Hidden within Brooklyn’s bustling Bensonhurst neighborhood lies Milestone Park. It’s an unassuming patch of green, but don’t let its size fool you. Milestone Park holds a piece of New York City’s history, a tangible link to its colonial past. The park takes its name from a replica milestone, a replacement for the original 1741 marker. The original milestone, a directional post for travelers, once stood at the crossroads of Kings Highway and Old New Utrecht-Flatbush Road. This junction is now 18th Avenue. The milestone also served a surprising purpose. It helped determine postal rates. Imagine a time when distances dictated the cost of sending a letter. The original milestone displayed these important distances. It showed 8 1/4 or 10 1/2 miles to “N York Ferry”, 2 1/2 miles to “Deny’s Ferry”, and a whopping 15 miles to Jamaica. This helps visualize how far a journey to these now familiar locations once was. The park itself sits on land once owned by the prominent Van Pelt family. A family descendant deeded the land to the city in 1910 for a single dollar. The deed came with a condition. The city had to maintain the land as a site for exhibiting and preserving the old Dutch milestone. The original milestone now resides at the Brooklyn Historical Society for safekeeping. While a replica stands in Milestone Park, the Parks Department claims its presence. The park also has a connection to the Van Pelt Manor House. This house stood on the park grounds for nearly three centuries. Sadly, it was destroyed by a fire in the 1950s. So next time you find yourself in Bensonhurst, take a detour to Milestone Park. It’s a small green space, but it holds a big story. It’s a story about colonial roads, postal rates, and a prominent family. It’s a quiet reminder of a time when journeys were long, and milestones marked the way.
Gould Family Mausoleum
Ever heard of a “Robber Baron?” Here at Woodlawn Cemetery stands the Gould Family Mausoleum. It is a testament to