Why is Brooklyn a city in mailing addresses when everyone knows the obvious? Have you ever thought about this for a second?
The United Postal Service divides the city of New York into different cities, and Brooklyn is one of them. But this doesn’t change Brooklyn’s status. Rather, it makes managing the various territories a breeze for the U.S. Postal Service.
Brooklyn, NY, also called Kings County, boasts a long and storied history. It is vast and boasts several attractions that turn heads.
Here, we’ll discuss Brooklyn’s current status. Is it a city? Furthermore, what makes Brooklyn, NYC, an exciting place to live in? Keep reading for more details!
Is Brooklyn A City?
Brooklyn is a borough. It is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The rest are Queens, Staten Island, Bronx, Manhattan,
A borough is like a smaller city within a massive metropolis. New York City boasts five boroughs, as we mentioned earlier. Each of these boroughs boasts dozens of neighborhoods that lend their local flavors.
Brooklyn was once a city, and has everything to become one. But as things stand now, it isn’t. If Brooklyn were a city, it would have been America’s third most populous city.
How Brooklyn Became A Borough
New York’s most famous borough, Brooklyn, occupies 70 square miles. The Dutch settled in Brooklyn in the 1630s and were the first settlers.
Brooklyn was the Battle of Long Island’s ground during the American Revolution. The battle on this territory took place precisely on August 27, 1776.
Brooklyn has a rich history and features numerous landmarks. In the 19th century, it became the world’s first modern commuter suburb. In addition, Brooklyn Heights was turned into a wealthy and attractive residential community.
Here’s how Brooklyn’s transformation or, instead, retrogression from city to borough played out. Evidently, the decision to make Brooklyn a borough rather than a city was more political than economic.
In 1834, Brooklyn became an independent city, and quickly, it moved to adopt the grid form of street layout. All of these moves made Brooklynites excited. Unfortunately, New York wasn’t.
Brooklyn was developing at a fast pace. In the 1880s, it reportedly had a record 20,000 industrial jobs and was handling far higher waterborne tonnage than its counterparts.
There was an Academy of Music in Brooklyn around 1859. Other landmark projects include the Historical Society (1863) and Prospect Park (1870s).
What doomed Brooklyn’s independence?
Brooklyn’s challenges started following the construction of the iconic John Roebling and Washington Roebling’s Bridge, completed in 1883. How? Business interests sort closer ties to the suburb.
Struggling to overcome the local democratic machine’s opposition, Brooklyn accepted consolidation via a margin of 277 votes. It then became part of Greater New York in 1898.
Though Brooklyn is a borough, despite having everything to be crowned a city, it had things Manhattan could never match. The borough has the Dodgers, a beloved baseball team, playing in an incredible ballpark, the Ebbets Field.
Unfortunately, Ebbets Field was demolished around 1957, and the baseball team had to decamp to California, a move that broke many people’s hearts.
Is It Safe To Live In Brooklyn NYC?
No doubt, Brooklyn is one of New York City’s most popular places. However, its name occasionally makes the headlines for good and not-so-good reasons.
Brooklyn has everything required to make your stay a memorable one. It features charming boutiques, vibrant nightlife, and beautiful brownstones, making it an attractive neighborhood for the young and old.
Many young people, including professionals, are moving from Manhattan to Brooklyn for apparent reasons. Brooklyn is changing its face and repositioning itself to overtake Manhattan.
Unfortunately, Brooklyn’s popularity comes with a price. As more people flock to the borough, the prices of homes (renting or buying) will skyrocket. Additionally, the influx of new residents could lead to overcrowding, causing crime rates to increase too.
So, is Brooklyn, NYC, safe to live in? Here’s something you need to understand.
Brooklyn used to be a crime scene, but all that has changed a bit over the years. The police have stepped up efforts to reduce crime drastically. Nevertheless, we can all agree that much work still needs to be done, though the progress made so far is commendable.
Now, Brooklyn, NYC, is far, much safer than it used to be. But then, the crime rate in this borough is 91 percent higher than in New York. So, there’s still much work to do.
Here is something you need to know about Brooklyn’s current crime rate. Reports indicate that 838 crimes occur per square mile in the borough, and one in every 47 people is impacted.
Population growth and poverty have a direct impact on a neighborhood’s security. A higher population means higher competition for available jobs, resources and a rise in the poverty rate. So, Brooklyn’s high crime rate can be attributed to the increased population.
Brooklyn is New York City’s most famous borough, with a population of 2,736,074. It had a 9.2 percent population gain from 2010 to 2020, the highest across all New York City boroughs.
If each borough were transformed into a city, Brooklyn would have been the third most populated city. It will be behind places like Los Angeles and Chicago.
Brooklyn is another borough that boasts a massively diverse population. Over 46 percent of the borough’s population includes members of an ethnic minority or racial group. You will meet a vibrant community with diverse cultures in places like Bushwick, Williamsburg, and Crown Heights.
What Makes Brooklyn NYC’s Most Exciting Boroughs
Is it time for Manhattan to move over? Yes, it is. Brooklyn is taking over soon, as it has been ranked NYC’s fastest-growing borough.
Here are some of the things that make Brooklyn so exciting.
1: The captivating park scenes:
Brooklyn boasts adorable parks capable of rivaling any green space. These include the iconic Prospect Park, McCarran Park, and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The Brooklyn Bridge Park boasts views of the city’s adorable skyline. Prospect Park’s zoo and gardens also set it apart.
Manhattan’s Central Park is New York City’s most loved and visited park. However, once you visit Brooklyn’s diverse parks, you may alter your future planned visit to Central Park or anywhere else.
2: Brooklyn is spacious:
New York City is the most populated in the country. It boasts a population size of 8,992,908. With such a population, it’s obvious that some parts of NYC won’t have enough room for people to move around easily. A good example is Manhattan.
Houses in Manhattan cost a fortune because of its population size. And finding a home in an area of choice can be challenging even when one has the resources.
Interestingly, Brooklyn boasts more space than Manhattan, making it a wise decision for young families or professionals who may prefer to live where they can move around freely.
2: Home to coffee lovers:
Seattle dominates when it comes to coffee. But that’s when you’re running a national comparison. In the territory of New York City, Brooklyn is far ahead.
The mom-and-pop shop cafes and coffeehouses in Brooklyn are far more than you’ll find in any other borough. Coffee is part of the life of the residents, too.
3: Brooklyn is cheap:
Land developers and home sellers are doing the most to buyers in Manhattan’s real estate market. Everyone can attest to this, even if you haven’t purchased a home or approached a real estate agent in Manhattan. These developers and sellers are sniffing every dollar they can get from buyers.
In Brooklyn, the situation is different. Even though its soaring popularity is causing home prices to rise, it won’t reach Manhattan’s level soon. In other words, Brooklyn is still cheaper than Manhattan.
4: The iconic Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden, located on Prospect Park’s ground, welcomes over a million visitors annually. It attracts tourists from within the country and outside. Even New Yorkers can’t have enough of this garden.
The idyllic cherry trees are iconic plants you’ll encounter in this garden. The plants transform the park entirely as they blossom in spring.
Conclusion
Is Brooklyn a city? No, Brooklyn isn’t a city. Though it was, it lost its freedom to operate as a city and became part of Greater New York City in 1889.
Despite having the highest crime rate among all boroughs, Brooklyn is a great place to live. Anyone who knows about Brooklyn and compares its past to its present will understand that Brooklyn’s crime rate has drastically reduced.
But there is still much work to do. While some parts of Brooklyn have seen crime rates drop, many are still grappling with serious violent crimes. Overall, Brooklyn is a great place to live. You can relocate to any of the safe neighborhoods.
