I was unsteadily rambling north on West 8th Street in Gravesend in November 2025 when, south of Kings Highway, I noticed some attached houses that were a “cut above” the usual one family houses built on Gravesend’s side streets, and I realized I had encountered them before.
It turns out that this was adjacent to a real estate development called Highlawn, but what I’ve shown you here wasn’t it! According to Gravesend historian Joseph Ditta the houses north of Highlawn are the result of speculation by developer Otto Singer.
Highlawn was advertised in October 1907 newspapers, developed by Charles Hallock. the development was on streets mostly south of Highlawn Avenue/Avenue R, between West 4th and 10th Streets. It got as far south as Avenue U. It’s advertised as being on high ground, away from the marshiness of South Brooklyn, thence the “high.”
Hallock, apparently, got Brooklyn’s leaders to change the name of Avenue R to “Highlawn Avenue.” It’s not the only “letter avenue” in Brooklyn to change to something else; Avenues A through G were given British names as various developers wanted a more sophisticated atmosphere. Avenue Q became Quentin Road, probably for Theodore Roosevelt’s son, Quentin, a casualty who was shot down in France in a World War I incident in 1918, but some accounts dispute that.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop. As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.
4/10/26