Bushwick Avenue Line
Encyclopedia
The Bushwick Avenue Line or Bushwick Line was a public transit line in Brooklyn
, New York City
, United States
, running mostly along Bushwick Avenue and Myrtle Avenue between Williamsburg
and Ridgewood, Queens
.
east to their stables on Bushwick Avenue in late May or early June 1868. The line began at the company's office at the intersection of Grand Street and Kent Avenue, and proceeded south on Kent Avenue (Brooklyn City Rail Road's Greenpoint Line
), east on Broadway
(Broadway Railroad's Broadway Line
trackage), north on Bedford Avenue, east on South Fourth Street and Meserole Street, and southeast on Bushwick Avenue. The line was soon extended southeast on Bushwick Avenue and east on Myrtle Avenue to Myrtle Avenue Park (near Cypress Avenue) in Ridgewood, Queens
. A branch to the Greenpoint Ferry, through which cars were operated between this ferry and Ridgewood, was opened on September 18, 1875. This branch split at Graham Avenue, turning north along the Brooklyn City Rail Road's Graham Avenue Line. At the end of that line, it turned west on several blocks of new trackage on Driggs Avenue before reaching the Brooklyn Crosstown Railroad's Crosstown Line
in Manhattan Avenue. There it turned north through Manhattan Avenue to Greenpoint Avenue, turning west there onto new trackage to reach the ferry. An extension was planned south to the Prospect Park and Coney Island Railroad depot via Graham Avenue, Tompkins Avenue, Brooklyn Avenue, Prospect Place, and Vanderbilt Avenue. This was built somewhat differently as the Tompkins Avenue Line the next year.
The Brooklyn City Rail Road extended its Myrtle Avenue Line
east from its former terminus at Broadway to Bushwick Avenue and thence over the Bushwick Railroad's line to Myrtle Avenue Park in August 1879. The BCRR leased the Bushwick Railroad on July 27, 1888. On October 18, 1888, the court ruled that the BCRR had no right to operate over the Brooklyn Crosstown Railroad trackage on Manhattan Avenue, gained through an 1875 agreement between the Bushwick and Crosstown Railroads. The Crosstown owned the Greenpoint and Calvary Cemetery Railroad, which included the Calvary Cemetery Line from Greenpoint Ferry to Calvary Cemetery
. The BCRR leased the Crosstown in mid-1889, but did not restore the Bushwick Avenue branch to the ferry.
Eventually, the Graham Avenue Line was extended over the trackage on Driggs Avenue, and the Greenpoint Avenue trackage to the Greenpoint Ferry became part of several lines, including the Lorimer Street Line
, Union Avenue Line
, and Calvary Cemetery Line.
At some point, westbound traffic to the Williamsburg Bridge
was rerouted to use the Wilson Avenue Line
(Johnson Avenue and Broadway
) to the crossing of Johnson and Bushwick Avenues, and eastbound Wilson Avenue cars were moved to the Bushwick Avenue Line. Streetcars were discontinued on September 1, 1947.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, running mostly along Bushwick Avenue and Myrtle Avenue between Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
and Ridgewood, Queens
Ridgewood, Queens
Ridgewood is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It borders the neighborhoods of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale, as well as the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick. Historically, the neighborhood straddled the Queens-Brooklyn boundary. The neighborhood is part of Queens...
.
History
The Bushwick Railroad opened the line from the Grand Street FerryGrand Street Ferry
The Grand Street Ferry was a ferry route connecting Manhattan and Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City, United States, joining Grand Street and Grand Street across the East River.-History:...
east to their stables on Bushwick Avenue in late May or early June 1868. The line began at the company's office at the intersection of Grand Street and Kent Avenue, and proceeded south on Kent Avenue (Brooklyn City Rail Road's Greenpoint Line
Greenpoint Line
The Greenpoint Line was a streetcar line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. When it stopped operating, it was not replaced by a bus route.-History:The line was opened by the Brooklyn City Railroad in October 1854 to Bushwick Creek....
), east on Broadway
Broadway (Brooklyn)
Broadway is an avenue in the New York City borough of Brooklyn that extends from the East River in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in a southeasterly direction to East New York for a length of 4.32 miles . It was named for Broadway in Manhattan. The East New York terminus is a complicated...
(Broadway Railroad's Broadway Line
Broadway Line (Brooklyn surface)
The Broadway Line was a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States along Broadway between Williamsburg and East New York. Originally a streetcar line, it later became a bus route, but no bus currently operates over the entire length of Broadway, with the BMT Jamaica Line...
trackage), north on Bedford Avenue, east on South Fourth Street and Meserole Street, and southeast on Bushwick Avenue. The line was soon extended southeast on Bushwick Avenue and east on Myrtle Avenue to Myrtle Avenue Park (near Cypress Avenue) in Ridgewood, Queens
Ridgewood, Queens
Ridgewood is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It borders the neighborhoods of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale, as well as the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick. Historically, the neighborhood straddled the Queens-Brooklyn boundary. The neighborhood is part of Queens...
. A branch to the Greenpoint Ferry, through which cars were operated between this ferry and Ridgewood, was opened on September 18, 1875. This branch split at Graham Avenue, turning north along the Brooklyn City Rail Road's Graham Avenue Line. At the end of that line, it turned west on several blocks of new trackage on Driggs Avenue before reaching the Brooklyn Crosstown Railroad's Crosstown Line
Crosstown Line (Brooklyn surface)
The Crosstown Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running along Van Brunt Street and Manhattan Avenue between Red Hook and Long Island City, Queens. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the B61 and the B62 bus routes...
in Manhattan Avenue. There it turned north through Manhattan Avenue to Greenpoint Avenue, turning west there onto new trackage to reach the ferry. An extension was planned south to the Prospect Park and Coney Island Railroad depot via Graham Avenue, Tompkins Avenue, Brooklyn Avenue, Prospect Place, and Vanderbilt Avenue. This was built somewhat differently as the Tompkins Avenue Line the next year.
The Brooklyn City Rail Road extended its Myrtle Avenue Line
Myrtle Avenue Line (surface)
The Myrtle Avenue Line is a surface transit line on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. It was the first streetcar line in Brooklyn, built by the Brooklyn City Railroad, and it is now the B54 bus route, operated by MTA New York City Bus' Fresh Pond Depot in Ridgewood, Queens...
east from its former terminus at Broadway to Bushwick Avenue and thence over the Bushwick Railroad's line to Myrtle Avenue Park in August 1879. The BCRR leased the Bushwick Railroad on July 27, 1888. On October 18, 1888, the court ruled that the BCRR had no right to operate over the Brooklyn Crosstown Railroad trackage on Manhattan Avenue, gained through an 1875 agreement between the Bushwick and Crosstown Railroads. The Crosstown owned the Greenpoint and Calvary Cemetery Railroad, which included the Calvary Cemetery Line from Greenpoint Ferry to Calvary Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery, Queens
The Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in Queens has the largest number of interments of any cemetery in the United States.The offices of Calvary Cemetery are located at 49-02 Laurel Hill Blvd. in Woodside in the New York City borough of Queens, New York. The cemetery is managed by the Trustees of...
. The BCRR leased the Crosstown in mid-1889, but did not restore the Bushwick Avenue branch to the ferry.
Eventually, the Graham Avenue Line was extended over the trackage on Driggs Avenue, and the Greenpoint Avenue trackage to the Greenpoint Ferry became part of several lines, including the Lorimer Street Line
Lorimer Street Line
The Lorimer Street Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running along Lorimer Street, Franklin Avenue, and Classon Avenue between Bedford–Stuyvesant and Greenpoint...
, Union Avenue Line
Union Avenue Line (Brooklyn)
The Union Avenue Line was a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running mostly along Myrtle Avenue, Knickerbocker Avenue, Flushing Avenue, Throop Avenue, and Union Avenue from Ridgewood, Queens northwest to Greenpoint, Brooklyn....
, and Calvary Cemetery Line.
At some point, westbound traffic to the Williamsburg Bridge
Williamsburg Bridge
The Williamsburg Bridge is a suspension bridge in New York City across the East River connecting the Lower East Side of Manhattan at Delancey Street with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn at Broadway near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway...
was rerouted to use the Wilson Avenue Line
Wilson Avenue Line
The Wilson Avenue Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running along Wilson Avenue and Rockaway Avenue between Williamsburg and Canarsie...
(Johnson Avenue and Broadway
Broadway (Brooklyn)
Broadway is an avenue in the New York City borough of Brooklyn that extends from the East River in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in a southeasterly direction to East New York for a length of 4.32 miles . It was named for Broadway in Manhattan. The East New York terminus is a complicated...
) to the crossing of Johnson and Bushwick Avenues, and eastbound Wilson Avenue cars were moved to the Bushwick Avenue Line. Streetcars were discontinued on September 1, 1947.