Immigrant Williamsburg: Capital, Creativity, Chaos
Williamsburg’s name has been synonymous with creativity and innovation for over a century and a half. In this tour, we explore some of that legacy through the lens of the immigrants who made it a hub for constant reinvention, looking at Poles, Germans, Italians, Puerto Ricans, Hasidic Jews, and others.
The North Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg has had a storied history as a center of creativity for four centuries. Given its proximity to the East River waterfront, Williamsburg has always had access to commercial trade routes and served as a destination for many crossing over from Manhattan. Today, the neighborhood is often associated with hipster culture, tech entrepreneurship, and high-end restaurants and shops.
On this walk, we narrate the story of a different, lesser-known side of Williamsburg: that of its immigrant and minority communities. These immigrants included Poles, Germans, Italians, Jews, Latinos, and many more. We will explore the themes of capital, creativity, and chaos through the stories of these immigrant communities and learn how they shaped the neighborhood's historical and cultural trajectory into the present day.
Along the way, we will learn about several immigrant-led businesses, old and new, including (but not limited to) the Domino Sugar Factory founded by an English immigrant; Gottlieb's Restaurant founded by a Hungarian immigrant; Pfizer, founded by a German immigrant; the Moore Street Market, a staple for Latino immigrants; and Qahwah House, founded by Yemeni immigrants. We will also visit the home of the founder of "America's first pizzeria" as well as the Grand Rabbi of the Satmar sect of Hasidic Judaism.
In the process, we will also learn a little bit about the impacts of economic change through the neighborhood, as well as the challenges faced by these immigrants communities today as they grapple with the housing crisis, increased costs of living, and cultural erasure. A vivid portrait of a diverse and everchanging neighborhood will emerge.