The name FLATBUSH is an Anglicization of the Dutch language
VLACKE BOS
[vlacke OR vlak = flat; meaning “flat woodland” OR “wooded plain”]
probably because the flat land that community was built on.
The Flatbush community has been receiving an influx of immigrants from the Caribbean, predominantly from Haiti, Trinidad (Trinidad & Tobago), Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, Barbados, St. Lucia and African countries like Ghana, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Kenya. Prior to the arrival of these groups, the Flatbush community had already been diverse, with many Italians, African-Americans and Jews.
Although Bushwick is the largest hub of Brooklyn’s Hispanic-American community Flatbush Ave also receiving sparking influence of Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Dominicans, and Panamanians.
Chinese live throughout the southern parts of Brooklyn and there is no BK district around Flatbush Ave without Chinese or Korean restaurant.
This cocktail in constant motion of mixtures makes Flatbush Ave more diverse and exotic.
South from Brooklyn College is Midwood and residents predominately feature a mix of Orthodox Jews and Irish Americans. Flatbush was originally chartered as the Dutch Nieuw Nederland colony town of Midwout in 1651. Both names were used in the Dutch era, and Midwood was an alternative name for Flatbush into the early 20th century.
Flatbush and the five other towns of what was to become Kings County were surrendered to the English in 1664. The influence of Dutch merchant and farming families remained strong in the area until after consolidation into the City of Greater New York in 1898.
Before it was incorporated into the City of Brooklyn in 1894, Flatbush described both the Town of Flatbush, incorporating a large swath of central Kings County extending east to the Queens County border, and the Village of Flatbush, formerly the heart of the current community. Many of the remaining early Dutch structures are in the Flatlands and Marine Park neighborhoods.
Today about few hundreds year after Prospect Park as Brooklyn only forest is the invisible line to connect ‘downtown Brooklyn’ and ‘Brooklyn south’. At that point in such diverse community as Flatbush is main attraction of locals and tourists attracting over 30 milion visitors a year. Downtown Brooklyn is a more outing zone for the evening whereby south is more day time zone and it is more diversed with Islanders.
Flatbush community is included in the lyrics/title of song: “Bone to Bone” (see lyrics below) performed by world famous band ‘Aerosmith‘ / ‘Steven Tyler‘ who signed to judge contestants on the popular reality singing competition American Idol for 2010/2011 season joining Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez.
…Flatbush boy cruisin’ sheepshead bay
His boardwalk mama just a sniff away
Underground dmt, ridin’ thunder train
The cone island white fish boy is on the run again…
(Steven Tyler – Aerosmith)
“Bone to Bone” appears as opening tune in American drama “The Lords of Flatbush“, 1974 with lead characters played by Sylvester Stallone, Henry Winkler, Perry King.
Celebrities Lived / Living in BK
Yes, Flatbush Ave it is very crowded place particularly in some portions which makes this Avenue World Wide unique and it is a great example/sample of multicultural, multiracial, multireligious richness of life and coexistence.
If we can make it short we'll say this:"You can get a glimps of everything in Flatbush and it is 'Island spice' of NYC"