Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, Brooklyn, NY

A few months ago I visited a very interesting and historical church that was part of a "Walking Brooklyn" tours my friends and I took this past winter.  Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, located at 75 Hicks Street, in the Brooklyn Height neighborhood of Brooklyn , New York, was built in 1849. It was founded in 1847 by transplanted New Englanders who wanted a Congregational church like those in which they had been raised, with a simple order of worship, governed by the congregation.

The 21 men and women who founded the church in Brooklyn Heights called as their first pastor Henry Ward Beecher, who soon became considered "The Most Famous Man in America," through his powerful preaching and outspoken opposition to slavery. The preacher and abolitionist's church was also “the Grand Central depot” of the Underground Railroad. Beecher was also the brother of the author Harriet Beecher Stowe, who wrote the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Published in 1853, it was the anti slavery novel that helped lay the groundwork for the Civil War.

An informational placard on the outside wall of the church. As you read, a piece of Plymouth Rock is in the adjoining building, which I will show you later in this post.

Many celebrated Americans became a part of Plymouth Church's history.  It is the only New York City church that Abraham Lincoln worshipped in before he became president.  Mark Twain spoke at Plymouth, as did many other famous writers and activists, including Clara Barton, Charles Dickens, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Horace Greeley, and William Thackery. In February 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached a sermon on "The American Dream."

The original organ inside the church, installed in 1847, was replaced in 1866 by what was then the largest pipe organ ever built in the United States. The casework and pipes visible today are part of that organ, made by E. and G.G. Hook of Boston. The present Aeolian-Skinner Organ is a four-manual, 59-rank, 4162 pipe instrument.

When fire damaged Plymouth's original church on Cranberry Street, a new red brick Sanctuary seating 2,800 was quickly constructed, fronting on Orange Street behind the ruined original. That first building, now called the Church House, was later rebuilt to house offices, parlors and Sunday School rooms.

It also houses a small museum in its arcade consisting of interesting artifacts from the church's history.

There hangs one of the last known portraits of Henry Ward Beecher.

Henry Ward Beecher made headlines by concluding many sermons with a mock slave auction where he would act as a fast-talking auctioneer in search of donations towards the purchase of slaves' freedom.  Pictured above is Sarah, a 21 year old daughter of a white father and slave mother in Virginia who was going to be sold further south until Beecher heard about her situation and arranged for her to be brought to the church.  The parishioners passed forth donations to raise her $1,200 fee and buy her freedom as well as a small house in upstate New York where she supported herself by keeping chickens and growing vegetables to sell..

One of the most notable slaves whose freedom was bought at Plymouth Church was a young girl named "Pinky." A parishioner placed a small gold ring in the offering plate for her and Beecher placed the ring upon the child's finger.   Pinky, who was renamed Rose Ward, lived in Washington  DC and became a school teacher.  She returned to the church in 1927 to give thanks to the church , and to return the ring, which is now on display.

Photos of a slave pen in Virginia, a painting of President's Abraham Lincoln worshipping in Plymouth Church, and Ulysses S Grant, who visited the church following his Presidency.

A photo of Harriet Beecher Stowe and her novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and also a book of her letters and journals

In 1934, Plymouth Church merged with the neighboring Church of the Pilgrims, the first Congregational church in Brooklyn, becoming Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims. Organized in 1844, the Church of the Pilgrims had as its founding pastor Richard Salter Storrs, who served the Church until 1900.  A piece of Plymouth Rock was given to the Church of the Pilgrims in 1840. It was placed here on a pedestal in the Plymouth Church building in 1940 after the merger.

A close up of the Plymouth Rock fragment.

Neighborhood Beat: Plymouth Church
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The video above from Brooklyn Independent Television with more interesting information about Plymouth Church, including the first hymnal in the United States with words and music on the same page, that was invented by Henry Ward Beecher.

Tours of Plymouth Church are available by appointment Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and on Sundays after morning worship without an appointment. Please email Lois Rosebrooks, Director of History Ministry Services at loisrosebrooks@plymouthchurch.org or contact her by phone at 718-624-4743 to make an appointment.

I'm linking this post to the following blog events:
 
Mosaic Monday
Blue Monday
Our World Tuesday
Outdoor Wednesday

Many thanks to the blog hosts of these events!

Henry Chadwick --The Father of Baseball

photo source

Are you, or someone you know, a fan of America's favorite pastime, baseball?  Did you know that Henry Chadwick is called the "Father of Baseball"?

Born in Exeter, England, and raised playing cricket, he became one of the prime movers in the rise of baseball to its unprecedented popularity at the turn of the 20th century. Chadwick moved to Brooklyn, New York, with his family at the age of 12, and became a frequent player of early ball games called "rounders" which was similar to baseball.  In 1856, while witnessing a well-played match between two New York baseball clubs, he became a fan, and decided to do everything he could to make baseball "a national sport for Americans," as cricket was for the English. At the time he was covering cricket matches for the New York Times and persuaded them, and other newspapers, to also cover local baseball games. He then went on to author innovative score keeping practices, introduced statistics such as batting average and ERA, and became the chairman of the first baseball rules committee.

Chadwick died in 1908 at age 83 and is interred in the National Historic Green-Wood Cemetery located in Brooklyn, New York.  "Father of Base Ball" is inscribed on his grave marker.  A popular stop for visitors to this very scenic cemetery, a few of whom leave baseballs behind on his gravestone as a sign of respect.

His grave site is neatly outlined with "bases."

Bronze reliefs of baseball bats, a fielder's glove and a catchers mask decorate the sides of his gravestone.

Photo Source: Baseball Hall Of Fame

Chadwick was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938, the only writer elected to the hall itself.  He certainly left an indelible mark on the history of the game!

I'm linking to post to the weekly "Outdoor Wednesday" event on Susan's blog A Southern Daydreamer. Thanks, Susan, for hosting each week!

Please CLICK HERE to go to my review blog to see where I was treated to a shopping spree to buy items for my bride-to-be daughter--that post will be coming up in a few days!  There is also information on how you can enter for a chance to win a $25 gift card to HomeGoods through Blogher Prizes and Promotions, contest ending June 30, 2011.

Brooklyn Celebrity Path

Among the walkways in the beautiful Brooklyn Botanic Garden, located in Brooklyn, New York, is an interesting path where stepping - stones are inscribed with names of famous Brooklynites, both past and present

Each celebrity honored has his or her name embedded in an 18-by-24-inch concrete paver and decorated with a stylized leaf outline in bronze

At irregular intervals along the way, approximately 100 artists, poets, performers, and athletes who were born or have lived in Brooklyn are honored.

Each paver also contains a bronze medallion of the Brooklyn Bridge, encircled by the phrase "The Greatness of Brooklyn Is Its People." New names are added to Celebrity Path each June during the borough's annual "Welcome Back to Brooklyn Day."

This photo mosaic shows a representative of the many stones along the path. To enlarge the photo double click it.  It is Brooklyn's answer to Hollywood's "Walk of Fame"!

Among the names are Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Mary Tyler Moore, Barbra Streisand, Mae West, Maurice Sendak, Maryann Moore, Walt Whitman, Harry Houdini, Larry King, Mickey Rooney, Neil Simon, Connie Stevens, Jerry Stiller, Danny Kaye, Richard Tucker, and many many more!  To see a longer list visit this web site

The Brooklyn Celebrity Path meanders through Austrian pines, rhododendrons, and daffodils.  It is located just south of the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden. and across from the Shakespeare Garden.  It is fun to walk along it and find the familiar names.

Were you surprised to see how many famous people originated from Brooklyn, New York?  Who is the most famous resident, either past or present, from where you live ?

I'm part of Mary's "Mosaic Monday" on her blog Little Red House today.  Please visit Mary to see her photo mosaic and  to find links to other participating blogs.  Thank you, Mary!