Happy Birthday Brooklyn! On November 27th, 1646, the Dutch West India Company
granted the village of Brooklyn a municipal form of government. The area now known as Brooklyn is named for Breuklen, now spelled Breukelen,
or "broken land," a village in Holland with similar hilly terrain.
In 1646 the inhabitants of Brooklyn were invested with a grant of municipal privileges. They had the privilege of electing two magistrates, in addition to the two they already had, called "schepens," and to appoint a "scout," subordinate to the "schout fiscal" at New Amsterdam. At this time the village proper of Breuckelen was nearly a mile inland; the hamlet on the shore opposite Manhattan was known as the ferry.
via The History Box
Matt Coneybeare
Editor in Chief
Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.
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