Secret Lives Tour 2012: Brooklyn Heights: High and Low
The Historic Districts Council
Presents: Secret Lives Tour 2012
A series of tours highlighting some of the most original and rarely seen spaces in New York. The Secret Lives Tours take attendees inside unique and spectacular landmarked spaces in the city, both big and small, to learn about their history and preservation.
Brooklyn Heights: High and Low – St. George Hotel, Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims and Brooklyn Historical Society
CANCELED
Brooklyn Heights is home to a wealth of rich history. For this tour, attendees will gain access to three lesser-seen spaces. First, guests will get to visit the rooftop of the famed St. George Hotel, once the largest hotel in New York and originally famous for its entertaining spaces and celebrities who stayed here. The rooftop terrace once housed the nightspot called the “Egyptian Club”, which featured hand painted murals of exotic dessert images. Other architectural details of the terrace included terra-cotta piers of a whimsical design. Architect Daniel Allen of Cutsogeorge Tooman & Allen will discuss the recent process of restoring these piers while guests take in the stunning views of the city from this perspective.
Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims is famed for its abolitionist ties as well as for its and extensive and historic campus. We will visit the main sanctuary as well as view the magnificent stained glass Tiffany windows located within the Church. Guests will also have the option to view several other exhibits on display within the Arcade of the Church, an award winning restoration project that faces the beautiful Beecher Garden.
The program concludes with an optional tour of the Brooklyn Historical Society. The Society’s home was designed by architect George B. Post in the Renaissance Revival style and includes busts of famed historians as well as the original name of the society, the Long Island Historical Society. Visitors will also get to see the Victorian-era wood-paneled library, generally not open to the public.