, Brooklyn’s “temperanceville” was set up as early as the 1830s in the south of what is today’s Park Slope but was then “South Brooklyn” and eventually grew to include blocks between 3rd and 7th Avenues and 10th and 17th Streets. Untapped Cities has the full description.
Over the years, the Brooklyn Eagle mentioned the village, sometimes treating it in a cheeky fashion. No one has a crystal ball, but soon enough, temperance would be enforced by law nationwide between 1919 and 1933. It’ s likely that prohibition wasn’t enforced in Temperance Village by law years before the Volstead Act, but by coercion and the honor system.
This map shows some of Temperance Village between 4th and 7th Avenues and 12th and 15th Streets. Building lots are depicted, some shaded in yellow (I am not sure why).
For years I have been fascinated by the presence of frame buildings in Park Slope, a region of brick apartments and attached houses, some brick, some brownstone. I realized that they were older than the rest, but until now, not part of any dedicated development. Many, it seems, were built as part of Temperance Village.
Many have had their porches or woodwork lopped off and aluminum siding applied, but here’s a 1940 photo of some village housing in original condition.
Here’s to Temperance Village! Raising a Diet Coke.
Brooklyn Eagle clips courtesy Edward Fitzgerald
As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site. Take a look at the new JOBS link in the red toolbar at the top of the page on the desktop version, as I also get a small payment when you view a job via that link.
9/23/24
3 comments
Depending on the map, highlighted lots may have been an indication that the lot contained a building.
If you mention South Brooklyn to any of the recently arrived “nouveau riche” residents of the area, they think you must be talking about Coney Island!
I guess during the early part of the 20th century this was pretty south right? It seems like most of the development in and below sunset park and inland was during the 20th century. I last lived on Regent on Ocean avenue and it was so interesting to see things along that B and Q line build mostly in 1900. That part of Brooklyn was pretty sparse. I really love avenue H station being the real-estate building I think.