Perhaps you’ve passed by this seemingly simple house of worship. It is the Peoples Park Holland Reformed Church. Today we will delve into its past. We will uncover stories woven into its very foundation. This church has stood as a cornerstone of faith and community. It has been a silent witness to the ever-changing tapestry of New York City.
The Flatlands Dutch Reformed Church offers us a glimpse into this history. It is one of the two Brooklyn Dutch Reformed Churches. They were organized under Peter Stuyvesant’s orders. The other is the Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church. The Flatlands church formed in 1654 under Reverend Johannes Megapolenis. By the American Revolution and the Battle of Brooklyn it was over 100 years old.
During colonial times this area of Brooklyn was farmland. The church was central to pioneer life. The graveyard next to the church dates back to the beginning of European civilization in the New World. Many tombstones are written in Dutch. English became common on grave markers only in the mid 1800s.
An excerpt from the New York Daily Times in 1852 mentions an event at the church. The ladies of the Reformed Dutch Church at Flatlands held a fair. The profits were devoted to furnishing the lecture room of the church. This excerpt shows the kind of town Flatlands was. It shows what the church was used for. The same article talked about a man. William Kershaw was arrested for violating the Sunday Ordinance. This shows what the culture was like back then. It shows the small town feel that Brooklyn had in the mid-19th century.
Flatlands remained agricultural until the 1830s. It had only 700 residents. It was the second-smallest town in Kings County. Blacks farmed the land as slaves for their colonial owners. They made up 20 percent of the population. New York State abolished slavery in 1827. The Brooklyn City Railroad Company extended horsecar service to Kings Highway in 1875. Flatlands residents gained access to downtown Brooklyn’s stores and businesses. The area began to grow slowly. In 1896 the town was the last to be annexed by the City of Brooklyn.
In 1954 the church made a book to commemorate its Tercentenary Anniversary. John Baxter’s journal is included in this book. He was born in the Kingdom of Ireland in 1765. His journal entries about the 19th century are interesting. They bring us into the everyday life of Flatlands dwellers. He mentions store openings. John Lott’s store was the first since Columbus Discovered America. He talks about his agriculture. It suffered from the thick ice of winter. He makes regular notes about church services. He was an active member.
The Kings County Genealogical Club Collection has a section on the tombstone inscriptions. It was written in 1882. The descriptions included information like age birth date and whether the person was colored or not. Slavery existed in New York. It was only abolished in 1827. Blacks were freed from slavery. Some families in this graveyard were black. Twenty percent of the neighborhood was black in the 19th century. There were also baptismal and marriage records in this book.
Reverend Anson du Bois wrote a history of Flatlands. He was one of the pastors from the church. He talked about the natives. The land was purchased from them. In 1870 the church reported 80 families and 200 members.
In 1966 the state decided this church was an important place. It became a landmark on July 19th by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
As you stand before the Peoples Park Holland Reformed Church consider the countless stories. Consider the generations who have sought solace inspiration and community within its walls. Its legacy is etched in every stone. It echoes in every hymn. It resonates in the hearts of those who continue to cherish its presence.