St. Johns Place Line
Encyclopedia
The St. Johns Place Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn
, New York
, mainly along Atlantic Avenue
, Washington Avenue, Sterling Place, and St. Johns Place between Downtown Brooklyn
and Crown Heights
. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the B45 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority
.
leased its main line east of Fifth Avenue (just east of Flatbush Avenue) to the Long Island Rail Road
as a branch of their system to downtown Brooklyn. However, the Atlantic Avenue Railroad still wanted to serve the area east of downtown, and it opened a new track on the south side of Atlantic Avenue from Fifth Avenue to Washington Avenue, and then a line along Washington Avenue and Sterling Place (then Butler Street) to Nostrand Avenue, on June 11, 1883.
The rest of the line was built by the Nassau Electric Railroad
, which had the right to build from Hamilton Ferry to City Line
along Union Street, St. Johns Place (then Douglass Street), East New York Avenue, and Liberty Avenue. The Nassau Electric leased the Atlantic Avenue on April 5, 1896, and never built the portion between the end of the Union Street Line at Grand Army Plaza and the crossing of their Ocean Avenue Line at Rogers Avenue, one block west of Nostrand Avenue. Instead, the Atlantic Avenue Railroad's Butler Street Line was truncated to Rogers Avenue and extended via St. Johns Place and East New York Avenue, and, once the lease was consummated, cars were operated from Fulton Ferry
to Sheepshead Bay
(leaving the line at Rogers Avenue) and to City Line, where they soon connected with the Long Island Electric Railway
and New York and Long Island Traction Company
.
Later the St. Johns Place cars turned south at Rockaway Avenue along the Wilson Avenue Line
to Canarsie Depot, and Liberty Avenue vas served only by Bergen Street Line
cars. Buses were substituted for streetcars on August 24, 1947. The bus route was truncated to the intersection with the Bergen Street Line and Ralph Avenue Line
by 1969.
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
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...
, mainly along Atlantic Avenue
Atlantic Avenue (New York City)
Atlantic Avenue is an important street in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. It stretches from the Brooklyn waterfront on the East River all the way to Jamaica, Queens...
, Washington Avenue, Sterling Place, and St. Johns Place between Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn is the third largest central business district in New York City , and is located in the northwestern section of the borough of Brooklyn...
and Crown Heights
Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The main thoroughfare through this neighborhood is Eastern Parkway, a tree-lined boulevard designed by Frederick Law Olmsted extending two miles east-west.Originally, the area was known as Crow Hill....
. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the B45 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority
New York City Transit Authority
The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
.
History
In 1877, the Atlantic Avenue RailroadAtlantic Avenue Railroad
The Atlantic Avenue Railroad was a railroad company in the U.S. state of New York, with a main line connecting downtown Brooklyn with Jamaica along Atlantic Avenue. It was largely a streetcar company that operated its own trains, but the Long Island Rail Road operated both streetcars and steam...
leased its main line east of Fifth Avenue (just east of Flatbush Avenue) to the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
as a branch of their system to downtown Brooklyn. However, the Atlantic Avenue Railroad still wanted to serve the area east of downtown, and it opened a new track on the south side of Atlantic Avenue from Fifth Avenue to Washington Avenue, and then a line along Washington Avenue and Sterling Place (then Butler Street) to Nostrand Avenue, on June 11, 1883.
The rest of the line was built by the Nassau Electric Railroad
Nassau Electric Railroad
The Nassau Electric Railroad was an electric street railway company in the U.S. state of New York. The company operated throughout the borough of Brooklyn, as well as over the Brooklyn Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan....
, which had the right to build from Hamilton Ferry to City Line
City Line, Brooklyn
City Line is a sub-section of the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City, bordering the neighborhoods of Cypress Hills to the north and Ozone Park, Queens to the east, and the Shore Parkway to the south...
along Union Street, St. Johns Place (then Douglass Street), East New York Avenue, and Liberty Avenue. The Nassau Electric leased the Atlantic Avenue on April 5, 1896, and never built the portion between the end of the Union Street Line at Grand Army Plaza and the crossing of their Ocean Avenue Line at Rogers Avenue, one block west of Nostrand Avenue. Instead, the Atlantic Avenue Railroad's Butler Street Line was truncated to Rogers Avenue and extended via St. Johns Place and East New York Avenue, and, once the lease was consummated, cars were operated from Fulton Ferry
Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn
Fulton Ferry is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is named for a prominent ferry line crossing the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, and is also the name of the ferry slip on the Brooklyn side...
to Sheepshead Bay
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
Sheepshead Bay is a bay separating the mainland of Brooklyn, New York City from the eastern portion of Coney Island, the latter originally a barrier island but now effectively an extension of the mainland with peninsulas both east and west...
(leaving the line at Rogers Avenue) and to City Line, where they soon connected with the Long Island Electric Railway
Long Island Electric Railway
The Long Island Electric Railway was a streetcar company operating in Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau County, New York, United States. It connected the east end of the Fulton Street El at Crescent Street station in City Line, Brooklyn with Jamaica, Queens, and ran from there to the Nassau County line...
and New York and Long Island Traction Company
New York and Long Island Traction Company
The New York and Long Island Traction Company was a street railway company in Queens and Nassau County, New York, United States. It operated from New York City east to Freeport, Hempstead, and Mineola....
.
Later the St. Johns Place cars turned south at Rockaway Avenue along 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...
to Canarsie Depot, and Liberty Avenue vas served only by Bergen Street Line
Bergen Street Line
The Bergen Street Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running westbound mostly along Bergen Street, as well as eastbound on Dean Street , between downtown Brooklyn and Ocean Hill...
cars. Buses were substituted for streetcars on August 24, 1947. The bus route was truncated to the intersection with the Bergen Street Line and Ralph Avenue Line
Ralph Avenue Line
The Ralph Avenue Line is a surface transit line on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. Once a streetcar line, it is now part of the B47 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority, and prior to 1995, it was the B78 route; the northern part of the route was part of...
by 1969.
See also
- streetcar line
- Crown HeightsCrown Heights, BrooklynCrown Heights is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The main thoroughfare through this neighborhood is Eastern Parkway, a tree-lined boulevard designed by Frederick Law Olmsted extending two miles east-west.Originally, the area was known as Crow Hill....
- Prospect HeightsProspect Heights, BrooklynProspect Heights is a neighborhood in the northwest of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The traditional boundaries are Flatbush Avenue to the west, Atlantic Avenue to the north, Eastern Parkway to the south, and Washington Avenue to the east...
- Atlantic AvenueAtlantic Avenue (New York City)Atlantic Avenue is an important street in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. It stretches from the Brooklyn waterfront on the East River all the way to Jamaica, Queens...
- Downtown BrooklynDowntown BrooklynDowntown Brooklyn is the third largest central business district in New York City , and is located in the northwestern section of the borough of Brooklyn...