Mapleton, Brooklyn

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The site of Mapleton was originally part of the town of New Utrecht in the 17th and 18th centuries. The area, as did the rest of Brooklyn, became part of New York City in 1898.

Mapleton was developed in the early 1910s in conjunction with the construction of the Sea Beach subway line, which replaced a former surface-level railroad. Many of the homes were built on {{Convert|30|by|100|ft|m|abbr=|adj=on}} plots subdivided from former farmland.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/realestate/living-in-mapleton-brooklyn-when-is-a-neighborhood-a-sandwich.html|title=Living In Mapleton, Brooklyn — When Is a Neighborhood a Sandwich?|last=Gregor|first=Alison|date=December 14, 2012|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 21, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} By 1914, there were dozens of single-family homes being constructed around the nearby subway stations. The eastern part of Mapleton was developed by the Alco Building Company, who built low-density housing in that area, and was known as Mapleton Park.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1914/07/12/archives/big-increase-in-brooklyns-building-operations-due-to-prospective.html|title=BIG INCREASE IN BROOKLYN'S BUILDING OPERATIONS DUE TO PROSPECTIVE BENEFITS FROM NEW SUBWAYS; Plans Under Way for Scores of Medium-Priced Homes in Outlying Districts -- Mapleton Park Activity Along Sea Beach Line -- Eastern Parkway's Choice Residential Streets Showing Rapid Improvement -- Steady Demand for Medium-Priced Flats -- Business Expansion in Borough Hall Section.|date=July 12, 1914|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 21, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} With the opening of the Sea Beach Line in June 1915, Mapleton gained direct subway access to Manhattan, and developers were able to sell $1 million worth of real estate.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1915/04/18/archives/mapleton-park-activity-realty-sales-of-1000000-due-to-new-subway.html|title=MAPLETON PARK ACTIVITY.; Realty Sales of $1,000,000 Due to New Subway Line.|date=April 18, 1915|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 21, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} By December of the same year, it was estimated that the three Sea Beach Line stations in Mapleton accommodated a combined 4,000 passengers daily.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1915/12/05/archives/more-sea-beach-traffic-three-mapleton-stations-contribute-4000.html|title=MORE SEA BEACH TRAFFIC.; Three Mapleton Stations Contribute 4,000 Passengers Daily.|date=December 5, 1915|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 21, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

In 1927, Congregation Tiffareth Israel decided to construct a synagogue and yeshiva at 64th Street and 20th Avenue. The foundation of the synagogue and school had been completed in 1924.{{Cite news|title=To Erect New Synagogue: Congregation Tiffareth Israel To Build In Mapleton Park.|date=October 23, 1927|work=The New York Times|page=RE1|id={{ProQuest|104079685}}}} A new building for the Mapleton branch of the Brooklyn Public Library was constructed starting in 1953,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/11/27/archives/library-branch-planned-brooklyn-to-get-mapleton-unit-williamsburg.html|title=LIBRARY BRANCH PLANNED; Brooklyn to Get Mapleton Unit -- Williamsburg Repairs Set|date=November 27, 1953|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 21, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} and it opened in 1955.

According to a 2012 New York Times profile of the neighborhood, Mapleton is bounded by 16th Avenue on the west, Dahill Road on the east, 47th Street on the north, and 65th Street on the south. It is mostly residential and contains mainly single-family homes. The portion of Mapleton south of 60th Street is often combined with Bensonhurst, while the portion north of 60th Street is often considered part of Borough Park. The neighborhood is ethnically diverse and contains a large Italian, Jewish, and Asian population.

The New York City Subway has several stations in the neighborhood. The BMT Sea Beach Line ({{NYCS trains|Sea Beach header}}) runs in a trench between 63rd and 64th Streets, on Mapleton's southwest edge, with stations at 18th Avenue, 20th Avenue, and Bay Parkway. The IND Culver Line ({{NYCS trains|Culver IND south}}) runs along McDonald Avenue, near Mapleton's eastern edge, and stops at the Bay Parkway, Avenue N, and Avenue P stations.

The {{NYC bus link|B6|B8|B9|prose=y}} buses also stop within the neighborhood. The B6 runs along Bay Parkway and the B8 runs along 18th Avenue, while the B9 runs along 60th Street.{{cite NYC bus map|B}}

File:PS48 Mapleton 18 Av 61 St jeh.jpgThe Mapleton School (PS 48) is located at 18th Avenue and 60th Street and serves kindergarten through fifth grade. Mapleton also contains the Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School, located at 20th Avenue and 59th Street.

The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) has two branches in Mapleton. The Ryder branch is located at 5902 23rd Avenue, between 59th and 60th Streets. Opened in April 1970 and designed by Arthur Witthoefft, the Ryder branch has one of the BPL's busiest circulating collections.{{cite web | title=Ryder Library | website=Brooklyn Public Library | date=August 22, 2011|url=https://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/ryder | access-date=February 21, 2019}} The Mapleton branch is located at 1702 60th Street, on the corner of 17th Avenue and 60th Street. Founded in the 1930s, the Mapleton branch moved to its present building in 1955.{{cite web | title=Mapleton Library | website=Brooklyn Public Library | date=August 22, 2011 | url=https://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/mapleton | access-date=February 21, 2019}}

File:Washington Cemetery.jpg

Mapleton contains Washington Cemetery, the largest inhabited Jewish cemetery in New York. Many Orthodox Jews are buried there, as are many prominent people. The cemetery is located on Bay Parkway and stretches from 59th Street to East 3rd Street.

Mapleton contains the {{Convert|6.38|acre|ha|abbr=|adj=on}} Gravesend Park, located on 18th Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets. The park was created in 1917 and was named after the nearby neighborhood of Gravesend.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/gravesend-park|title=Gravesend Park : NYC Parks|website=www.nycgovparks.org|access-date=February 21, 2019}} It contains two baseball fields, two basketball courts, fitness equipment, four handball courts, and four playgrounds. Gravesend Park was renovated in 2016 for $7.25 million.{{Cite web|url=https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2016/08/18/gravesend-park-reopens-after-7-25-million-renovation/|title=Gravesend Park reopens after $7.25 million renovation|last=Katinas|first=Paula|date=August 18, 2016|website=Brooklyn Daily Eagle|language=en-US|access-date=February 21, 2019}} Properties in the neighborhood that were too small to develop, such as Dahill Triangle, have also been designated as parks.

The neighborhood also contained a park named Mapleton Park (also known as Mapleton Oval) at 62nd Street and 20th Avenue, which was completed in 1916.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lJOsTesWMGYC&q=mapleton+%22alco+building+company%22&pg=RA1-PA693|title=Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide|date=1916|publisher=C.W. Sweet & Company|language=en}} The field lasted through at least 1920 and was the home of the Mapleton Park Nine baseball team.{{cite web|url=http://www.covehurst.net/ddyte/brooklyn/otherparks.html|title=Some Other Ballparks in Brooklyn|website=BrooklynBallParks.com}} The oval may have been named after an old neighborhood name for the area. Today, the legacy of the name Mapleton Park exists in a local synagogue, the Young Israel of Mapleton Park, near 65th Street and Bay Parkway (22nd Avenue).

Maple Lanes, a 48-lane bowling alley, was formerly located at 16th Avenue and 60th Street. It opened in 1960{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/23/nyregion/at-maple-lanes-longtime-bowlers-prepare-for-loss.html|title=At Maple Lanes, Bowlers Prepare for Loss|last=Robbins|first=Liz|date=April 22, 2011|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 21, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} and was sold in 2012 to a developer, who planned to demolish the bowling alley to construct condominiums and a synagogue.{{Cite web|url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/09/10/beloved-brooklyn-bowling-alley-maple-lanes-being-sold-to-developer/|title=Beloved Brooklyn Bowling Alley 'Maple Lanes' Being Sold To Developer|date=September 10, 2012|website=CBS New York|language=en|access-date=February 21, 2019}} At the time of its closing, Maple Lanes was one of the few remaining bowling alleys in Brooklyn.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/20/K048/default.htm Mapleton School] PS 48

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Category:Neighborhoods in Brooklyn

Category:Bensonhurst, Brooklyn

Category:Borough Park, Brooklyn